granny
An older ewe that may lure a lamb away from its mother.
granny: the ewe that steals lambs
A granny is an older ewe, typically in her fourth year or beyond, that has a tendency to adopt or claim lambs that are not her own, often by calling them away from their mothers. This behaviour occurs most visibly during lambing season when ewes are protective and hormones are active. A granny's calls can sound convincing enough that a lamb may respond and follow her, potentially becoming separated from its actual dam and losing access to milk.
This happens because an older ewe, especially one whose udder is still responsive after years of lactation, can trigger maternal instincts in the presence of young lambs. The ewe produces udder secretions and vocalises in ways that newborns recognise as maternal signals. Lambs, particularly those still finding their bearings in the first few days, may be confused or drawn away. The problem worsens if the granny has been culled from the breeding flock for poor productivity but retained in the mob, since she is still capable of calling and moving with vigour.
Managing granny behaviour
Producers typically manage grannies by identifying them early in lambing and either removing them to a separate pen, marking them for culling at season's end, or close-herding them away from newborn areas. Some flocks prevent the issue entirely by culling ewes at a set age (often 5 or 6 years) before maternal fixation becomes problematic. Grannies are more troublesome in large open paddocks where visual supervision is difficult; they pose less risk in smaller lambing pens where the shepherd can intervene quickly.
The term is colloquial and reflects the practical reality: an older female interfering with younger mothers, much as a grandmother might. It is less common in technical literature than in working conversation between farmers and shearers, but every shepherding operation encounters the type. The risk of a stolen lamb is not merely the lamb's temporary distress; a separated lamb can become hypothermic, weak, or fail to bond with its mother when reunited, reducing survival rates in flocks with poor supervision.