Cycling down for the paper this morning on a day the Met office had cheerfully described as offering the ‘best weather for the week’, so only hailing a little bit, I couldn’t help but notice some of the lambs in one field were wearing what I can only describe as a tiny see-through lamb pac-a-mac.
I am certain that those of you out there who know about such things will be quick to tell me that it’s no such thing and that there are sound animal husbandry reasons why a lamb would have a clear plastic raincover on, but until that time I shall rejoice in the fact that there’s a farmer out there who’s even more soft hearted than I am.
Although, frankly, if it’s going to keep hailing, they’ll need something a little more robust. Maybe a fleece?
according to twitter it’s a thing https://twitter.com/#!/AsEasyAsRiding/status/191947976229400576
They do it when they get “early” lambs – typically before the last frosts are gone – just a temporary thing until they get their first jumper… made in Ireland (at least originally) – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3616467.stm
these ones were a bit neater – and transparent – but I guess it’s the same thing
I know they can survive cold or wet but not both. Die quite quickly if frozen & wet. Making little fleeces such a sweet idea – if it didn’t prevent their smell getting to the mother… suppose fleece would have to be daubed with scent somehow! This late really cold weather has made such a big difference.
Maybe they daub the outside of the plastic before putting it on, or it’s not enough to cover the lamb’s smell.. brilliant idea anyway.
Well I never! Funny little mites
A farmer described the risk thus
‘The’ dunna like the rain, it knocks ‘em down’
To much cold and wet soon after birth quite simply knock them flat. Poor we lambs
Makes sense. A newborn would be calorically challenged to start with, having not had a chance to build up a calorie/fat reserve. Smaller animals lose body heat faster than larger ones. Even newborn humans experience a weight drop shortly after birth because of having to maintain their own body heat without the insulation of being inside a large warm body. A plastic “jumper” makes sense –it’s cheap, it retains body heat, it keeps their body wool dry (nothing will induce hypothermia quicker than the deadly combination of being cold and wet), and it shields them from the wind, which is also a noted stealer of body heat. Yay, farmers!
We have swollows…. three days early
ahhhh typo….
They do look awfully skinny under their woolly coats.
Our swallows are late! Should have been here a week ago
Snow forecast for Glossop area tomorrow morning – hope poor swallows hang back a while!
Sorry. Mean this morning.
maybe the swallows need little raincoats as well
Special little tailcoats, perhaps with tiny matching top hats. Snow chickened out, btw. Just rain.