Over due lamb pics

Head,socks, tail pattern with panda eyes.

Caden and her lambs - 3 ram lambs



Amelia making sure its safe to take the new lambs outside.

Yes, sheep can count, and Amelia is, just to make sure they are all there.

The weather is rain once again. Windy too.
Ho Hum.

I am waiting for the flood gates of lambing, and its like sitting on a boiling pot. It never seems to get to the boiling point. All these ewes are holding onto lambs.

Bridgette looks like she could be the next to go. She could have quadruplets in there, its hard to tell with a full fleece.
I have only shorn one ewe so far as the weather keeps bouncing from warm to cold.

Ebony had twin head,socks,tail black lambs and did very well for a first timer. She has a ram and a ewe. Amelia has two rams and a ewe and Caden, three rams. 8 lambs so far, 6 rams 2 ewes. 3 white, 5 black hst.

Interesting so far. I have two greys,  a brown, and three more blacks along with the rest of the white ewes to lamb and I'm curious to see if I'll have spotted lambs this year. That pattern is always fun since it can manifest in so many different ways.

Sorry for the lack of pics, but the lambs simply will not co operate. I'll keep at it though, until I get something presentable.

Regards,
Kathryn

20 Hours Later

I checked on the lambs and Amelia off and on all day, and they seemed fine.

The weather forecast was for rain, so I made sure that the shelter was fortified, and around 7 p.m. gave one last check and headed in for the night.

Within a half hour a hellacious downpour complete with high winds hit and wreaked havoc for about 15 minutes. It was the closest thing to a tornado I've seen, and I was glad to see it pass.

I can attest to the fact that here on our little mountain, the weather is turbulent to say the least. I've seen drops in temperatures as much as 50 degrees in 12 hours or less, as well as rises of the same amount, snow, ice, sun, wind,hail, freezing rain, calm,sun and snow again all in a matter of an hour, and then the cycle repeated itself. I would not be the least surprised to see snow in July here one day.

This morning's feed/water/ check-in revealed three wide awake and active lambs, and their dam seemed to be fine as well. Momentarily. I thought about letting them out but the ground is wet and rain is immanent and I didn't want to risk it just yet. They are cozy and dry so I'll leave well enough alone for the time being.

Sadly, tonight the temps will drop to 20 or lower and snow is on the menu. I'm debating lamb coats as the temps won't go about 35 during the day and will stay low for the next three nights before climbing up again.
Currently I'm leaning away from the coats for a variety of reasons but we'll see as the day unfolds .

The next ewe due to lamb is Caden on the 21st. She also looks like triplets this year and I hope to shear her before the blessed event. Demi will be close on her heels, followed by the others in succession over a period of weeks.

As much as I love lambs, lambing can be exhausting.

More pics this evening.

Regards,
Kathryn

Amelia - Haircut

 Yesterday was gorgeous, up in the 60's.

Everyone enjoyed the sunshine, but were hot with the fleeces on.

I finally couldn't stand watching Amelia anymore and used the hand blades to shear her. She was much more comfortable afterwards.

Lana wanted to be shorn too, but daylight was fading and I only got a small portion done around her neck. I'll try to finish her today.

Problem is...tomorrow night will be rainy and down in the 20's. Not a good temp for sheep with no wool. That is why I used the hand blades vs. the electric shears which would have cut closer and faster.
Amelia will still have enough wool and lanolin to help protect her against wet and cold. And of course they have the little run in shed which is deeply bedded for them to burrow down in.

I expect Amelia to have her lambs on Friday. After removing her fleece, I thought I'd have a better chance at predicting how many lambs, and I always waffle, but I still think triplets.
Could just be twins though. Either way I'll be happy.

More than how many, I'm looking to see if they are colored or white. While I hope for spots, I'm betting on white. Again, we'll see.

With a hefty appetite, and a friend for company, Amelia is doing well, feeling more comfortable and just soaking up the milder weather.

What to do with her fleece??  Oh the possibilities and its the first one of 2014, too!

I hope the weather forecast is wrong about those 20 degree nighttime temps. I really want to shear these sheeple soon.

Regards,
Kathryn

Corrigan - The Sire of Amelias' Lambs

 

Treble Cleft - Corrigans' Sire

Lana - Corrigans' Dam
 Corrigan is standing at right.

Amelia was bred last winter to Corrigan.

The ram is an important part of the breeding process in that 50% of the genetics the lambs receive will come from him.



The bloodlines of both Corrigans' dam and sire are very strong and long established lines, known for excellent maternal instincts, prolificacy, docile temperaments, among other traits.

Corrigans' sire carries for color and possibly spotting. His dam has yet to throw anything but white lambs, so I'm guessing she is genetically completely white.

What has me puzzled about Corrigan is a lone dark spot just above his shoulders on his neck. I often forget he has it, considering him to be a white sheep, but that spot says otherwise. Technically, it says he is a piebald ram, meaning spotted.

This is his first breeding and I chose Amelia for a few reasons, the least of which is the hope of bringing out any spotting Corrigan may possess. This could be the difference between whether he stays here a few more years, or is sold this spring.  His personality is very gentle and quiet, affectionate without being over bearing. Coupled with Amelias' similar personality perhaps the lambs from this pair will also have the same personalities.
Corrigan is on the heavier boned side, while Amelia is more refined with lighter bone structure. Personally I like both types, and so the lambs will be pleasing to me with either body type.

Fleece on Corrigan is a nice lock structure, with a staple length of 4 - 5 inches. His fleece is not consistent from head to toe, but has a range of long, wavy locks to finer, crimpier locks and I like that diversity.

Corrigan is a quadruplet, having two sisters and a brother. Amelia was a twin.

Amelia had a Badger Grey dam and a black sire. Her twin brother was Badger Grey. So far, she hasn't given me any Badger Grey lambs, and may not ever.

Corrigan - 2013

Freddie - Amelia's sire ( whom she favors a great deal )



Tipper - Amelias' Dam

Tipper is owned by Sweetland Hill Finnsheep in Chenango Forks, N.Y.


At this time I am beginning to get excited about the pending babies. It won't
be long before they are here, and as usual I have done and re-done the due date
several times. A few days ago I ran the calculations over in my head and in a panic thought
that I had given myself more time, calculating the due date as the 14th. Afraid that the lambs were actually due on the 9th I went into a frenzie of activity, then redid the calculations.
I discovered  that it is exactly the opposite and the lambs are due on the 18th, not the 14th so I have
an extra four days, God willing.  Even at that, its only 7 more days, and I'm praying for stable weather, day time lambing and being able to witness the lambs as they are born. Fingers crossed!

Regards,
Kathryn



 

 

Amelia

Amelia and her first lamb Barrett

Amelia and her twins Cady and Caden

 

 Amelia is taking it easy these days. Getting up mainly to eat, and then returning to her comfy spot to lie down and chew her cud.

I moved her and a companion - Lana - into their new digs for the next few weeks, so that come lambing time Amelia will have ample shelter from wind and rain and a good chance at keeping her lambs warm should I not be there when they arrive.

Amelia is a black Finnsheep, born in March of 2008. Often a black sheep looks brown, but they are indeed black which is very evident once the fleece is removed and you can see past the weathered tips of the wool locks.

Somewhere back in her lineage there was a brown ancestor, but I don't expect that color to manifest through her as it is a recessive gene and only likely to manifest if a brown ewe is bred to a brown ram.

Amelia carries for spotting which is a fun pattern in sheep. I hope for spotted lambs this year from her, but since the sire of the lambs is white, and its unknown if he carries for spotting himself, we'll see when the lambs arrive. White is dominant in sheep, and often over - rides the other colors, and even if the lambs are white it doesn't rule out the possibility that they themselves carry for spotting.

At six years old, Amelia has had 1/2/2/3/4  or a single lamb for her first lambing, twins the second time, triplets the third and quads the fourth.  In six years, she's had 12 lambs which isn't alot for a Finn ewe and an average of 2 lambs per year.

Lana, her companion at the moment, is 8 this year and came to me as a mature ewe having lambed before. She has had 3/4/3/3/2  and I know she had triplets the year prior to my purchasing her. I'm not sure what she had before that, but what I do know is that she's had 18 lambs at least.

At this time I have four daughters and a son from Amelia. All of her daughters will lamb this year, and it will be fun to see what traits get passed on. Amelias' oldest daughter is Caden who has lambed twice with 2/5. That is a good start. Seven lambs in two years is an average of 3.5 lambs per lambing, and that is a decent rate.

Having a Finn ewe that has a singleton is not the norm, though it is possible with first time dams. Most have twins and some have triplets and up for their first lambing.

Trying to predict how many lambs a ewe will have is tricky, but a fun time for me. It is complicated when they are in full wool, rather than shorn. And it depends on whether the lambs will be above average size or below at birth.
Based on how Amelia looks at the moment and knowing that she consistently has large lambs I suspect she will triplet this year unless for some reason she has little lambs.  What is certain is that anything is possible!


Regards,
Kathryn

5 Days - The lambing supplies

Amelia in 2012 with the second lamb of triplets. This one is a piebald ewe lamb, which is still with the flock and due herself in a few weeks.

While the ewes usually have the lambs without any help from me, I have a fairly well - stocked lambing kit.

First and foremost on the list are towels for drying off the lambs. The dam starts licking the newborn right away and while you might not think it, this dries the new baby off fairly quickly. But if she has three or four, she cannot keep up with the demand and here is where I come in. Towelling the lamb off vigorously helps to stimulate as well as dry it, and I feel better about the possibility of hypothermia being prevented.

The umbilical cord is severed as the new lamb hits the ground and the air causes it to begin to dry, but it tends to be a bit unsightly and messy, so I hasten the drying process by spraying Blue Kote on it. The usual procedure is to apply some sort of iodine product, but for me, Blue Kote is easy to carry, easy to handle and aside from not being able to narrow down the spray entirely to the umbilical cord, it works for me and is a staple in the kit. So for a day or two myself and the new lambs sport a little extra blue staining....no biggey.

The lambs, once cleaned get up and start trying to find the teat for that vital first nursing. Like with people, the cholostrom is the key to the early lamb survival. Full of nutrients and fat that help energize and immunize the new lamb, this first nursing is the most frustrating aspect of watching the new lambs. Their direction isn't so good, though their instincts are outstanding, so they wobble around, and get disoriented, often coming close to the life giving teat, but missing by fractions of an inch. Any attempt to guide the lamb usually ends up causing the lamb to have the opposite reaction, which is yet more frustration. For the most part, I go away for a half hour or so while the lambs and dam sort this all out and usually come back to find everyone acclimated and doing just fine. If not, then the consideration of a bottle comes up.

Then there is the passage of the placenta and making sure there aren't anymore lambs. This is fairly obvious, though sometimes you can be fooled. I've spoken with shepherds who have had the same ewe lamb twice over a period of days. First producing twins and several days later twins again. Luckily, things worked out, but basically anything is possible so its' best to be observant.

While I try to be present for every lambing, some of the ewes don't want me around and will have the lambs after I've gone in for the night or in the very wee hours of the morning. This has the effect of disappointing me and relieving me at the same time. Its fun to go out early in the morning and discover newly born lambs, clean, nursing well and being attended by their dam. Its' disappointing because I didn't get to witness first hand as each made their way into the world.  But, I can live with that.

Those ewes who are a bit stand-offish during the rest of the year, seem to understand that I am there to be of help and they relax allowing me to move about and intervene if necessary. In the past I've hoped it would be a life-long bonding moment that would forever change our relationship and the ewe would look at me with new eyes, as a friend. Not so much. They tend to revert after they sense all is well, and then sometimes try to stay between me and the lambs. Often the lambs themselves are friendly and curious though and that is a good character trait in a Finn.

Lambing kit:
Towels - check
Blue Kote - check
Scissors - check
Lamb snare- check
Esophygeal tube - check
Camera - check
Latex Gloves - check
Lubricating oil - check
Bottles - check
Lamb formula - check

Regards,
Kathryn

6 Days Left

Quiet here.

Yesterday was a dreary, cold, day with "wintry mix" type weather. Freezing rain was on the menu. Everything BUT warm and sunny. Sigh.

Mud prevails, and the sheep look awful, wet and bedraggled at this point. I can't wait to shear them as soon as it warms up.

Amelia is spending more time being quiet, which is expected. I will move her into her jug over the weekend. Then I will watch her like a hawk for signs of labor. The weather forecast is for warm and sunny days, and fairly warm - 40 or so - nights. I'll have the lamb coats ready.

Grass is coming up and the girls are practically eating it as it is still pushing through the earth. I understand that though. They cannot wait to taste the succulent shoots. Its been a long winter for everyone.

This will be the year of severe flock reduction. With 20 bred ewes and the potential for 40-60 lambs, I will be interested in selling all of the lambs and 10 of the ewes. I will also be parting with a number of rams as well.

 We are back to the consideration of selling meat from the farm. Still need to work out some details though.

If you are interested in purchasing Finnsheep or freezer lamb, feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer questions.

Regards,
Kathryn

Frankie - Amelias' boy from 2013.  Offered for sale as a yearling.

 

7 Days and Counting - Naming Lambs

Amelia with four lambs.
 

Early on we decided to go with the alphabetical order of naming the lambs, a different letter for each year. This year the letter is "G".

What this does is allow us to quickly recall what year a lamb was born in, according to the letter. "G" means its 2014, and our seventh year of lambing.

Now I excel at a great many things, but naming more than three lambs, is not one of them. I run out of ideas, so this task falls to hubby who is very good at it. He will research the internet and coming up with several options, presents them to me for a vote. I can yea or nay the name, and usually know right away if it is a fit for the lamb in question. Once in awhile I'll have to think on it a bit, then decide.

Hoping to get an early jump on it this year, I've considered some "G" names and typically have come up with my three - George, Giselle and Gaspar. Then of course the popular Gretchen, Gretel, Georgia, Gabby, Gwendolyn, Garth, Gary, Geoffrey. Well, looks like a good start anyway. By the end of lambing season we'll be long out of these names since I think we'll have about 40 or more lambs when its all said and done.

We do also tag the lambs with a number, but calling a cute little lamb # 181 just isnt' the same at all. And they ooze personality which fairly demands identifying them with a moniker that captures that personality. Being a small hobby farm, we can be as hokey as we like and at times I carry it to the max. Naming is one of those times :-).

At any rate, I need three "G" names by next week. Don't know if they will be girl or boy names yet, but I should have at least six - three of each just to be sure. Interestingly, I just noticed that without hesitation I said, " I'll need three "...hmmmmm......intuition?  Could be. Guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out how good I am at predicting how many lambs a ewe will have. I think this year will be triplets for Amelia. Care to bet?

Regards,
Kathryn

Single digits - 9 days left for Amelia

So much to do and so little time.

With the cool temps prevailing and the ever present possibility of freezing temps and snow, I cannot yet shear the sheep, though both me and them are more than ready.

 

Once this rain has passed I will crutch Amelia and Caden, removing the wool from around their udders allowing for the lambs to have better access and less chance of inadvertently nursing on wool tags. Then as soon as it warms up and stays warm, I'll shear the flock. Until then, I'll shear as needed prior to lambing, one at a time.

 

The best shelter for lambing that we have has been used all winter by our flock of Rouen ducks, so I will ban them from it and set about cleaning it, and re bedding with nice, deep and dry straw for Amelia and the lambs to snuggle down in and stay warm.

 

The general rule for lambing is, as many lambs as the ewe has, she should stay that amount of days in a separate pen, known as a "jug" away from gen pop ( general population ) to allow the lambs and her to bond and acclimate. So, two lambs, two days, three lambs - three days and so on.

Some ewes don't need so much time, knowing perfectly well who their lambs are, and where they are at all times. New, first timers can benefit from the ability to focus solely on their new babies without the dynamic of other sheep.

It's not uncommon for a pregnant ewe to steal a lamb from a new mom, taking over and treating it as her own. No real harm is done but the pregnant ewe has no milk and so isn't a good choice for the lamb. We've had this happen once, and were able to sort things out quickly and without mishap.

 

The grass is already shooting up and tender blades are everywhere if still rather short. By the time Amelia's lambs are ready for general population, it's very likely we'll have some pasture and the rich, lush nutrients so important to the recuperation of the ewe and growth of the lamb will be plentiful.

 

Thank God we have said Good Bye to winter.  As life quickens all around, regeneration and restoration are under way, bringing fertility and abundance of plants, animals and  birds.

We're processing the maple sap now and I expect to hear the peepers and the wood frogs very soon.

Can't wait!

Regards,

Kathryn

Waiting patiently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia - 10 days left to lambing time.

 Today as I walked out to greet the girls, they were all at the hay feeder, but came running when they saw me. Amelia however, had been laying down. The best she could do was get up. She was content to stay put while the others checked out the prospect of food rations.

Yesterday was a pleasant enough day, weather wise. Sunny, but cool enough still to be comfortable working outdoors.

Today is going to rain. Not something I look forward to because of the mud and generally yuckiness of a mess it makes, nor the flooding in the streams and brook, but 'tis the season of April showers and such, so what must be must be.

Amelia has been bred to Corrigan this year, and I am curious to see what we get in terms of colors from her lambs. The last two years she was bred to Panda, a spotted ram, and she produced spotted lambs both times. Corrigan is white but I suspect he carries for spotting, and this breeding is a test to see whether we might get spots from him.

Amelia herself is black. When bred previously to Corrigans' father Clef, she gave white lambs each time. Clef is white, but I don't think he carries the spotting gene, Corrigan on the other hand, has one solitary spot, so that would suggest he does carry the gene. We will see in about 10 days!

Shortly after Amelia has her lambs, her daughter Caden will lamb. Caden gave us five lambs last year. Four white and a black. It doesn't appear to me that either Amelia or Caden will have as many this year. I'm guessing triplets for both. 

Amelia with last years' lambs. Annie is curious and looks on.
 

 

Corrigan

Let's keep fingers crossed that the weather gets warm and stays that way long enough for the new lambs to get acclimated. Makes life soooo much easier :-)

 

Regards,

Kathryn 



 

 



January 31, 2014

Corrigan - one of our 2014 sires

Wow, 1/12 of 2014 gone already! 


What is left isn't so bad....really.

February which is a "short" month ( I am so heartened by this! ) and then we are into March.

So, only four weeks until we begin the upside of the year with visions of warmth, lush new growth and lambs. I can handle that.

Caden - bred ewe for sale

 

We are still holding our own and the flock seems well despite the prolonged brutal cold. I'm thankful they are woolly creatures with enough protection from the cold and wind to be okay during these spells. Currently we are in a warm spell, with the daytime high being 20 and nighttime being around 10. Way better than the -20 night time temps we were having. And thankfully its a dry cold which makes even the brutal -degree temps bearable.

Oddly this winter we have two occurrences that remind me of Spring. One is a healthy flock of Blue Jays. The make a noise that I have associated with Spring since I was very young and due to their presence this winter, I  am constantly within earshot of their familiar song. Warmer days are coming!

The other is more sunshine than usual for this time of year. Not so much snowfall, and so the skies are clear and bright blue which is uplifting and greatly appreciated. Combined, both things help to keep me from falling into that winter time, cabin fever, blah mood.

I am impressed each year that the ewes are able to sustain themselves, grow beautiful wool and produce lambs even through these harsh conditions, and solely on a grass/hay based diet. They are well designed to do what they do, and the Finnsheep bring personality, affection and entertainment to the mix as well.

This year's lambing season has me a bit cautious with 21 ewes bred, the most I've had in my shepherding career. Six of these will be first timers. With that many ewes due to lamb, its quite possible that someone in the flock will have sextuplets or even septuplets and I expect the usual triplets which are fairly standard.

Last year, 11 bred ewes gave me 30 live lambs, so I would expect to have ....gulp...between 50 and 60 this year! I also don't have any plans to leave the property for about three months! 

First lambs of 2014 are due on April 15, which means I usually start getting excited about two weeks before and start trying to guess how many lambs the ewe will have. I have only 8 weeks until April 1. By then, maple sugaring time will have come and gone, and there should be definite signs of warmer, greener surroundings!

And of course there will be shearing time, with this year giving me 31 Finn fleeces to remove, skirt, pick and generally enjoy! Wool is the reason for having these beasties after all. At least it was the original reason. Now I just enjoy them on every level!

So, taking this all into account, my time for weaving and spinning with any regularity will be short now. So, I'm signing off to get as much textile production done as I can over the remaining few weeks of winter. 

Regards,
Kathryn

 

January 22, 2014 There are days..........

Horse Drawn Mower Waiting for Spring

There are days in the life of a shepherd that are beyond glorious, when all is well with the world and you know that God is in control.

Then there are the other days.

Don't get me wrong, nothing catastrophic has happened, no lost livestock or any unexpected problems to deal with. The flock is well even though the temp this morning was -13, and we are well.

It is just that in the middle of these long, dark, cold, overcast weeks of winter, I find myself slowly feeling discouraged.

I like winter as a rule, as long as I know the critters are handling it well, I don't mind the twice a day feeding/ checking up on animals and chores, and surprisingly I've come to realize that without those forced outings in all weather, I'd have missed some pretty amazing sights, sounds and moments that you cannot recapture.

Often, looking outside from the warmth of the cottage, its easy to dread stepping out, but most of the time I find once I am outside that it really is quite nice and end up staying outside doing more than I had originally intended because of it.

What I've observed personally is that the doldrums of winter are relieved not by warmer temps or less snow, but simply by sunshine. My spirits are enlivened again and my energy renewed by sunshine.

I don't miss the heat of summer, in fact I dread that more than the cold because it is impossible to escape it and the bulk of the work has to be done at this time. But the sunshine is always a welcome sight coming over the treetops lighting up the day.

The good news is, January will be behind us in 9 days. February in 28 after that. Then comes March and no matter what wacky weather it holds, I know we're on the upswing and the days will get longer, the sun will shine more, and eventually the greenery will return along with bouncing lambs, freshly shorn fleeces and all the warmth I can stand!

So for now, I occupy myself with spinning, weaving, making herbal salves and creams, shoveling and staying warm along with the usual routine chores.

And daydreaming - 83 more days until lambs!

Regards,
Kathryn

 

Line Breeding

Sunday morning here. Slow start and then the momentum gradually picks up.

Coffee and plenty of it.

As I sip my cuppa, I think about the coming lambs and remember back to my early shepherding days when breeding stock was a new challenge.

With Finnsheep being small in number in the USA, getting unrelated breeding stock to develop separate bloodlines isn't easy, and the importation of semen from Finland was prohibited.

Initially I was adamant that my breeding animals be unrelated but quickly I learned that within five generations almost all of  the animals are related, with few exceptions.

Due to the efforts of a few Finnsheep breeders with decades of experience, there are a few lines that are completely unrelated but not many.

So I began to get familiar with terms like: inbreeding, crossbreeding, line breeding and out breeding.

Also the term " closed flock. "

Once I determined that I had the number of animals I wanted, I decided to close the flock, meaning no new animals from different sources would be allowed. This minimizes the potential for disease and gives me less to worry about.

But, what can come of it eventually, is that your stock becomes more and more closely related until such time as you do decide to open the flock and bring in new blood. Then it is time to quarantine the new animal until you can be assured it poses no threat to the established flock.

In the meanwhile, various breeding's result in bloodlines with common characteristics among the related animals and these can be good or bad or both.

In the animals with a number of very strong traits, a desire to preserve and perpetuate those traits leads a shepherd to begin considering line breeding, or a deliberate pairing of animals with common ancestors, in the hope of enhancing the existing traits or at a minimum passing good traits on to more progeny.

Unfortunately, this can also result in enhancing of negative traits as well.

Understanding this, and having a willingness to deal with the negatives through culling, leaving only the stronger and better animals, is the intention of line breeding.

Under these circumstances it is desirable to breed related animals, and not such a scary proposition as I once believed.

In the end, what you intend to do with your flock, is what determines whether line breeding is a choice or not.
Lambs destined for the meat market are terminal early on in their lives so negative characteristics aren't going to be passed on. Line breeding isn't a problem there.

Breeding stock, especially that to be sold to other shepherds, needs to be top quality so culling of less than superior animals is a must.

If pets and fiber animals with a fleece worthy enough to keep, then some negative traits aren't an issue as long as the negative animal isn't used for breeding or exhibits traits known to impact the animals quality of life.

This info isn't intended to be a guide or tutorial, simply food for thought and one of the issues I've learned about as my shepherding experience has unfolded over time.

I'd encourage anyone who is interested to educate themselves on line breeding.

This is an interesting explanation
:
http://www.critterhaven.biz/info/articles/1_ram.htm

Regards,
Kathryn

January 16, 2014

Slow start today, second cuppa and still grey skies.

St. Johns' Wort
 



Yarrow
 

Weather has been fairly mild, though the ground has been treacherous for man and beast with all the ice, but so far, we're good.

I can do without the rain. We get enough during * mud * season, and it seems a bit premature at this time of year. I will say though, everyone seems confused as to what season it is. The birds are cavorting between the ducks' feed dishes with a great deal of song and chatter and it does seem like Spring is imminent though in reality - not so much. Yet it is a welcome respite from winter doldrums and the phrase "January thaw" does come to mind.

It is hard not to envision the coming greenery and plant life that will swell and take over come Spring. We usher in Spring with maple sugaring, something we love to do and look forward to with high anticipation.  Who knew that trees of all things would yield such delicious elixir?

It is this time of year that I start thinking about the logistics of pasture rotations and getting the ewes with newborn lambs out to the rich, lush grass that will be the mainstay of their diet for several months.

As I consider the nutritional needs of the sheep ( and dogs and cat and ducks and horses ) I find it ironic that I spend much more time finding or creating just the right combination of nutrients to ensure their well being, than I do my own! 
My how far mankind has come since the days of hunting and gathering. Now hunting and gathering has to do with which grocery store to shop and what foods I can get that will satisfy my needs quickly , inexpensively and without much clean up. Yipes!

As for the sheep, I've learned that the best case scenario for them is good quality hay and grass when they can get it.
We feed both second cut and first cut hay all winter long, offering them continuous access 24/7.

As ruminants they are well designed to derive their required nutrients from this grass based diet, right up until the last four weeks of gestation and the first four weeks of lactation.

Because Finnsheep can carry up to as many as 7 lambs at a time, it stands to reason that their organs undergo a shift and compression that compromises their ability to take in enough dry matter to sustain their energy and nutrient needs during those last few weeks. As a result, the shepherd intervenes and provides the essential food in the form of grains, the exact type varying from shepherd to shepherd. This allows for adequate intake of nourishment until lambing time.

Once the lambs are on the ground and nursing the nutritional requirement skyrockets for those first few weeks and milk production is related to the amount of energy taken in by the ewe.

I've learned that taking them off their grain too early results in decreased lactation, so those first four weeks, they receive a healthy, balanced diet designed to support lactation. By four weeks of age the lambs have a good start and are robust so that any diminished production only increases their desire to graze and eat "real" food.

Of course, minerals play a large role in their diet as well, particularly since our area is selenium deficient making it necessary to see there is adequate access to selenium supplement along with the other important nutrients.

The rams however, are not given grain during any portion of the year largely because it is associated with a higher incidence of urinary calculi, a painful and fatal blockage of the ureter.

If I feel it necessary to supplement the rams my food of choice is shredded beat pulp with molasses.
It provides the needed energy and nutrition along with roughage and they love it.

I've also learned to manage many of their health issues such as worming, with herbal supplements and this has worked out nicely. In some cases if I need to give a dose of medicine, I can disguise it in an herbal ball and it is readily taken from my hand with no knowledge of the cure within.

Easy - peasy!

One of the many observations I've made as a shepherd is that of the surrounding flora and fauna, both in cases of plants that heal as well as those that can kill if a sheep eats it.

I am delighted to find that all manner of wild, often considered invasive weeds, thrive in our immediate area because they afford the raw material to craft medicinal cures, salves, supplements and even dyes.

Still, not all those I rely upon grow locally and I do utilize purchased herbs at times. Ideally I would have an herbal garden, something I intend to create but find hard to get started.

And of course, I look forward to the first new lambs due in 89 days! But, whose counting?

 

Regards,
Kathryn

Sheep - Mothers and Daughters

Just a hopeful reminder that Spring will come again!
 

As I've stated in previous posts, I am fortunate enough to be able to spend a good deal of time just observing the sheep in our flock.

We maintain two separate groups based on gender - a ewe flock and a ram flock, for most of the year.
This differs at breeding time and lambing time. For breeding purposes, select rams are given access to the ewes and at lambing time the ram lambs stay with their dams until weaning time.

One of the observations I've made repeatedly is the bond between ewes and their lambs. Call me crazy, but I have had occasion to part with a lamb, only to regain possession of it at some future date well after it has matured.

What I have seen is both consistent and bears out the idea of familial bonds that last a good long time.

When a ewe lamb now matured is reintroduced into our flock, the ewe lamb almost immediately recognizes its dam and makes quick attempts to greet and acknowledge her dam. The reactions on the part of the young ewe have ranged from approaching the dam and interacting to actual jubilant jumping and leaping about at the reunion. These young lambs are just about 12 - 18 months old at the time of the reacquainting, and the separation could be as little as two weeks, to over a year.

My first experience with this was after I purchased three ewes, who were dam, daughter and dams' sister.
Circumstances allowed me to take one ewe initially and she was not a happy girl when introduced to her new flock. Two weeks later her dam and aunt arrived and the joy expressed by the young ewe was very interesting to watch. This exuberant leaping and cavorting carried on all afternoon.

Any other reintroductions are much the same on the part of the young ewe.

My second observation has been the reaction of the dam - while signs of recognition on her part are clear, she is less enthused and maintains an air of indifference. "Oh, its you." Yet they tend to band together none the less, within the flock itself.

I cannot testify to ram lambs and their dams as I make a pointed effort NOT to reintroduce them, EVER.  My experience with the young rams is that they are happy to meet any ladies at all regardless of familial connection. My impression is that greetings between ewe and ram are minimal and whether or not a ewe is the dam of a particular ram is of no interest to the young ram.

This is just one more thing that makes shepherding animals that most folk refer to as "stupid" quite interesting. In my experience they are far, far from stupid.

Regards,
Kathryn

December 13, 2013

14 degrees here this morning. Dry, clear, cold. Really nice!

The first pic is the winter shelters for the ewes.

Pic #2 is one of the breeding groups. Three ewes and a ram.

Pic #3 is the main ewe flock leaving their Premier round bale feeder to come see me as I take their pic.

Pic #4 is Earls' Brother. Perhaps one of THE friendliest and trusting rams I've ever owned. He is a classic example of those sheep who seek out human interaction and affection. I love him!

 Pic #5 is of Freckles (R) and Andy (L). Both lively, curious and friendly boys. Andy is one of the flock sires this year. Hopefully Freckles will be too.

And last - the Percheron team, Paladin (R) and Dick (L).

Yesterday I dropped off some wool products in town at the whole foods store, and have begun to plan for a website where we can showcase and offer our hand made wool items.

Today I'll be immersed in weaving and spinning after feeding the critters.

 I'm waiting for some fiber to come back from the mill and getting ready to send out more. This time I'll send out more organic wool and some fiber to make wool mattress toppers and comforters. I've been wanting to do that for a long time. I also have a few more pelts to ship.

So, daylight is coming and its time to suit up for the feeding and watering chores before everyone starts calling to me.

Regards,
Kathryn

December 11, 2013

Bygone Days

December 11, 2013 here.

Snow on the ground, cold temps, clear air and weather that changes moment to moment no kidding.

The sheep are all settled in their winter enclosures.
Breeding has begun and indeed, is almost completed.

Spring 2014 will see new lambs again and I will be midwife to the ewes, a role I don't mind because it almost invariably has me playing a supporting part, one which allows me to simply watch.

Lambing time is stressful to say the least, much of which I bring on myself, admittedly since I can't stand the excitement of waiting for the lambs and feel I have to check on the ewes hourly. This ritual starts a good two weeks before I know they are due in the hope that I can stare the ewes into labor somehow. To date, no such luck!

There is little else that compares with seeing a long awaited and hoped for lamb, newly out of the
wrapper ( ewe ) shocked into this world and valiantly struggling to breathe, stand and nurse. Those first few moments and hours are tense for me and each year I vow not to put myself through it again, only to anticipate the next breeding season as soon as the current one has seen the last new lamb to be born for the year.

Now, winter is the time for weaving, spinning and gearing up for Spring. Around here this is often a phenomenon we have come to term " mud season".  Rather than a nice gradual warming up and flourishing of plants and creatures, we have snow which melts all at once causing flooding and making the ground obnoxiously muddy. This gives way to "April Showers" and our Spring is curtailed due to rain, mud and sometimes ice that makes the idea of starting spring farm chores a joke. Yet, we somehow survive and get things done anyway, and have come to anticipate this cycle.

So for now, I'll skirt fleeces, spin fiber and weave up as much as I can get done because its only 126 days until the first lambs are due! But...........who's counting?

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Today dawns blustery, snowy and cold. It is the wind that brings the element of brutality to the climate. Without a doubt you understand immediately the life or death balance any mammal will face without adequate protection from the wind combined with the freezing temps.

Oddly enough, the ducks are happily paddling away on the stream which they will do all winter regardless of wind, cold, snow. They do very well on the water all year long.

Tomorrow will be an interesting day here on the farm as I am receiving three yearling ewes into the flock. These ewes were bred and born here, leaving to join another flock last winter. The flock has been disbanded and I was given the option of taking the yearlings back, so I agreed and tomorrow they arrive.

As far as I know now, that will be the end of any new animals joining our flock this year.

We are still offering three high quality ram lambs for sale, as well as two mature rams with proven breeding records.

In terms of ewes, I will be selecting replacements for some of the girls who are moving into older age. This will be hard to do because the breeding records for them have been superlative.

The three yearling ewes are all colored ranging from solid black ( which I love ) to HST ( head, socks, tail all white ) to piebald.

My intention is to expose the ewe flock to the rams at Thanksgiving which still gives me time to finalize the goals I'm creating.  I mull over the breeding pairs scrutinizing the pros and cons with an eye to eliminating as many cons as I can while instilling as many pros as I can. Then we will watch as nature takes its course, and wait.

In the beginning I am full of enthusiasm at the prospects but eventually this subsides as the day-to-day tasks overtake me, and for a few blessed weeks I forget the girls are bred but then......about six weeks from lambing time I start with renewed excitement. I think its a combination of knowing that winter is almost done, spring is almost on us, and imagining the lambs when they are born.

I watch the ewes like a hawk, checking on them every few hours and sometimes just sitting with them in the pasture for several hours at a time. This is therapeutic for me and seems to be okay with them too.

Despite my best efforts to be present for all lambing, I have a few girls who prefer to wait and lamb in secret, presenting me with freshly born, still wet lambs to help dry and monitor. 

Some ewes are seasoned dams and know what to do without any assistance from me, while the new mothers are sometimes a bit shell shocked and need some direction as they sort out their lambs, the feeding routine and all of the sensations they are bombarded with at lambing time.

This year the plan is to lamb in mid to late April, a full 8 weeks ahead of last years schedule, and I have a back up strategy for meat as well.

All things considered here it is a wonderful life albeit one where tough decisions have to be made to preserve the well being of the flock in general.

This has been a real learning year for this shepherd, bittersweet in many ways, but 2014 lies ahead and hope springs eternal!

Regards,
Kathryn

Ram lambs from 2012

 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Alpaca Blanket in Progress

Wow!

We are on the downhill slide to year's end and it doesn't seem possible!

What an incredible year in so many ways!

We started the 2013 year with only 10 of the umpteen sheep we cared for, having boarded the ewe flock out with a fellow shepherd in exchange for some of the ewe lambs.

Leaving us with only 10 Finn ram lambs, we had no idea at the time of this decision what events would unfold to make that the best decision ever.

For the most part, it was an intuitive nagging at me that urged me to seek an arrangement for the overwintering of the flock last year. While I thought the possibility of a nasty winter was the motivation for the decision, in reality and quite unexpectedly DH sustained an injury at work that made it difficult to care for the few animals remaining here over the winter. Who knew? But what a God send to not have to worry about the girls.

The little ram lambs did fabulously and provided a much needed distraction from all things droll.

Spring saw the ewes reinstalled on their home pastures and awaiting June lambs, and by the first of July the flock had expanded from a mere 21 to 61. Gotta love those Finns and their multiple births!

Lambing went well, with girls holding off while I made a quick trip overnight, and all in all it was a good lambing season.

This past two weeks has been tough as I've re-evaluated the numbers and made decisions about letting certain animals go, but I am feeling optimistic and at peace with those decisions having learned a great deal about life this week especially.

Breeding will commence in earnest Thanksgiving Day which is close at hand as I write.

The looms have been busy and I have fallen into a creative modality in weaving saddle blankets for the time being.

Regards,
Kathryn

Finished wool saddle blanket.










Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Blech!

7 a.m. and still dark-ish out, certainly overcast and snowing. I am not, not, NOT ready. Blech.

On todays' agenda, among many things, is making a final decision on who goes to the auction this week. I have mature rams, ram lambs and ewe lambs. If I'm to be honest and really harsh, there is even a mature ewe or two that should be on the trailer this trip.

BUT...ahem...flock goals, what about flock goals? Seems like lately I've lost track of what those were if I ever knew to begin with.

My first elementary goal was to have fleece. Any sheep would do, didn't matter breed, gender or even fleece quality in the beginning. I was so thrilled to have my own ovine I wasn't picky.

Then the reality of caring for a growing flock set in. I've always been athletic-ish, and strong, able - bodied but as time marches on I find myself slowing up just a bit and becoming a tad bit pickier ( is that a word? ) about the tasks I take on and under what circumstances.

Gradually I made the transition from a mixed flock to a purebred flock of Finns because they are just plain delightful and easy to work with. Easy to move, fun companionship, colorful fleeces and the cutest lambs in the world. No brainer.

Of course it doesn't take much to increase the flock. I brought in new breeding stock with the idea of selling some of the older animals, had 30 lambs, and assimilated animals from a friends' flock and here I am. Too many sheep for the resources.

They are all wonderful, each with its' own special quality that makes it somewhat of a consideration for keeping. No lamb left behind and all that.

If I were to revisit flock goals and look at simply growing wool, then 40 would be about right. Finn fleeces aren't overly large and as a weaver I use a lot of wool in my projects, so the more wool critters the better from that stand point. No need to breed any more unless I lose someone to sale or death.

The flock is predominantly white, with a few colored animals tossed in because we are just beginning to have a few generations that are displaying color. I like the white most especially for dyeing, but it sure is fun to look at all those colored sheep in the field too.

Then there are bloodlines. I'd like to establish three or four separate and distinct bloodlines to allow for greater diversity in breeding groups and of course that requires a few rams I wouldn't usually need.

I'm seriously considering not breeding this year, just to give myself a break, and this could be a viable plan but how sad to be lamb-less come the regeneration of Spring.  Sometimes I think lambs are the sole reason for having sheep. So much cuteness all in one package. Not to mention genetic potential for furthering the breed.

Well, frankly, my head hurts. And to be honest there are those moments where I think everyone should just go, and be done.

I have my original rams who've done a great job with the gene pool, have excellent fleece and I had hoped for them to retire and die of old age here.

I have some of their offspring, also rams, that for one reason or another I haven't gotten around to using yet, but someday....

I have ram lambs that are outstanding in confirmation , temperament and fleece with exactly the right bloodlines I need, I cannot bear to part with ...yet.

There are ewes that are the matriarchs and too good to let go, their daughters who are just getting warmed up, and their daughters who are too young to breed this year, but will give grand fleece in the spring.

Geeze, wish me luck!

Regards,
Kathryn