|
|
Post by bergere on Apr 8, 2015 12:39:48 GMT
I am back down to 3 sheep, two pure but unpapered Katahdins and the one with blk spots is a Katadhin/stCroix/Dorper. The pure Katahdins, shed off quick and easy. Caspian (ya, I named them) Usually needs a little help, but I can pretty much just Rue him. (was hoping to start breeding Finn sheep, but my days of shearing are over, and there isn't a good Vet close enough) Last summer  This winter...  |
|
|
|
Post by Callie on Apr 8, 2015 12:43:34 GMT
Nice. Do you use their hair for anything?
|
|
|
|
Post by bergere on Apr 8, 2015 13:07:03 GMT
No, they just rub it off on the trees and such. Though, Caspian's, black hair is pretty soft, to straight and slick to spin on its own.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 21:04:34 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 22:03:54 GMT
These are so dang cute it makes me want to get sheep! |
|
|
|
Post by bergere on Apr 9, 2015 11:01:23 GMT
Beautiful sheep, dlskidmore. Fleece looks wonderful!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2015 14:44:28 GMT
Yeah, it took me all summer to get them shorn, you can see the varying lengths of coat... this year I found a pro and I'm so glad I did! The fleeces will have varying staple length because of last year's long shearing season, but if we can do it again next year we'll start to get some consistency.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2015 14:50:33 GMT
These are so dang cute it makes me want to get sheep! I may point out that they are also tasty, and produce large amounts of long wool. Cotswolds are listed as Threatened by the Livestock Conservancy, anything you can do to help is good, wether that's buying some Cotswold meat/fiber/yarn or keeping a breeding group of your own... |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 17:43:43 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 17:44:42 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 20:05:52 GMT
Ewe yoga! She's getting ready for breeding season   |
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on Apr 21, 2015 17:52:05 GMT
 , That would take a lot of effort to get my back leg over my head
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 19:25:04 GMT
I love seeing all these sheep. Thanks for sharing!
|
|
|
|
Post by Awnry Abe on Apr 23, 2015 1:57:24 GMT
Last of the lambs. We only bred 5 ewes. The rest of the yearlings were too small for this season. One of the 5 strangled herself in a barn gate just days before her due date. Aside from her loss, I am very happy with the lambing. Only one male out a total of 6 lambs. I don't think I will like that empty freezer sound after just one...  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 18:27:38 GMT
Awww, great picture! Great time of day for beautiful lighting as well.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 17:00:24 GMT
We were missing one of our Dorper ewes this morning. My nephew and I went on the hunt for her and we found her at the farthest end of the field with these beauties. 2 boys. Nice, healthy and super alert. Attachments:
|
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on May 18, 2015 11:02:11 GMT
Congrads, nothing better then up and healthy twins  |
|
|
|
Post by katievt on May 19, 2015 1:58:24 GMT
Last of the lambs. We only bred 5 ewes. The rest of the yearlings were too small for this season. One of the 5 strangled herself in a barn gate just days before her due date. Aside from her loss, I am very happy with the lambing. Only one male out a total of 6 lambs. I don't think I will like that empty freezer sound after just one... Ewe lambs taste just as good as the ram lambs... |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 21, 2015 0:52:35 GMT
Love these dogs. Sophie (4 yo female) standing and Ari (2 yo male) lounging.  Penny (litter mate to Sophie in the first picture) on the right and Sam (five month old male) on the left. I think he's going to be large!  Sam is a handful but Penny knows how to keep him in line. I'm keeping Sam with only my ram during the day. Rams are good at teaching manners to young whippersnapper pups . At night, I pen the ram, bring in and pen the ram lambs. Penny and Sam stay in the same paddock overnight but not in the pens with the sheep. Sophie and Ari are in charge of the 16 ewes. They are out on one of the larger pastures and make a great team. Rams go in with ewes tomorrow so all of this will change in the morning. Sam and Penny will be in with this ram and his ewes.  Sophie and Ari will go with this young guy (a ram lamb that I retained from this last lamb crop) who will be experiencing his first breeding season, woohoo!  Really liking him so far. Just sold his twin brother who was already starting to become a bit rank. This one (I just call him 24 which is his tag number) is a better ram and is much more mellow to boot... Looking forward to seeing his first lambs. And this last picture isn't one of my sheep but I wish I could take credit for the picture, lol!!  |
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on May 21, 2015 11:16:05 GMT
 My Gosh that older breeding ram is humungus, great looking specimen of the Dorper rams, the young one looks GREAT and will grow to be just as big or bigger then the older one  The dogs look fabulous, can't beat a good guard dog when it comes to sheep , I have seven of them and worry NOT about my sheep with these wonderful creatures on duty! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 0:40:26 GMT
Rams have been out with the ewes since the 21st. A good time is being had by all, lol . Awww, how sweet .  This ewe is funny. She is keeping the young ram far, far away from the rest if the ewes while she is receptive to him. He doesn't leave her side!  Watching....  This pup (Sam) is growing up so quickly.  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2015 23:53:35 GMT
Slow time on the farm now and I guess that's a good thing as we are forecast to remain in the triple digits, as far as temperatures, for the foreseeable future. Just thought I'd share a few random pictures.... Yearling ewe. I retained her out of an early 2014 lambing. She has a twin sister that I also kept.  In this photo, the eye above is broadside to the camera. Her twin sister is the one on the left, butt to camera.  Another shot of them..  Sometimes, I wish I'd been born one of my sheep . Chillin....   Here's one just for fun .  |
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on Aug 6, 2015 11:41:27 GMT
Love all those pictures, sheep look great and thats really one nice set of twin sisters you retained for yourself , The dog in the last picture had me ROLF what a well blended family |
|
|
|
Post by manygoatsnmore on Aug 6, 2015 21:10:25 GMT
Nice pics of both sheep and dogs. May I ask a dumb question? What's with the shaggy backs on the sheep? Do you only shear part of the sheep or does it grow that way or something? I'm sure that is the same kind of question that I used to answer about why my LaMancha goats didn't have ears (do you cut them off? Um no, they are born that way.), but I guess if I don't ask, I won't learn!  |
|
|
|
Post by PNP Katahdins on Aug 7, 2015 15:24:56 GMT
What's with the shaggy backs on the sheep? Do you only shear part of the sheep or does it grow that way or something? Those are Dorper sheep, notice the nice black heads. Some don't shed all the way and retain a strip down the spine. Breeders that like the long strip say it protects them from sunburn or something. Others select for complete shedding and just use the non-complete shedders to produce meat lambs rather than breeding stock. They taste just as good. |
|
|
|
Post by krisinmi on Aug 7, 2015 18:41:35 GMT
Here are photos of my daughter's FFA Suffolk-cross wethers, does that count? I think they are my 'gateway sheep', as they are the first ones we've owned, and now that she's raised them, trained them, and been through the show & auction at the county Fair, she's all ready making plans for the ones she wants to purchase as her project next year! first pic is when she first got them, next is one of the ones I took of them being shown at the Fair--they are the two front and center in the pic. (both pics are from my blog since today I can't seem to remember how to retrieve them off my computer and post here, hence the watermarking)   |
|
|
|
Post by manygoatsnmore on Aug 8, 2015 0:34:20 GMT
What's with the shaggy backs on the sheep? Do you only shear part of the sheep or does it grow that way or something? Those are Dorper sheep, notice the nice black heads. Some don't shed all the way and retain a strip down the spine. Breeders that like the long strip say it protects them from sunburn or something. Others select for complete shedding and just use the non-complete shedders to produce meat lambs rather than breeding stock. They taste just as good. See, I knew if I asked I'd learn something! Thank you. It really is like my LaManchas - they just grow that way. I bet it protects them from fly strike. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 2:14:29 GMT
Nice pics of both sheep and dogs. May I ask a dumb question? What's with the shaggy backs on the sheep? Do you only shear part of the sheep or does it grow that way or something? I'm sure that is the same kind of question that I used to answer about why my LaMancha goats didn't have ears (do you cut them off? Um no, they are born that way.), but I guess if I don't ask, I won't learn! Hey Manygoats . PNP Katahdins is right.... For me, I don't like it or dislike it however I do believe it tends to protect them some from the sun (it was 107 here today) and from the flies. This breed originated in South Africa so they are well equipped for harsh, high temps. The dorper standard calls for a mix of light wool and hair. As You can see, with the twin yearling ewes in the first pictures.... The one with all hair sheds early and completely, her full sister has the wooly stuff still hanging on the topline. The wool doesn't bother me at all. I sell primarily breeding stock and some show stock. If there's one or two that don't cut the mustard, they go in the freezer. One thing I've noticed over the years is that most Dorpers that retain some wool seem to also have more bone and muscle. These two twins are a perfect example of that. The all hair one is nice.... But not as nice in the rear or the shoulders as her full sister. I used to be very concerned with making sure that what I bought were only all hair ewes but since the purpose of this breed is meat, I figured out pretty quickly that "pretty" doesn't always get you the most meat. But I think all of my girls are beauties, lol!!! Some folks can't stand the retention of the wool and will cull any that retain any of it. Sometimes I think the baby gets thrown out with the bath water. I (obviously) would never cull a nice bodied ewe just because she keeps a little cover on her . |
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on Sept 25, 2015 0:01:54 GMT
Took some pictures tonight of one of our breeding rams, we purchased him at age of 6 months, and he is 3 1/2 yrs now... he is a big boy and is non aggressive His name is Dodge and is a registered Katahdin ram. Front view.....  Back view.......  Took a picture of his neck to show you the thickness..................of course he is the one with his head down   |
|
|
|
Post by Mari-in-IN on Sept 27, 2015 22:35:39 GMT
Just came across this thread... Such sweet and beautiful pictures! I don't have sheep-just chickens... Some of you may know me from the chicken board and know that I am a "picture nut"! Very nice!
Regards,
Mari
|
|
, That would take a lot of effort to get my back leg over my head 
