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Instant Jellyfish posted:Here's the scorecard for a jacob fleece we entered but didn't place (curse you medium wool romneys Why do Border Leicesters get their own division, and why are the rams and ewes divided into separate classes?
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Aug 6, 2016 03:18
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) so you can see better. The fleece sold to a beginner spinner who really appreciated the comments and loved working with it.
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Esme posted:Why do Border Leicesters get their own division, and why are the rams and ewes divided into separate classes? The fiber show is associated with a sheep show and it has become a national specialty for border leicesters in the past couple of years. BL breeders come from all over the country to show their sheep and fleeces so they get their own division. By dividing it up between rams and ewes I think they're just giving more people a chance to place although there can be differences in ram and ewe fleeces I guess.
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Aug 6, 2016 17:49
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Instant Jellyfish posted:The fiber show is associated with a sheep show and it has become a national specialty for border leicesters in the past couple of years. BL breeders come from all over the country to show their sheep and fleeces so they get their own division. By dividing it up between rams and ewes I think they're just giving more people a chance to place although there can be differences in ram and ewe fleeces I guess. Thanks for the explanation  I used to knit and still love browsing yarn shops, so seeing the production side of all this is pretty interesting. Obviously enjoying the baby animal pics too, so thanks for the thread!
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Aug 6, 2016 19:57
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All of my sheep are shedding wildly and I keep making fun of them for it.
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Aug 7, 2016 13:42
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Hair sheep look so mangy while they're shedding out. I wouldn't be able to handle it, the compulsion to shave them down would be too strong.
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Aug 7, 2016 22:46
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     my new peeps rosario and francesca (and vanya, who seems to really like them but gets annoyed because he tries to get them to wrassle and they just bounce around wiggling their tails)
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Aug 9, 2016 05:25
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baby farm animal question - my babies are about 72 hours old and they're in an outdoor shed with two older weaned kids. there are plenty of warm spots for them to nest but they insist on curling up right beside the door, where there's barely any straw and they're between a wooden board and a metal wall. it's only getting down to about 8c (~45f) minimum and they seem fine in the daytime but i'm worried. i've tried relocating them to the warm areas and made those places as comfortable as possible but they just keep going back to the same spot by the door. the others are over by the other wall where it's much warmer. i don't know how in touch kids that young are with their internal thermostats so should i trust them to pick a spot where they won't freeze to death if they're so insistent on it or should i be putting them in a box that they can't get out of?
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Aug 9, 2016 11:28
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The babies could be afraid to compete with the big goats for the better sleeping spots but they could also just be dumb goats and have decided that the bare patch is the best napping spot in the universe. It doesn't sound like it's getting super cold and as long as they are getting warm milk regularly and seem perky they should be alright. It's pretty impossible to force a goat to do anything against it's will so putting them in a box would probably just result in a lot of screaming. They're super cute baby goatlings! I think we need lots of pictures of them.
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Aug 9, 2016 15:14
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thank you! i read all about the danger of letting kids get chilled and thought i had it covered but was totally unprepared for them being so determined to put themselves in the coldest spot in the shed. (btw researching handraising kid goats online is crazy, every article has this confused message of "goats are hardy creatures that are easy to raise however they will instantly drop dead if you so much as breathe on them" and don't even get me started on trying to get a simple answer as to how much you should feed them) more photos are definitely on the cards unless the kids think of ants and die before i get the chance
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Aug 10, 2016 04:45
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update: the babies have wised up and are in one of the specially prepared warm spots tonight with the other two goats 
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Aug 10, 2016 10:23
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Avshalom posted:
Oooh baby goats!  That's what I read this thread to see 
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Aug 10, 2016 19:34
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Are baby goats as soft as they look? Because they (especially their ears) always look just amazingly soft to me.
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Aug 11, 2016 00:17
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Tendai posted:Are baby goats as soft as they look? Because they (especially their ears) always look just amazingly soft to me. 
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Aug 11, 2016 05:52
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 there's one in every family
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Aug 12, 2016 04:47
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Avshalom posted:(btw researching handraising kid goats online is crazy, every article has this confused message of "goats are hardy creatures that are easy to raise however they will instantly drop dead if you so much as breathe on them" and don't even get me started on trying to get a simple answer as to how much you should feed them) That's because that's sort of how goats are. I have one that had his horn knocked off and had a massive hole in his skull while still walking around like nothing was going on. On the other hand I've had one just decide they were done eating forever and had to be put down. If they decide they are going to live they do well, if they decide they are done you really can't make them rally no matter how much work you put into them.  goatsLambs are getting over being weaned but would still like some grain if I could please share maybe??? This one is Buckwheat the cormo/jacob cross. 
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Aug 12, 2016 18:53
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:sheepsmith: kid status: boing!  boing!  boing!  boing! 
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Aug 16, 2016 09:55
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      i love these little shits
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Aug 17, 2016 05:06
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Me too. Keep posting pics.
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Aug 17, 2016 13:50
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Did I mention I was getting a new jacob ram? Because I got a new jacob ram. This is Glen's Nimrod (the breeder had a biblical name thing going on) and his grandma Reba. I didn't really need another ewe but she was free to a good home so I said to throw her in the trailer with the ram. They were only selling her because she only ever has 2 horned lambs. As long as they are healthy and I don't have to raise them I don't really care how many horns they have. It's always dark in the quarantine part of the barn so you just get awful pictures. Sorry!  Breeding season is coming up soon! I'm planning on starting preparations middle of September and putting breeding groups together around October 19th or so. That will give me lambs mid-March. Here's the line-up so far.  Murphy has been having a few health problems but I'm hoping with some coddling he'll get the job done. Otherwise Bialy will be happy to step in for him. I haven't decided what I'm doing with the goats this year. Look at these ridiculous creatures.  
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Aug 21, 2016 23:51
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Silly question - you're breeding Nimrod to Reba? Doesn't that cause inbreeding problems, or is the generation gap enough to avoid them?
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Aug 22, 2016 00:04
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Angrymog posted:Silly question - you're breeding Nimrod to Reba? Doesn't that cause inbreeding problems, or is the generation gap enough to avoid them? They're in quarantine together and she'll probably be bred before I feel like it's safe to separate them into the ram and ewe groups. If I see it happen super early I can abort her with a chemical called lutalyse so I don't end up with January lambs but there's a good chance she'll have some inbred little lambs so I just stuck her on the chart. If she isn't bred by the time Q is up I'll toss her in with either Isadore or Bonsai if I haven't sold him yet. Either way there shouldn't be any issues.
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Aug 22, 2016 00:09
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Reba looks so prim and proper! And Nimrod almost reminds me of Twofer, with those giant horns! I think we need way more pictures of the last round, though. I kept patiently waiting for more pictures. 
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Aug 22, 2016 03:12
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Elliot a few hours after birth:
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Aug 22, 2016 18:31
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This year's babbies are pretty giant at this point. I harassed them during dinner for some pictures. The ones with names are ones I'm planning on keeping. Wonder  Sequoia  I love this dude's horns but he can be sort of a douche to the other lambs.  Jaffa with Calliope's butt in the background  Another handsome little guy. He does not participate in grain time for whatever lamb reason he has.  I have one guy with bullseyes on the back of his ears and I think it's super cute.  Johnnie's ewe is pretty shy.  Petitfour  Bramble's massive ram lamb in the back and the cormo/jacob ewe in front. The crosses are turning out really nice.  Murphy says he's definitely a lamb too and needs grain.  Willow, Jewel's 2 horned ewe on the left and the other cormo/jacob cross lamb on the right. That's Jewel's 4 horned ewe walking up behind them.  The cross ewe again.  It's hard to believe how big they've all gotten and soon a bunch of them will be moving on to other homes. It's hard not to get attached to them though.
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Aug 24, 2016 19:36
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Thank you! Your flock is so much fun to see. Did you decide not to dock some of their tails? I remember you once talking about experimenting with not docking tails, and it looks like this group has a mix of short and long tails (or the tails are just more hidden on some of them).
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Aug 25, 2016 06:35
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There's sort of a random mix of docked and undocked tails this year. I dock all of the cormos and cvms because they get big woolly butts and it would be super gross and unhealthy to have tails making it worse. The jacobs don't really need it done but I got nervous because I was reading in the jacob sheep group that a bunch of people refused to buy breeding ewes with tails or would buy them and dock them as adults (which I think is unacceptable). So I decided to dock just the ewes, figuring a long life as a breeding animal was worth the pain of having a tail dock done, but my resolve sort of wavered by the end. I really hate docking tails. So there are some jacob ewes with tails and all of the jacob rams have tails.
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Aug 25, 2016 15:56
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I didn't know that goats and sheep came in so many different colors and patterns! Some of them are really beautiful.
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Aug 28, 2016 06:48
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I finally got my 50 mm lens back after lending it to someone about a year ago so I took sheep pictures. Gotta rub all over that tree. Good stuff.  Wonder is such a doof  Willow  This is Aster's ewe lamb who I wasn't going to keep but her fleece is amazing so I might cave.  The cormo/jacob crosses definitely ended up with the jacob face.  You're not a sheep at all, Opal.  This dude decided to test his boundaries and tried to take me down. You have handles on your head dingus, don't start that poo poo with me. I sat on him for a while so he could re-evaluate his life choices and he seems to have got it out of his system now. He's 2 and in a new place and trying to impress ladies so I won't hold one rear end in a top hat day against him but if he tries again it won't matter how pretty he is, he will be on an all expense paid trip to freezer camp. 
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Sep 7, 2016 22:10
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Willow Instant Jellyfish posted:This dude decided to test his boundaries and tried to take me down. You have handles on your head dingus, don't start that poo poo with me. I sat on him for a while so he could re-evaluate his life choices and he seems to have got it out of his system now. He's 2 and in a new place and trying to impress ladies so I won't hold one rear end in a top hat day against him but if he tries again it won't matter how pretty he is, he will be on an all expense paid trip to freezer camp.  Did he charge you? Even with handles on his head, I'd think it'd be easy for a ram to knock down a person. If he does it again, would you consider selling him to someone who doesn't care about well-behaved rams? Would the person you got him from be offended if they knew?
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Sep 8, 2016 06:11
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Seconding that Willow looks so pretty. Clearly a princess of sheep. I love the way the cross looks, too. Are crosses like that sterile or are they more like dog breeds that have really close genetics despite looking different? For the new guy, is it not a big ding financially if you turn him into delicious stew, badass skull and fluffy rug? Is it more profitable in the short run due to being able to sell their parts, or is that a financial risk you take whenever you take in a new sheep? In addition, is there concern that aggression like that would be passed to offspring they might have, or is it more a seasonal/hormonal thing?
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Sep 8, 2016 21:38
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I'm still partial to Heath, but my god, the new babies are so photogenic.
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Sep 9, 2016 04:22
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ij i can't believe how gorgeous your sheep are. heritage breeds are rare in australia, i only ever see merinos for fibre and dorpers for meat - they're nice but it gets a little boring. the fools are now one month old and doing great  they've doubled in size and started eating solid food (including everything i'd ever planted in their enclosure but that's my own stupid fault.) here they are engaged in mortal combat over a silky-oak leaf   
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Sep 11, 2016 06:45
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LoreOfSerpents posted:If he does it again, would you consider selling him to someone who doesn't care about well-behaved rams? Would the person you got him from be offended if they knew? Chaosfeather posted:I love the way the cross looks, too. Are crosses like that sterile or are they more like dog breeds that have really close genetics despite looking different? I was breaking up a fight between him and Murphy (who was trying really hard to not be in a fight) and he turned and charged me instead. I grabbed his horn to stop him and he sideswiped me to try and get me off. I'm fine, just a little bruised and banged but I was pissed. There were plenty of extenuating circumstances so I won't hold that against him. He's only 2 which is prime rear end in a top hat age, I was taking him away from his ladyfriend and putting him in with other rams so he was really worked up. Plus he's pretty new and doesn't know me that well so he probably wasn't aware of my feelings on rear end in a top hat rams. Now he is so if he makes a decision to charge me specifically again he's going to be in trouble. It's ok to get worked up and have a tantrum, it's not ok to go after humans. While he's in with a breeding group I'll work on halter breaking him and teach him how to be safe around people and I think between that and being introduced to the big boys this winter he should turn out fine. Two is excellent at teaching young rams manners. Personally I think there are too many pretty rams in the world to keep ones that as also douchebags, even if it turned out to be a very expensive stew. My health and safety is worth more than any purchase price. I wouldn't sell an actually aggressive ram to anyone but a slaughterhouse. I would feel awful if an animal I sold went on to hurt someone and most other buyers would be hunters who would want to turn him lose and have people pay to hunt him down for his horns and I wouldn't do that to Glen. His breeder would understand if I made that choice, sheep people are nothing if not practical. Some nasty rams do pass on their aggressive personalities and I wouldn't breed from them but I don't think that's the situation here. Murphy says he is a good and sweet ram unlike that young hooligan.  Sheep breeds are just like dog breeds. They're all sheep in the end and can interbreed and have fertile mutt offspring. Crosses are actually really important for the lamb industry because you can produce specific crosses that are hardy and produce a lot of milk then breed them to a "terminal sire" which is any big fat meaty breed that produces giant lambs but maybe aren't great mothers or have lovely parasite resistance. That way you have excellent mothers producing much larger, faster growing lambs than she would have otherwise. Avshalom I love your goatlings 
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Sep 11, 2016 16:17
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Murphy looks like a chill dude
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Sep 11, 2016 17:33
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Personally I think there are too many pretty rams in the world to keep ones that as also douchebags, even if it turned out to be a very expensive stew. My health and safety is worth more than any purchase price. I wouldn't sell an actually aggressive ram to anyone but a slaughterhouse. I would feel awful if an animal I sold went on to hurt someone and most other buyers would be hunters who would want to turn him lose and have people pay to hunt him down for his horns and I wouldn't do that to Glen. His breeder would understand if I made that choice, sheep people are nothing if not practical. Some nasty rams do pass on their aggressive personalities and I wouldn't breed from them but I don't think that's the situation here. People hunt sheep? They're livestock! I don't even see where the sport could be in that. Thanks for the explanation. It's interesting to hear how you deal with rambunctious rams. Hopefully Glen settles down with training!Do they still expect you to pet them when they're all covered in pee?
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Sep 11, 2016 18:22
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People pay a lot more to go out and shoot a sheep than they do to just buy meat (warning dead sheep pictures in this link). It's dumb and makes me mad. Both the rams and the bucks expect cuddles year round. The rams get kind of musky but they don't piss all over themselves like the goats so I'm a lot more open to sheep cuddles in the fall than goat. Heath and Rex have gross boners pretty much nonstop this time of year so hugs are not going to happen. Murphy is a great, chill dude. He's giant but he just gives zero shits about anything.
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Sep 11, 2016 18:41
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These are all excellent sheep and goat pics! A fight between Glen and Murphy sounds unfair with Glen's big horns. Any idea why he decided to pick on Murphy?
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Sep 11, 2016 20:22
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Glen has never lived with other rams before. His breeder keeps rams in with their own group of ewes year round. So Glen was feeling like hot stuff and then I threw him in with Murph, who is sweet and gentle but weights 100 lbs more than him, and Glen decided he needed to prove himself. Murphy was doing everything he could to show that he didn't want to be fighting but Glen wasn't listening because he was thinking with his balls. With the main group of boys Twofer intervenes in fights like that but with these guys it was on me to keep everyone safe.
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Sep 11, 2016 20:33
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Could you fling a ram to the ground by the horns or would that risk snapping its neck? Seems like those things are a real liability when you're going after a primate with opposable thumbs.
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Sep 13, 2016 04:28
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 22:21 |
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 hallo
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Oct 10, 2016 08:20
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