An older female sheep that exhibits strong maternal instincts and tries to claim or nurse another ewe's newborn lamb. This behavior disrupts the critical bonding process between the true mother and her offspring, often leaving the stolen lamb underfed if the older ewe is not producing enough milk. Shepherds must watch for these older ewes in the lambing shed to prevent them from interfering with new mothers.
Keep an eye on tag 402 in the bonding pen, she's turning into a granny and trying to steal twins from the young ewes.
A persistent granny can cause a first-time mother to abandon her lamb entirely, so experienced shepherds quickly isolate the true pair in a claiming pen.
Related terms
Kidding
The physiological process and management event of a female goat giving birth to offspring.
Nurse
A larger, faster-growing plant or tree used to shelter a younger, more fragile crop.
Ram
An intact male sheep kept primarily for breeding purposes.
Cull
To remove inferior or unproductive animals or plants from a breeding stock or harvest.