It depends a lot on the breed then on the individual sheep. Some tend to singles, some to twins, some to triplets, and some to what seem like whole litters. For larger scale production, it isn't unusual to cull those who only produce singles or those who are poor mothers. It depends a lot on what they're being used for.
What Bex said. With the production model I'm using, and the current prices for lamb here, the first lamb pays for its mother's annual upkeep (feed, meds, facilities, etc) and I don't start making a profit until the second lamb. So my ewes need to raise two lambs every year to be profitable for me. I don't ask them to raise more than two, however, so the "bonus" triplets, quads, quints, etc are raised on a bottle, and occassionally adopted onto a ewe who has lost her natural offspring to birth troubles. I choose my ewes accordingly! The ones who only bear singles don't fit with my program and are sold to others who don't mind the lower birthrate orthey wind up in our freezer!
It depends a lot on the breed then on the individual sheep. Some tend to singles, some to twins, some to triplets, and some to what seem like whole litters. For larger scale production, it isn't unusual to cull those who only produce singles or those who are poor mothers. It depends a lot on what they're being used for.
What Bex said. With the production model I'm using, and the current prices for lamb here, the first lamb pays for its mother's annual upkeep (feed, meds, facilities, etc) and I don't start making a profit until the second lamb. So my ewes need to raise two lambs every year to be profitable for me. I don't ask them to raise more than two, however, so the "bonus" triplets, quads, quints, etc are raised on a bottle, and occassionally adopted onto a ewe who has lost her natural offspring to birth troubles. I choose my ewes accordingly! The ones who only bear singles don't fit with my program and are sold to others who don't mind the lower birthrate orthey wind up in our freezer!