Legs and his brother Apple were born in June to Buttercup. Buttercup was a very good mother and the boys were healthy and happy lambs. When they were 3 weeks old all the lambs were marked (tails and testicles banded) but 3 didn't have their testes down yet so we waited another week to do those. They still wouldn't stay in the scrotum so all three of them ended up with one testicle remaining which meant that they couldn't go to market.
When the boys were 50 days old the flock came down with scabby mouth (orf). Buttercup had it very bad and she took her lambs into the bush to hide for a bit. We let her stay there for one night then carried her to the hospital paddock and put her in a sling because she couldn't walk.
We massaged her legs four times a day and gave her penicillin injections but she kept having seizures. Apple and Legs became very friendly and shared the special food I would bring their mother. We treated Buttercup for a week but she died during a seizure leaving her lambs in my care. When the scabby mouth subsided I put the orphans in with the others. When the other lambs would run to their mothers for a feed they would call me and they would come to me to have a cuddle and a scratch. They became my babies.
Apple became very friendly with the other lambs and soon only came to me for food, but Legs would stay with me just for my company. He became by special lamb.
When all the others had gone out to eat grass, Legs would wait at the silage for me to have a cuddle before he followed them. There was no way I could keep another ram, and he couldn't go to market because they don't want young rams. I tried to find a home for him but was unsuccessful. I eventually conceded he would have to go in my own freezer. I have never eaten a lamb I have named before so I tried to treat him like all the other lambs so I wouldn't feel so bad. It didn't work. I just couldn't unlove him. He was adorable.
Today we set the holding pen up and corralled the sheep. Legs and Apple walked willingly up the ramp and into the trailer. The other young ram (Dot) had to be wrangled but he made it there as well. I got one last kiss from Legs and a cuddle from Apple.
I won't see my babies again until I go to the butcher's place to help him cut and pack them in freezer bags. I will try to never fall in love with a male lamb again.
R.I.P. my little Legs. I know you will be delicious because our love was so sweet.
