First Stroll in the Sunshine

This afternoon, the temp rose to about 35, with sunshine and in places it felt warmer. By 4 p.m. most of the snow is gone and we're back to green grass again but the ground is muddy.

I decided to let everyone get some fresh air and Amelia opted to be cautious, first sticking her head out to take it all in.

 

Slowly she called the lambs to join her and they haltingly left the safety of their shelter to be by her side.

All in all ,they had about 20 minutes outside to absorb the sunshine and feel the cold breezes, take in the new sights, sounds and smells, and then return to the comfort of the well bedded shelter.

Despite the lamby jammy on the one little ram lamb, they are all well, vibrant and doing what 48 hour old lambs do. So far, so good.

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

March 22, 2014

I love those faces!
 

Grey - trying to figure out what I'm up to and hoping it is more grain.

As the days grow longer and warmer, the girls are getting rounder and rounder.

 It's just a matter of time now.

 

The first lambs are due on April 15th, and I'm getting a bit more observant of the ewes in general and Amelia in particular, the dam who is due to lamb first this year. 

 

 She is fairly large as usual, though she still has three weeks left.

 

She  always has big lambs and last year had four.

 

With all the fleece on it's hard to tell but I don't think it will be four this year.

 I'd be happy with twins, but triplets are more likely.

She was bred to a different ram, one who himself is all white but for one lone spot on his neck.

 

To test and see if he carries the spotting gene, I decided to breed him to Amelia who is confirmed to carry spotting. We'll see what comes in terms of color but I'm expecting white and black depending on how many lambs she has. If I get a nicely spotted ewe lamb, that would be great!

 

This year we've chosen to feed the girls second cut round bales all winter, using a Premier hay feeder which has greatly reduced any waste.

The down side to this is that they stick their heads into the feeder, rubbing away any wool on their necks. You can see this in the pictures.

 

The up side is.I don't have to worry about shearing their neck and throats this year. That is always a tricky and nervous task because I worry about cutting their throats, but so far, not a problem, and definitely won't be an issue this year.

 

While the ewes have access to hay 24/7 and now are getting grain supplements, I found it curious that several of them seem to be constantly poking in the snow. Sure that they had plenty of drinking water I shrugged and forgot about it.

Last night as I was taking these photos I realized that Amelia had located a stem or two of GRASS! and was digging through the snow much like the deer do, to reach it. God Bless her.  One of the pics shows Amelia in the foreground scoping out that pitiful little bit of grass. You can see how wide she is. Won't be long now for lambs and grass. The girls will be happy.

 

Regards,

Kathryn

 

 

 

Amelia ferreting out the grass under the snow.

Hoping for more grain.
 

January 17, 2014

Coyote, Deer, Turkey Habitat
 

Among the worries that plague me as a shepherd, is the concern for predators.


We live in an amazingly rural area, surrounded by thousands of acres of forest. The thrill of this is to witness forms of wildlife the mainstream will never see.

The flip side is that every body has to eat, and the wildlife is no exception.

We have coyotes here, the wolves being removed by DEC decades ago.

Our coyotes however are a hybrid of coyote and wolf cross so they are larger than your average coyote. This isn't just my opinion but scientific fact. Wildlife biologists have actually examined the DNA and determined that at some point the coyotes and wolves intermingled leaving a unique animal as their legacy.

We know there are coyotes, as we have seen them, and certainly have heard them though not lately with the windows closed.

In the seven years we have had sheep, the coyotes have never threatened them so far as I can determine, though they are always nearby.

Other farmers in the area have complained of coyote attacks on their livestock but here we are blessed with coyotes who find their sustenance among the small creatures that abound, and not with our lambs. This allows us to live peaceably enough and truth of the matter is that I personally find the coyotes to be awe inspiring wild things who are mysterious, a bit dangerous and altogether wonderful. I would hate very much to have to resort to hunting them and I am pleased to have lived this long in their presence without complaint.

We have evidence of them being very close to the house and have been awoken in the pre-dawn hours by howling that I would have sworn was just under the bedroom window.

Having discussed their presence and habits with wildlife biologists the advice we received was thus:
If they aren't bothering the livestock then leave them alone. Shooting them opens the way for coyotes from other packs, possibly with experience in killing livestock, to fill the empty place left by having shot a coyote who wasn't a problem.  Rather than allowing that to take place, we have opted to live with the "devil we know" until such time as may be necessary to take action against a coyote or several with a taste for lamb, if ever.

In the scheme of things, I'm more worried about my fellow man being a problem than I am the coyotes.

Regards,
Kathryn

January Happenings

https://www.etsy.com/shop/oldschoolhandwovens?ref=si_shop
The big news for January is that we have re-opened our Etsy Shop known as oldschoolhandwovens.

Listings will be added slowly but steadily as I interject the shop tasks with the rest of the goings on here. Please be patient with me. Any questions about goods or services, please ask, don't be shy!

On another note, the sheep have come through the bitter weather well, to my relief.

Our newest shelter, the larger hoop house with the brown cover is proving to exceed my expectations.

Unlike previous hoop house shelters, this one, designed by my DH, utilizes aluminum piping bent and welded for extra strength against the snow loads and high winds. Its tall enough for me to walk around in which is a huge plus as walking hunched over in a half crouch really isn't fun or conducive to taking care of bedding etc.

 The size of the structure makes it easier for me to work in, accommodates more sheep, and will allow for the cleaning it out in the spring to be much more readily accomplished. All this and I can still reach up from the inside to slap the roof and knock the snow off without aid of a tool to assist. All good. Kudos to DH for doing a great job!

Having considered how much I like this new building I've concluded the only element missing is a way to close both ends.
 For the most part the sheep should have the choice of entering or leaving, but there are times when closing them in securely is necessary and as yet, we haven't devised a method to do so, though I have a plan to create swinging gates.
These will most likely be constructed from cattle panels cut in two sections. When added to the end of the structure, they will swing inward to open and keep them out of the way until such time as it is appropriate to close them. Then they will swing outward, coming together in the middle where they will be secured. Easy!

Next year I'll have another just like it and then for all intents, I will be set on critter housing.

One thing about farm life that is certain - the more skills you have and the more things you can do yourself, the better off you will be. Everything from vet skills to growing and preserving food are vital. Thank God we followed our interests early in our lives, as quirky as they seemed to friends and family, because its those skills we now rely on.  It is funny how in hindsight we were preparing for this lifestyle even without truly realizing it.

Now if we could only bale our own hay!

Regards,
Kathryn

Finnsheep Fleece

This blog post will be mostly quite subjective on my part, so you know that going forward.

 I started out raising a mixed flock of sheep with Corriedale, Clun Forest, Border Leicester X and Icelandic sheep. I became familiar with those types of wool, and through shearing sheep for others, also became familiar with a wide range of wool types.

As a wool buyer, I don't turn down any fleeces, because I love them all and find a purpose for each wool type that I take. One of the wonders of wool in the 21st century is that, among other attributes, it is versatile and regardless of the fineness or coarseness, it all has a place in the value added product marketplace.

Finn wool, ranges from animal to animal, from fine and crimpy with a medium staple length, to britchy, straight and course on some animals. Hand spinners in the USA are only now becoming familiar with this lovely, high luster wool. In some places a good, clean fleece, free of any hay chaff, burrs, dirt etc. will bring upwards of $20.00 per pound.

Finnsheep come in a variety of colors and it appears that breeders everywhere are concentrating efforts on understanding and producing consistent colored fleeces. While spots, stripes, and many different patterns and markings are possible, white still remains the best for dyeing. White fleeces also carry high luster giving a sheen to the finsished yarn that rivals mohair. Less true for colored fleeces.

When looking at a Finnsheep for wool quality, its important to check for uniformity in the fleece, from shoulder to tail. Often there is a "britch" wool on the hind legs that becomes course and straight. Many hand spinners will toss this as garbage, some will blend it, others will separate it, mix with similar, and use it for rugs. It all depends on what you want your final product to be.

One sure way to know the wool quality of your animals is to send a sample of the fleece to Yocum-McColl who will test it and send back a full report. Often this report is surprising, contrasting with the subjective analysis that results from touching, feeling and seeing the wool.

A fine Finn fleece would be one of 26 micron count, which is, according to Yocum-McColl, the equivalent of Merino wool.

A point to remember is that as a sheep ages, their wool tends to become more coarse. Most of us are aware that a lambs fleece is very, very soft and will be the softest of any fleece the sheep will have in the future.

Wool is a sustainable, renewable and earth friendly product. Sheep grow new wool each year, and depending on the breed, may give two fleeces/ year though most are shorn only once annually, and this in the early Spring prior to lambing.

Wool is coated with lanolin which the sheep produces through numerous glands on its skin. The lanolin content differs according to breed, with some having little lanolin, others having so much that simply handling the fleece covers your hands with it. This is usually referred to as "grease" and wool that is raw, not having been yet washed, is called "grease wool." Back in the day, wool was spun raw with the lanolin still on it and this gave rise to the term, "spinning in the grease."

There is some mixed info on whether or not leaving the lanolin on the yarn as it is spun will afford any water repellent qualities to the finished product. If I were to guess I would think that as long as the garment or textile isn't ever washed that degree of water repellence will remain, but once exposed to wash, will be removed. Just my guess.

I have spun in the grease myself, and enjoy handling wool with the higher degree of lanolin. When skirting raw fleeces with high lanolin content the lanolin will give the feel of a much softer fiber than truly exists, and this can be misleading. Once that wool is washed the true coarser nature is obvious.

Finn wool has a soft, almost silky feel to it that is quite noticeable in the finished yarn. This makes it a good wool for items that come in contact with one's skin where softness is appreciated.

Finn fleeces average somewhere around 6 - 8 pounds in my flock. Having shorn sheep that yield 12 pound fleeces, this doesn't seem like a lot per animal, but in a flock of 30 animals its 180 - 240 lbs of wool, which needs to be skirted, picked, washed, carded and spun. Plenty!

Finn fleece is pleasant spun raw, or from processed rovings, and it felts nicely making it a versatile wool for most fiber artists.

Check out these links for further info:

http://www.finnsheep.org/colors-markings-guide/



Excellent pictures and explanations:
http://www.internationalfinnsheepregistry.org/finn-wool.html


http://www.ymccoll.com/

To the right is Finn Ram, Clef with long staple, high luster wool. This sheen is readily apparent in yarn spun from his fleeces.

Excellent concise article

http://www.stillmeadowfinnsheep.com/finns_in_print.html

Saturday - Opening Day for Hunting

 November 16, 2013

Opening Day!

Its a beautiful cool, clear and sunny morning here for opening day of the 2013 hunting season.

We live in an excellent area for all types of wild life and deer are abundant so we hear and see quite a few hunters throughout the season.

Many of the small and not-so-small camps are bustling with activity and the traffic up and down our otherwise quite road, explodes.

Like most people, we have company - an old friend
and hunting buddy of the D.H.

As it happens, he's also a duck carver of many decades.

These past few years he's expanded into other
creatures and this year we were gifted with a very
unique and unusual carving of our beloved pet
Finn ram - Earl.

To say the carving looks like Earl is an understatement.

We are thrilled with the unexpected gift and honored to give it a place on our wall. How cool is that?

 

Over the last few days I've been preparing to finish off some textiles I've been working on.

The pictures are of a saddle blanket, a rug and a rug made solely from rovings. I'm still working on a throw blanket even as I prepare the loom for another saddle blanket. This one will be from Alpaca.

 

The rugs and saddle blanket are not yet finished, though the weaving is done. Remaining is the hemming and fulling and final touch with a steam iron, but in my impatience I went ahead and posted the photos knowing they aren't exactly the best. Can't help myself ! :-)

 

We are now down about 26 sheep from our original total this summer of 61.

While I feel I've culled, sold and parted with everyone I could afford to, we are still a bit on the heavy side as winter eases its way in.

 

As sorry as I am to see any leave as I love them all, I feel confident that those remaining are the beginning of a new core group that will advance the flock over time.

 

I've learned quite a few lessons from all of this selling of sheep.

 

1) Really, don't keep a ram longer than 2  years

 

2) Fiber being the priority for me, I see value in every sheep because it simply has wool. It is just as easy to have top quality sheep with excellent fleeces as it is to have lesser. Go for top quality.

 

3) Make up your mind from the beginning that sheep die, and be okay with orchestrating that when the time comes. As shepherds, we are both the midwives and the grim reaper when the need arises.

 

4) Because my role as shepherd is primarily one of care giver, it is understandably hard to STOP caring when the time comes to part with any animal. Be patient with yourself as you learn to do this.

 

At any rate, life moves on, things are good, hope abounds and we look to the future about five months from now, while we take the winter to hope, envision and expect new life in due course.

 

God is good!

Regards,

Kathryn

Premier Round Bale Feeder

Finnsheep Ewes

Now that summer pastures have gone dormant and snow is on the ground, we've started feeding hay.

We've been feeding a combination of round bales to the horses and square bales to the sheep because the square bales are small enough for me to handle without the need for equipment to move them.

While square bales are easier for me to handle, round bales are more economical. Our hay supplier does both so we have access according to what we want and need to feed.

In the past we have opted for round bales for the sheep, both with a traditional round bale feeder and just plopping them on the ground. Either way there seemed to be a good deal of waste as the sheep pulled out, trampled and laid down on the hay. Additionally, I found that hay in the wool was problematic too.

On the recommendation of a friend and fellow shepherd, this year we opted to try a round bale feeder from Premier Livestock supply in Iowa.

This feeder consists of square panels with square holes cut into them at two different heights. This allows both lambs and mature sheep access to the hay at the same time. The square panels are easily assembled and you can purchase as many as you think you need to make a small bale feeder or a large bale feeder.

Ours has been in place about four days now, and the difference was seen immediately. There is NO waste of hay with this feeder.  It is wonderful not to see the ground strewn with hay. The lambs can get to and reach the hay while the bigger ewes feed. This eliminates the tendency for someone to wait to eat, assuring that everyone is getting fed, not just the piggy ones.

The downside is that I cannot move the round bales myself but have to rely on D.H. Of itself this isn’t really a bad thing we just need to plan to move the new bale at a certain time.

The final downside is the shipping cost for the feeder. As far as I know the only way to get equipment from Premier is to have it shipped. This can be costly, but having considered this, I believe it is well worth the cost.

Check it out:

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=99

 Regards,

Kathryn

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

November 11, 2013 Veterns' Day

As a new shepherd one of the things I had to learn was how to care for the flock when things aren't quite right.

Keeping the flock healthy isn't very hard, but when an unusual medical situation crops up unexpectedly, you either handle it yourself, or call your vet.

There are two main reasons to reserve calling the vet, one is distance. Our livestock vet is an hour away, and since they schedule rounds for most days, they aren't  immediately available to drop what they are doing and drive an hour to my farm. This is a consideration before I pick up the phone.

The other is cost. A farm call is $75.00 and this just covers their coming on the property, no treatment. Weighing both of those things against the need is always a consideration.

In the early days of our shepherding, things went well for the most part. The first call for our vet was to draw blood on the sheep for Johnnes and OPP as a matter of routine. Though some people do this themselves and send to an independent lab, I'm squeamish and would rather the vet do it, quickly, efficiently and easily.

This initial visit allowed us to ask questions and meet the vet prior to any emergency that might arise later on. We didn't want our first contact to be a cold call.

Over time our relationship has grown to a point of trust and co-operation and I feel very strongly that our livestock vet truly has the best interest of the animal at heart.

We have an option for saving the on-farm call fee, by transporting the animal to the vets' office, and we've done this on several occasions. Each time it has been for a lamb, so transport was easy as was the office call. This is a good option.

We have also sought advice via phone call, and have requested certain medications via email, which have been mailed out without problems.

We can give injections, treat wounds, administer oral medications, cast limbs, handle some obstetric situations up to this point,  (God I'm not asking to be challenged here :-) ). Our vet has responded to my request for additional knowledge of certain illnesses with detailed emails on how to perform invasive procedures when there is no other option. Not the best solution but if it is that or death, I'd just as soon pull out all the stops and try to save my animal.

This past spring we had a case of what I believe was bloat in which, despite my efforts and a call to the vet, we lost the animal anyway.  Sometimes it happens and you remember that the other side of life is inevitable death for all of us someday.

The highest priority for an animal that is ill in our flock is to reduce the amount of suffering they may be experiencing. Sometimes this means death and its not easy when you have invested much in bringing the animal as far as it has already come.

All in all, for six years now, we've done okay in terms of emergencies and unforeseen complications, having cared for just about 80 sheep in this time period.

What I've learned is to stay humble, watchful and always ready to learn.

Regards,
Kathryn


In Memory of Mary ScholefieldFriend, fellow shepherd and teacher. You taught me so much!
Rest in peace dear friend.

January 19, 1960  - November 12, 2011

Choosing a Breeder

Wowza!

Cold and raw today.  Snow flurries. A good day for the wood stove. Winter is making its presence known.

Now is the time that most shepherds are putting their breeding groups together and this leads me to a discussion of Finnsheep breeders in general.

There are two organizations for Finnsheep here in the U.S.

The first and oldest of them is The Finnsheep Breeders Association:

www.finnsheep.org

There are 50 breeders listed throughout the 50 states. Fossil Creek Farm is NOT listed though we are indeed members.

Then there is the second Finnsheep breeders group. This group is newer and has a different focus than the first. We are listed in the breeders directory with IFR.

http://www.internationalfinnsheepregistry.org/

There are 40 breeders listed there and we are included in that directory.

Our farm, like many,  has dual memberships with both registries.

Since Finnsheep are a relatively little known breed in the US, with a small population of purebred, registered animals compared to other breeds, many of the breeders listed in either directory are newbies, such as myself.

Choosing a breeder to supply animals for your flock means that depending on your location and your budget you might choose to buy from a long standing experienced breeder or a knowledgeable, passionate but new breeder.

Registered Finnsheep breeding stock can range between $200.00 - $800.00 depending on the shepherd and the various qualities present in the sheep.

Almost all breeders, established and new, breed for the usual things.

• Confirmation ( breed standard )
• Fleece quality
• Temperament
• Maternal instinct
• Parasite resistance

Not necessarily in that order.

Some breeders focus on Scrapie resistance. Scrapie being a deadly disease that if detected will result in confiscation and euthanizing of a breeders entire flock. Scrapie is similar to "hoof and mouth " disease. For the most part, the USDA seems to think it much less of a threat than in previous years.  . Animals with an inherent resitance to Scrapie will have RR or QR blood types. These animals are usually at the higher end of the price scale and appeal to commercial flock shepherds.

All breeders start their flocks with bloodlines from an established flock. Through strategic pairings of various animals, new bloodlines are established, particular to that shepherd, but essentially the foundation animals have common ancestors in their lineages.

Some shepherds raise sheep as a commodity, others as a passion. Some for commercial purposes, others as fiber pets. Some for a livelihood, others for the shear joy of it.

What's important in selecting a breeder is that he/she knows and understands your flock goals and suggests animals that are suited to those goals as opposed to selling you an animal they no longer want.

Most flocks have a few culls - animals which for one reason or another do not fit the breeders criteria as breeding stock.

Different breeders manage culls differently. Some will keep them and breed them anyway which can often result in diminished quality of the flock in general. Others will neuter the rams and sell them as companions or fiber pets. Many go to auction and/or directly to the freezer which assures their genes will not eventually find their way into the pool and keeps the integrity of the breed intact. Its possible that a cull might appeal to a buyer if that buyer doesn't intend to breed, but use the animal strictly for fiber or meat.

Whether you are thinking of purchasing from an experienced and well established breeder, or a new and passionate breeder it pays to do your research before hand and be up front with your flock goals.

Talk with several breeders, visit the online breeder organizations and learn what the breed standard is, the organizations' mission is, and what your own goals for your flock are to be.

Your potential breeder should be willing to mentor you and your flock as you become established, via phone, emails and in person if feasible. This may or may not reflect in the cost of your foundation animals.

Membership to one or both of the breed organizations will be helpful. A point to consider here though is, the International Finnsheep Breeders Registry is not reciprocal with the Finnsheep Breeders Association. If you buy animals registered through IFR, they are in effect the same as unregistered as far as the FBA is concerned. So, if you choose IFR animals they will not be appealing to people who favor membership with FBA. At this time I do not believe dual registry is an option for IFR animals.

You can register FBA animals with IFR and achieve dual registry in that manner, but IFR animals are not registrable through FBA. This is a consideration and one which should be carefully weighed when you determine your flock goals.

Regards,
Kathryn

November 4, 2013

 Breeding season is upon us.

Finnsheep can breed all year long, but many people, myself included, prefer spring lambs, so breeding is timed for fall.  November breeding will bring April lambs. Depending on the year, maybe a bit late for Easter, but otherwise in time for the lush new grass and a good time for the lambs and ewes who are lactating.

A common practice with sheep is to "flush" them prior to breeding. This means they are offered the best possible nutrition in grain, supplements and hay that is available. The theory is that nature will recognize a well fed and well nourished animal and conditions will encourage multiple lambs because of it.

In some towns throughout the U.S and one on Long Island that I have first hand knowledge of, the name FLUSHING MEADOWS crops up, and even Queens has a borough known as FLUSHING, though the part about the meadow is absent, perhaps having been dropped over the years.

This refers to an area once designated for the purpose of putting animals out on pasture, flushing them with the nutrients available on the new grass. Who knew? And how interesting to envision Long Island and Queens as the once rural, agricultural areas we know them to have been.

Finnsheep however, are able to have litters of as many as 7 lambs at once, with litters of four and five fairly common. Due to this I personally do not flush the ewes prior to putting them with the ram.

Last year we had 30 lambs from 11 ewes. One singleton, two sets of twins, one set of quintuplets and one set of quadruplets, all the rest were triplets.

The single lamb was born to a first time dam.


Of the lambs offered for sale are two remaining ewe lambs that are from a quintuplet litter.

These lambs were sired by Ben. Caden is the dam.   Cadens' dam gave quadruplets this year. 

This was Cadens' second lambing, having produced twins last year. The lineage is one proven for large framed, prolific progeny with outstanding maternalism, hand spinning fleeces and docile temperaments. 

No flushing necessary!

Regards,
Kathryn

November 3, 2013

Cold and wet here today. Filled all my water receptacles last night so I wouldn't need the hose until the sun can warm it up later in the day.

The critters all seem to be content for the moment.

In an effort to consolidate groups and minimize space requirements I introduced the remaining ram lambs to the two remaining teen aged rams. This went very smoothly and everyone seems quite happy with the arrangement, so I am happy.

Reintroducing adult rams is NOT one of the necessary actions I enjoy, but I do it because I enjoy it far better than watching them back waaaayyyyyyy up and hit each other full force with an unforgettable crack as they connect. I cannot stand to watch it and even less to hear it, so when the time comes to introduce them again, we squeeze them into a tight, tight space for 24 hours or so, from which they emerge a bit more civil towards each other.

Except for the one time this summer when I had a band of rams roaming about free grazing the property. I took a risk and introduced two other rams to them and there was very little interest or posturing to my relief. Absolutely no head butting at all.
But this is breeding time and the boys know it so they are more inclined to show their dominance than they were in mid summer heat with nothing much going on.
For the time being, I'll have two ram groups.

I'm pleased to say that Dallas seems to have taken a liking to little Asa, though Cwen is still out on the subject, but that is okay.
Asa admires Dallas too but seems to be figuring out logistics.  I'm rooting for the little guy but Dallas is going to have to help him I think. Time will tell.

Yesterday was spent procuring materials to fortify the shelters. In a previous post I discussed hoop houses and completely forgot to mention we also use chain link dog kennels as kind of free - standing stalls.
These are enclosed with tarps to make them wind, snow and more or less water, proof. With a nice deep pile of straw frequently added to, everybody seems cozy enough for the winter, even though we don't use a conventional barn.

On another note, we still have some fine breeding stock available for sale.

Two teen aged rams - white - 18 months old

5 ram lambs - all colored - 5 months old

8 ewe lambs - 6 white, two colored - 5 months old.

They will be available until November 10, 2013.

After that we will begin taking deposits on 2014 lambs.


Regards,
Kathryn

Post Auction Day

Here we are a day later and the smoke has settled from the sale of the boys, both teenagers from last year and lambs from this year.

10 went to auction all together, and as sad as I was to see them go, I'm over it ( for the most part ).

There will be another trailer load to go in two weeks, depending on whether or not I've managed to sell any in the meanwhile, the remaining lambs may all be leaving at that point.

With an eye to excellence I sorted through the ram lambs and held back several that I thought were superior, hoping to find shepherds looking for high quality rams. I also intend to keep several for my own flock, at least for this year.
Of these, one rather handsome black fellow could be a color powerhouse in the flock. He himself is a black with white blaze and socks, with excellent fleece, but I believe he carries for badger grey and piebald so if I'm fortunate and choose the right ewe, his litter might have white, black, badger and piebald, which would be really cool!

I have retained for my flock, Frost, Finnegan, Freckles and the little boy described above. 

For sale are Flash and Ferdinand.

At any rate, I'll be a busy shepherd over the next few weeks.

Ewes Dallas and Cwen are separated and ready for their breeding to Asa and will go to their new flock in mid-December.

New breeding groups for the rest of the ewe flock are being planned now for November 23 which should give us Apirl 15th lambs.

And the Circle of Life continues.


Regards,
Kathryn

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

More on Ram Aggression

Here is an excellent and well written, thought provoking article on ram aggression.



http://www.plfkarakuls.com/art-ram.html

Using Our Wool

As a weaver who likes to use my own wool, I have run into a few glitches with supply.


The loom takes alot of yarn to operate. A 2 ft x 3 ft rug or a 40 x 60 throw blanket will use as much as five pounds to complete the textile.

When I first started spinning and weaving I did it all by hand, myself and gained experience along with many fruitful hours creating threads.

But once I had my own flock I realized that time was more of an issue and best spent tending the critters, so I opted to send my fleeces to a mill. This turned out to be a great decision for a variety of reasons.

The mill I use - Dreamweaver Creations in Sherburne, N.Y., is located a mere 17 miles from my home affording me the opportunity to just load up my truck and make a trek over. Once there I have the gift of being able to talk with mill owner Heather Lathrop about my plans, the fleeces I've brought and what I want the end result to be. Often she will show me something from another customer or her own fiber ( she raises Blue Faced Leicesters ) that may convince me to alter my plans somewhat. This face - to - face time is invaluable.

Our flock usually hovers around 15 animals give or take, which provide about 75 lbs of fleece after skirting. During processing I might lose 8 lbs of that leaving me with 68 lbs. Turning that 68 lbs into a 2 ply yarn gives me just enough for 13 projects. Not really as much as I'd like but overwintering more sheep isn't feasible either.

I have gone outside the Finn breed to local shepherds who aren't using their wool and arranged to purchase from them, incorporating that resource into a variety of projects and saving the Finn wool for special items only.
In this way I've had felt, roving and batts made from organically raised Clun Forest sheep nearby, lovely yarns and rovings from Border Cheviot sheep raised in proximity of the fiber mill, and a host of other breeds and types including alpaca and mohair.

Ideally I'd love to arrange to purchase unused good Finn wool from other shepherds, and utilize more of it in my special projects but most Finn shepherds use their own wool and the supply is limited so I work with what I have. Perhaps one day I'll be able to arrange to purchase unused Finn wool from other shepherds and expand my supply for hand woven items from my loom. Till then,

Regards,
Kathryn

Organic felt sheets and batts

 

Detail of commissioned saddle blanket

Detail of Wool Rug

 

 

Reproducing 19th Century Venetian Carpet

 

Throw Blanket in Progress

 

 

                                                  

                                                         

     Hand spinning organic roving

 Handspun Organic Chunky Yarn

 

 

Thick and Think Finn - Mohair blend

 

100% pure Finn Thick and Thin

Shearing

My favorite winter ensemble. Carharts', flannel and sheep!

When I considered one day becoming a shepherd, I knew that I would shear my own sheep. Something about the gritty, skilled labor was appealing.
Sheep shearing is very physical and exhausting, perfect ground for developing all manner of injuries from repetitive motions and spending so much time bent fully over in a position that at first, I didn't think was humanly possible.

 

There are many ways to shear a sheep and many types of equipment.

 

But there is only one right way to do the job.

 

Cornell Shearing School was instrumental in providing much of the hands-on supervised instruction that is a confidence builder, and I enjoyed the first weekend session so much that I attended again the following year.

 

During the two day course, we learned about caring for and setting up our equipment, how to catch and rump a sheep ( set it on its butt ) and most importantly, how to hold said sheep with your legs while your two hands are completely involved in the shearing process. This technique takes some getting used to and relies on both the shearers' position and taking advantage of the animals own weight and natural instincts.

 

There is a pattern to follow in shearing a sheep, endorsed by the New Zealand Wool Board, and originally developed by Godfrey Bowen.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/v9384e/v9384e08.htm

 

It took me 100 sheep before I felt like I could begin to tackle the animal from memory of the shearing pattern. For many shearings, I kept my pages of instructions within reach, often stopping to refer to them for the next step.

 

The main reason for shearing is to obtain the valuable wool, but there are health considerations that necessitate shearing as well. One of these is the incidence of "fly strike" where the wool around the tail area becomes laden with feces. During warm months flies lay eggs that hatch into larvae and proceed to eat the flesh of the sheep. In worst cases the sheep can die. This is easily avoided by shearing in a timely fashion. Usually once a year, in the spring.

 

Fleeces differ in size depending on the sheep breed, and can range from 2 - 4 pounds from a Shetland or Baby Doll Southdown, to 12 - 14 pounds for a Merino, Hampshire or Corriedale.

 

Because of the rigorous nature of shearing, many people take a different approach and use everything from kitchen Fiskars, to small hand held dog clippers trimming and shearing while the sheep stands on its feet, usually contentedly munching on hay.

 

While this process can take longer it is much kinder to the person doing the shearing and depending on the nature of the sheep, can be enjoyable for it too.

 

In my experience, ( at this time I've shorn 500 + sheep, not a lot but enough to have an educated opinion about the process ) I think it is vitally important to clean the belly and underside of the sheep. This is best done when access and the ability to clearly see the area is achieved while the sheep is on its butt. From that position the rest of the shearing process is a natural progression of movements, much like a dance, that allows the shearer to stay balanced, minimize exertion, keep the sheep relaxed and facilitate getting the fleece off often in one piece, making it much easier to skirt.

 

It takes me just about 12 minutes to remove a fleece. In the 365 days of the year, one 12 minute session isn't a big deal for the sheep, leaves them cool, clean and lighter, and allows me to get on with the rest of the flock in a speedy manner. Then I can dive into all that glorious raw fleece!

 

 

Doug can remove an entire fleece in five minutes or less - so, while the sheep may look uncomfortable, it only stays in one position for about 20 - 40 seconds before it is moved into a different position.  The process allows the sheep to be totally relaxed.  If it struggles then the shearer repositions until it is comfortable. Can't shear a struggling sheep!

 

 

Dough Rathke

Internationally acclaimed, award winning sheep shearer and instructor.

http://lambshoppe.com/sheep-shearing/about-doug-rathke/