Kyrring

Úrtak

Tí ið ein ær missir sítt lamb, hevur verið vanligt í Føroyum at "kyrra" annað lamb aftrat, um hetta var gjørligt. Ein spurnarblaðakanning varð í 1974 send út til bøndur og seyðamenn kring alt landið. Grundað á 64 svar, ið umboðaðu 12.896 áseyðir (18% av áseyðatalinum) verður greitt frá, hvussu kyrringin fór fram, og hvørjir arbeiðshættir vórðu nýttir. Varð deyða lambið afturfunnið, nýttu 87% skinnið til at seyma upp á aftratkyrringarlambið. Í hesum føri, vóru einans t.d. 37%, ið smurdu blóð frá deyða lambinum, og 24% nýttu mjólk frá ærini upp á kyrringarlambið.

Um deyða lambið ikki varð afturfunnið, lótu 21% mjólk frá ærini yvir á kyrringarlambið. Ein røð av øðrum var nýtt, og varð hetta latið á lambið, ærina ella bæði. Til dømis: skarn, petroleum, luktilsi, barberspritt o.a. Eisini hildu nakrir ær og lamb saman í trongum rúmi. Eitt dømi var um, at hundur var hildin nærhendis, so ærin fór at verja lambið.

Tíðin, til ærin tók lambið til sín, var 0-30 dagar (meðal 1,0-5,6). Tíðin, frá lembing og til kyrring framvegis var gjørlig, var 2-60 dagar (meðal 4,9-9,0). Mesti aldur á kyrringarlambi var hildin at vera 1-28 dagar (meðal 9,9-15,5). Eisini søgdu 6%, at lambið skuldi vera so ungt sum gjørligt. Liturin á kyrringarlambi varð ikki hildin at hava týdning av 84%, meðan 6% ivaðust og 8% hildu litin hava týdning. Tilsamans 19% hildu ungar ær taka lambið betri enn gamlar ær, meðan 41% ivaðust og 39% ikki hildu tær yngru taka betri.

Viðvíkjandi súgvitíttleika skuldi lambið haldast til ærina 2-12 ferðir um samdøgrið (meðal 3,7-4,8). Nakrir (16%) hildu vera fyrimun at fáa lambið svangt, og aðrir (8%) hildu, at lambið skuldi súgva so ofta sum gjørligt. Tilsamans 61% hildu betri vera, um lambið seyg ofta, meðan 6% ivaðust, og 13% hildu ikki so vera. At mjólkarnøgdin hjá ærini eisini ávirkaði kyrringina, hildu 9%.

Ein roynd er gjørd at seta úrslitini inn í eitt atburðarfrøðiligt høpi. Bæði svartilfar og royndir tykjast benda á, at luktur/tev hevur størstan týdning, tá ið umræður at kyrra eitt lamb aftrat.

Abstract
The Faroese practice of giving an ewe another lamb, when its own died shortly after lambing, is described from a questionnaire, based on the answers from 64 active or retired sheep-farmers and/or shepherds in 1974. A total of 12.896 sheep are represented, which is 18% of the Faroese sheep standing stock. When the dead lamb was at hand the most prominent feature (87%) is the usage of the skin from the dead lamb. Smearing of blood from the dead lamb on the lamb for adoption is reported by 37%. Milk from the ewe on the adoption lamb was used by 24%.
If the dead lamb was not recovered 21% were applying milk from the adoption mother on the lamb. A variety of other substances and methods are reported, reaching from excrements to gasoline oil and parfumes. Some kept the ewe and lamb together in a small room. In one occasion a dog was used to trigger the defensive behaviour of the ewe towards the adoption lamb.
The time required for acceptance of the lamb varied from zero to 30 days, (mean 1.0 to 5.6). The time from lambing to adoption still being possible varied between 2 and 60 days (mean 4,9 to 9.0). The maximum age of an adoption lamb was considered to vary between 1 and 28 days (mean 9.9 to 15.5); 6% were of the opinion that the adoption lamb should be as young as possible. A total of 84% had not experienced that the colour of the lambs made any difference, while 6% did not know and 8% considered the colour to be of importance. The young ewes were regarded to accept the lamb faster than the old ones by 18.8%, while 40.6% did not know and 39.1% did not consider the young ewes to be better.
The recommended frequency of suckling varied from 2 to 12 times in 24 hours (mean 3.7 to 4.8). 16% reported an advantage in keeping the lamb hungry to facilitate suckling and 8% gave the advice to let the lamb suck as often as possible. A total of 61% said a high frequency of suckling to be freferred, while 6% did not know and 12.5% did not think so. That the amount of the milk in the ewe influenced the success of adoption, was reported by 9%.
An attempt is made to relate the results to ethological theory. The material collected is supporting the hypothesis that olfaction is most important when adoption a lamb to an ewe.