Jugging helps make monitoring animals easier (Shepherd’s Notebook)

(Editor’s note: Susan Schoenian is a sheep and Goat Specialist Emeritus with the University of Maryland.)

When sheep/goats give birth in a barn or other confined area, it is recommended that they and their offspring be put in small pens called “jugs.”
Jugs help with bonding and prevent mismothering.
I’m not sure of the origin of the term “jug.”
Jugs make it easier to monitor the animals and detect problems (early).
Lambs/kids are easier to process for weighing, ear-tagging, castrating, docking, etc.
While still in the jugs, ewes/does can easily be FAMACHA-scored and dewormed if necessary.
Sheep/goats that are jugged are usually calmer animals.
While some producers put ewes/does into the jugs before birthing, it is generally recommended that they be put in the jugs after birthing.
This keeps the jugs cleaner and does not disrupt the birthing process.
If you want females to lamb/kid in the jug, the pens need to be bigger, and you should put the ewe/doe in the pen before the onset of labor.
A good rule of thumb is to keep females with singles in the jug for 24-36 hours, females with twins, two days, and females with triplets, three days.
Confined too long to the jugs isn’t recommended, as it may cause diarrhea and/or pneumonia in lambs/kids.
Time spent in the jug may also depend upon the number of jugs available and the rate at which females are birthing.
The rule of thumb is to have one jug per seven to 10 females, but more will be needed if birthing is more closely spaced.
Jugs need to have good ventilation but be free from drafts.
They need to be kept extra clean.
When feasible, jugs should be cleaned between ewes/does
Otherwise, they should be deep packed — well-bedded, and dry on top.
Straw is best. For facilities with cement floors, a base of lime or sawdust is recommended under the straw.
The size of the jugs depends upon the size of the female and the number of offspring she has.
A 4-by-4-foot pen is usually the smallest size recommended. Five-by-5-foot pens are more common. Larger jugs are required for larger females and multiple births.
With smaller jugs, there is a greater chance the ewe/doe will lay on her offspring.
Jugs can be temporary and movable, made with 4-to-8-foot panels. Or they can be permanently set up in a barn or area of the barn.
The panels can be open or solid, wood, steel, or wire. They need to be escape-proof.
When birthing occurs on pasture, dams and offspring are usually not jugged, unless there is a problem.
Sometimes, first-timers are put in jugs, while mature females are allowed to birth on pasture.