Octobe 30, 2013

Luca   FBA #  24518

Up and at 'em on this wet, overcast, raw day!

Today will be a big day as we learn from our first experience with the livestock auction house.

We'll be loading up a mix of the ram lambs and teenaged rams and saying goodbye to them today.

This will give us some breathing room, though we expect to take another load in two weeks; then we should have the flock down to a manageable size for winter.

Awaiting pick-up are two ewes that will be exposed to our new ram, Asa and sold bred, and two ewe lambs and a ram lamb that will be going to fiber homes, with potential for breeding next year. They will be picked up on Friday.

I am holding back a few of the nicest ( hard call, they are all nice ) ram lambs and all of the ewe lambs in hopes of selling them to individuals before the next auction sale.

Already planning breeding groups, and after six years, the flock is going through some major adjustments this year in terms of replacement ewes, and starting new and separate bloodlines.

I have been reviewing flock goals and specific breeding animals to see if they fit in with those goals, and making adjustments accordingly, but sometimes it hurts my brain.

What I've learned is this...its just as easy to have lovely fiber animals, and companions with outstanding genetics as it is to have lesser quality fiber animals/companions. Not that any going to auction have anything to be ashamed of, they are all quite lovely. But from here on 
with a very critical eye to producing the best of the best, my fiber pets will need to be top quality to stay in the flock.

I look forward to reporting on how it unfolds at the auction house.

Regards,
Kathryn