In this on‑farm video Victor Justin Rhodes walks viewers through the process of weaning six lambs using a mobile sheep pen. The crew first separates ewes from their lambs, moves heifers and cows to a new pasture, and sets up a temporary lane to keep the larger animals out of the weaning area. They then demonstrate how the 16 × 16‑foot mobile pen – equipped with wheels, a built‑in cage, mineral feed, water, and shade – can be used to safely contain the lambs while the mothers rest. The narration covers common problems such as lambs jumping fences, the need for a chute to guide them into the pen, and management decisions about the breeding ram (Nacho) and a castrated steer (Joey). Throughout, the team uses trial‑and‑error, humor, and quick fixes (e.g., catching a stray lamb, adjusting fences) to keep the operation running smoothly. The video ends with all six lambs successfully penned, the ewes given a break, and a brief reflection on the effectiveness of the mobile pen system.
Chapters
Mama sheep are wearing out. We separated them from their babies to wean them, but those babies are putting too much pressure on the fence trying to get close to their moms, and sometimes they get out. See, somebody's in there now. They're not supposed to be in there, and we can't be having that because if they get in the habit of getting out, we'll never break them of it. Look, it's a really good sign. The sheep are under the shelter with Winnie. They're bonding. What are we doing today? We're getting the little lambs into the mobile wrestling ring to get those little sheep in that mobile sheep pen way out there. It's a good timing because we're moving the cows. They're right here. We're going to another pasture through here, and it's right out there. The Violet's pasture, one of our best pastures on the farm. To get there, no drama, especially with some new heifers. I'm gonna put up a temporary lane. First thing we're gonna do is move the heifers and the ewes out to their daily paddock. Okay, now I let everybody through but Surprise and the cows. You want to stay? Come on. You got everybody? Everybody's going through. Now we gotta milk the cows so that we can get them over to the pasture because the little lambs are in this in this pasture. So we want to get everybody out of the way. Wait, how'd that just happen? Two little lambs just got in. They jumped it. They're agile. I don't think they jumped it. It's a mystery. Anyway, we're gonna solve that problem. We're gonna solve it today. They're definitely gonna get out through here. I think they can stay down there. We're milking. After we're milking, we were gonna move the milk cows over and then these guys over. So it's okay, they're just a step ahead. I saw one jump over the other day when we were, uh, putting them back in. Really? It jumped right over without— it's only belly scraped the fence barely. I caught a fish! Yeah, in the net. Where is it? It's in the pan. You got a little minnow. Did you catch it with that net? Good job. Now it's time to give our mobile sheep pen some attention. This is a biological mowing machine. Wheels, built-in cage, mineral feed, water, shade. 16 by 16, it'll hold quite a few lambs. Joey is now a steer, now castrated. We gave up on that. Last year was our 'let's keep them intact.' Did not work. Let's get Joey in with these cows. Problem is Nacho's faster than Joey. Come on, Joey. Come on. Good deal. Everybody getting used to each other, but basically they just go back to chomping. You ready for some new mates? Nacho is our breeding ram. We don't want to put him with the ladies till July to give us January babies. Nice catch, my man. Call Dad. We had a chute leading right into the pen. Josiah, remind me, we tried this last year with some little guys and they just jumped right through the net instead of going into there. Oh, that didn't take long at all. He's gonna come right out, isn't he? I'm not too worried about it. I have Fences up. Look, he's following us. Okay, I think he'll be an example for these little guys and will help us get them back in. That's the thing, he can't be with them. They're gonna come of age and he might breed them. Okay, Nacho stays. Only the lambs go. Nacho will stay with stud. You got it, you got it, you got it. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Whoa, I don't know how we did that, but we did it. We got just the little lambs. We're missing somebody, little dude. Yep, he got in with the ewes. Let's get him later. They're going right in, Jesse. That's not even— let them have time to think. Now look at them coming to see their moms. But you can't have them. The moms need a break, and they're gonna get it because you guys are not getting out of this. Is that little dude? I don't know if that is because he's not coming to us. No, that's not little dude. Show them who's boss. There you go. Cut them all three, it's fine. Okay, now we'll do a shoot for them in there and then we can cut out the moms. Sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep. They're not gonna do it. All right, I didn't, I didn't catch that on film, but the two mamas came back. Josiah was there, and we got the baby. Now how to get the baby in there. Here he comes. I'll catch it. There it is, there it is. Okay, tell me we have to— we didn't have to build the chute one more time, but we might have to. Nope, there it goes, there it goes. All right, that's it, all 6 lambs. We got a bunch of mowers, little biological mowers. Cutest mowers I've ever seen. And there's no getting them out of this into this, so mamas, you get a rest.
