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

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

October 29, 2013

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time to every purpose unto heaven.

And so there is a time to sell our sheep, a time to cull, a time to put meat in the freezer and a time to make way for the future. Sigh. Doesn't mean I enjoy all these times though.

Today will be spent getting ready for tomorrow, auction day. There are a few things wrong with sending livestock to the auction house, one of which is prices are not guaranteed, nor are they always good. I'm expecting $20 a head for my rams which is sad since their fleeces alone would bring at least three times that. URGH! Nothing I can do about it now. Just accept that it is time to let go.

Today I will also be lost in the throes of weaving and spinning, tasks that I enjoy and a cathartic. I will also be planning out breeding groups, truly a pleasant past time. And planning next weeks trailer load for the auction..sigh.

At any rate, what I've learned from having an unforeseen flock of 61 head, is that they are Gods' abundance for our farm, and a good thing. We had a phenomenal lambing season this year, bought in some new bloodlines, and brought back some animals that were originally bred here, sent to another farm and subsequently sent back here. So, our flock expanded rapidly. Who knew???

The problem comes from wanting to keep them all and then some. But Gods' plan is not for us to keep them, but rather to exchange them for the things we need.
Therein lies the benefit of the abundance, along with the knowledge that within a few months, there will surely be more.

This year has also brought about deeper relationships with other Finnsheep breeders which is a wonderful thing.
Being able to share your lifestyle and passion with others of similar ilk is a true gift and adds much pleasure to the day-to-day life of shepherding. There are few things as fun, interesting or informative as spending time talking to and visiting with other Finnsheep breeders.
Invariably the conversation turns to pedigrees, generations, color genetics, temperaments and ...fleece.

The other shepherds I know are as much fiber addicts as I am with a creative bent that is expressed through their use of the wool the sheep bear. Even though busy with the farm chores and often times off site employment they still find time to wash, pick, card, dye and spin, knit, felt or weave beautiful and creative one of a kind items for the shear ( pun intended ) pleasure of it.

They are also nurturing souls, enjoying the exchange between sheep and shepherd, one of providing for the flocks'  basic food, shelter, well being while the flock in exchange provides our food, warmth and well being.

So, all things considered, life is good, sheep are good, God is great!


I'm sharing a link to a blog I thought some would enjoy. Classic example of like minded shepherd!

http://gypsyspinner.blogspot.com/


Regards,
Kathryn

                                                     Home Textile Tool Museum

Prolificacy

Registered Finnsheep Ewe - Amelia

This is our 6th year raising sheep and our 3rd year raising Finnsheep exclusively. Amelia, shown in the photo at right, had quads this year after having given triplets last year, twins the year before that and a singleton the year before that.
She and her daughter Caden, born here at Fossil Creek Farm, lambed at exactly the same time and caused this shepherd to be hustling a bit trying to keep up.
Caden had quintuplets, so in a brief period of about 30 minutes, the flock grew by 9.

We've had quads before but quints was a new one for our farm, and this was Caden's second lambing. She had twins last year, so to go from twins to quints was a big leap for her, and I wonder what next lambing season will hold.

Both Caden and Amelia are exceptional dams, caring for their offspring with a devotion that deserves admiration. Attentive, protective and ample supply of milk for their lambs.

One thing about breeding Finnsheep is that you cannot really predict how many lambs will be born from any particular ewe though I make myself crazy at lambing time trying to.
It's a wait and see situation, and for about a month prior to the actual lambing date I start watching the sheep in hopes that they will go early and give me a surprise.

Needless to say, I love lambing time though it is stressful trying to be vigilant, observant and unobtrusive as the girls pass their days waiting, and I anxious and excited try to contain myself until such time as it is obvious there are lambs about to be born.

Sometimes the girls fool my best attempts and manage to have lambs without me, which is both a relief and an insult/disappointment. Finding lambs up and nursing, all dry and happy is pleasing in that I no longer have to agonize over whether things will go well and the lambs will make the first few hours of life without obstacles to overcome.

During lambing time I try not to go anywhere, ANYWHERE ( for days and days ) and make sure I check on sheeple regularly in case they need my help for some reason, and I love being present when the lambs are born as it's much like Christmas, waiting for a package to be unwrapped with the anticipation of what might be inside.

Because Finnsheep can have as many as seven, yes, seven lambs at once, I feel a responsibility to do all I can to be present at lambing time to offer assistance where needed. Personally I am a big fan of not interfering with a natural process, but since these are domestically bred animals, who have been bred to have many lambs, I see my role as protector and facilitator.  And it's in the farms'  best interest to assure a positive outcome for dam and lambs, both financially and in the time invested.

This year we had 30 lambs from 11 ewes with two stillborns that couldn't have been predicted.

I feel this is a successful outcome, and am happy with the lessons I've learned and their application to this years' lambing time.

But what I've come to appreciate is ...no matter how well I managed this year and what valuable lessons I've learned, the outcome is not due to my skill or experience and you can never have enough of either. No where in my life is God more evident than in this little band of creatures I am fortunate to watch over. If the flock prospers, it is more likely in spite of my efforts rather than due to them and what the next lambing season will hold is anyones' guess.

Regards,
Kathryn