Tag: ewes

Aragorn’s Companions

Sheeps & Peeps1 Comment

And finally, today brings us back to the barnyard and to Aragorn, our four-year-old Border Leicester ram.  He has great bloodlines and throws a wonderful lamb with a long top and beautiful wool.  Almost 75% of his offspring were twins last spring.
Four breeding groups this fall… excitement is in the air… and only about 147 days to go before the first lamb hits the ground this spring.   

Aragorn’s companions:
604    Sweet Pea   Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale
612    Princess   Border Leicester-Coopworth-Wensleydale
616    Rosey   Border Leicester-Coopworth-Wensleydale
716    Harmonia   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Wensleydale
720    Cassidy   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Cotswald-Wensleydale
801    Patience   Border Leicester-Coopworth-Wensleydale
817    Dierdre   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Blue-faced Leicester-Wensleydale
906    Lucy   Romney-Coopworth-Wensleydale
914    Bertha   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Cotswald-Wensleydale
919    Serenity   Border Leicester
1002  Maibh   Border Leicester-Coopworth-Wensleydale
1134  Branna   Coopworth-Blue-faced Leicester-Border Leicester-Cotswald

Liam’s Ladies

Sheeps & Peeps4 Comments

Today brings us to the back pasture and Liam’s lovely group of ladies.  Our gentle giant wethers, Moe and Larry, are hanging out back here also.  This group of ladies was kind enough to pose for individual shots.

613  Hebe   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Wensleydale

922  Funella   Coopworth-Border Leicester-Blue-faced Leicester

722  Jill   Romney-Coopworth-Wensleydale

711  Daisy   Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale
1108  Kiera   Border Leicester-Coopworth-Wensleydale

Introducing Strider

Sheeps & Peeps4 Comments

We are very pleased to introduce you to Strider, the ram lamb formerly known as Mister 1225.  He is out of Serenity and Aragorn; a pure Border Leicester.  He has been wormed only once, at weaning, and has an exceptional health record.  He is a twin, and both he and his sister have an excellent growth rate. We have him in with four ewes, and we may sell him next summer as a proven ram. 

The lovely ladies in Strider’s group are
41    Hera    Coopworth-Border Leicester
821  Siar     Border Leicester-Cotswald-Coopworth-Wensleydale
910  Julie    Coopworth-Border Leicester-Blue-faced Leicester
930  Havva  Coopworth-Border Leicester-Blue-faced Leicester-Wensleydale

Poseidon’s Girls

Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

After a marathon working weekend, we finally have all the breeding ewes’ hooves trimmed, the temporary fencing up, the dogs moved, and the breeding groups in place.  Here’s a little introduction to the first of the groups.  They spent most of the day over on top of the hill.  Only Petunia and her daughter, Poppy, even came down to the fence when we fed hay this morning. 

Here are Poseidon’s Girls
811     Petunia   Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1008   Poppy     Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1025   Nettie      Border Leicester
1119   Joannie   Romney-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1140   Faith       Border Leicester
1141   Grace      Border Leicester

In a Cloud

Sheeps & Peeps10 Comments

The fog that began Saturday evening, was still clinging to the ground all day yesterday.  It was very surreal, kind of (what we imagine it would be) like walking around inside a cloud.  Although it wasn’t raining, you could not help but be drenched from the fine mist that constantly surrounded you.  In spite of chill in the air, it was really quite beautiful.

Weather Update:
Rain began during the night, and we now have been issued a blizzard warning from 6 p.m. tonight through 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the worst of it coming around midnight. Most of the leaves are now off the trees, so we’re just hoping the lights stay on. Stay safe everyone!

A Gold Star for Rosey Posey

Sheeps & Peeps1 Comment

Back on April 26th, our six-year-old ewe, Rosey Posey, gave birth to twins – a ram weighing 12 lbs 6 ozs and a ewe weighing 13 lbs 7 ozs.  Just think about it, that’s almost 26 lbs of lamb she was carrying.
Eighty-one days later, at weaning, her ram lamb weighed 78 lbs and her ewe lamb weighed 68 lbs.  Our girl, Rosey, raised 146 lbs of lambs with a very respectable .8 and .68 rate of gain per day.  This is pretty good for a longwool breed ewe, especially with twins.     

1219 and 1220 have grown into beautiful, very healthy, 5 1/2 month old lambs.  We haven’t weighed them since weaning because we haven’t needed to.  They have scored either a one or two on the FAMACHA scale everytime, so neither lamb has needed to be wormed all summer. 

So, Rosey Posey a gold star for you!  Thank you, girl, for a job very well done!

Lucky Ewes

Sheeps & Peeps6 Comments

Over the course of two days, sometimes through the wind and rain, we moved the breeding ewes temporary fencing in the hayfield.  They spend the day in this paddock then come in to the permanent, woven wire fencing at night.  They are very excited about all that fresh green pasture, and come running when they hear the gate opening.  If the girls look up from eating long enough they’ll also realize how lucky they are to be surrounded by all this beautiful fall foliage.  

In a few short weeks, we will move them back near the newer barn where we will get everyone ready for breeding season.  Poseidon and Aragorn say hurry it up… they are ready and waiting!

Hide and Seek

Sheeps & Peeps5 Comments

Now that the weather has cooled, the breeding ewes spend most of their day in the hayfield, protected by temporary fencing.  They come running when they hear the gate being opened and proceed to parade into the field, providing weed control and, of course, fertilizer.

If the heat turns up in the afternoon, the ewes head back into the permanent fencing for some cool down in the shade… and maybe even a little game of hide and seek.