Tag: ewes

Before the Snow

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Before the snow, we broke up the breeding groups and moved all the ewes back to the granddaddy green paddock at the barn.  This will make morning chores much easier througout the winter.  We penned Poseidon and Aragorn in a small space in the barn for about 24 hours and then moved them to the paddock behind the house.  We’ve done this for several years and it seems to significantly lessen their aggressive behavior once they are removed from the ewes.  We left the older ram, Liam, in with the group at the barn so that we can  sneak him a little grain and carrots. 
Everything went really well until we opened one of the gates and as a group of ewes came through we noticed an extra black ewe marked with the blue breeding wax.  Blackberry, who was retired last year, had managed to weasel her way through two temporary fences and had a romantic rendezvous with Liam sometime during the day.  She was promptly removed and taken back to re-join the ewe lambs; fences were re-built and strengthened with some extra poles.  A minor mishap… fingers crossed that if she did get caught that she won’t have any problems this time around.
So happy to have the ewes all together back at the barn!





Just like Sam Sheepdog

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Samson is in with the ewe lambs for the winter, and just like Sam Sheepdog he spends much of his day in a very business-like manner – sititng at the top of the hill by his dog house on the lookout for the bad guys or patrolling the perimeter fencing.

Hmmmm…. there seems to be one very tall lamb at the pile of hay…

Oh, it looks like our Sam has decided to employ the art of camouflage and disguise

or maybe he is just looking for a really warm spot in the sun.

Good dog, Sam.

No Maintenance Beyond This Point

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After last week’s Tuesday and Wednesday snowfall, we had some pretty warm weather the rest of the week.  So Saturday on the way back from the feed store in Eglon, we decided to come home the back way, possibly for the last time until Spring.  Here we found some very pretty drifts, and you can see why this section of road becomes No Maintenance Beyond This Point  once winter settles in.  The state road crews plow either end but this turn at the top of a small hill normally blows closed and stays that way until snow-melt.

In other news, we have found the Ultimate Flickr Group – Obsessive Sheep Photographers – 1,952 members strong and 11,318 photos in the pool.  Oops… gotta go… off to make this photo of the lovely Juliet number 11,319! 

Aragorn’s Companions

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Aragron is our three-year-old registered Border Leicester ram.  He has great bloodlines and throws a wonderful lamb with a long top and beautiful wool.  He is still kind of the wild, young thing but has settled down a lot this past year.  Three breeding groups this fall… we are so excited… only about 147 days to go before the first lamb hits the ground this spring.

604 –  Sweet Pea   Lincoln – Coopworth – Wensleydale
612 –  Princess   Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
616 –  Rosey   Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
720 –  Cassidy   Cotswald – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
721 –  Hannah   Border Leicester
722 –  Jill   Romney – Coopworth – Wensleydale
811 –  Petunia   Lincoln – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
815 –  Aibreann   Border Leicester
906 –  Lucy   Romney – Coopworth – Wensleydale
914 –  Bertha   Cotswald – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
919 –  Serenity   Border Leicester
922 –  Funella   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester – Cotswald – Wensleydale
929 –  Juliet   Border Leicester
1002 – Maibh   Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale
1056 – Hermione   Coopworth – Border Leicester – Cotswald – Wensleydale

Poseidon’s Girls

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Our five-year-old colored ram, Poseidon, is a Cotswald – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross.  He is the most agressive of the rams, and you learn very quickly not to turn your back on him.  He is very large and can deliver a real wallop if you are not paying attention.  Let’s just say he definitely commands respect.  He also produces an amazing fleece, and vigorous lambs with beautiful, long curly locks.

4014   Fiona   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester cross
40      Athena   Coopworth – Border Leicester cross

41      Hera   Coopworth – Border Leicester cross
620    Daireann   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester cross
817    Dierdre   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester – Wensleydale cross
910    Julie   Coopworth – Border Leicester cross
930    Havva   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester – Border Leicester – Wensleydale cross
1008  Poppy   Lincoln – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross
1025  Nettie   Border Leicester

Ready… Set… Go

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We were so excited Saturday to get the last of our 32 breeding ewes all set for breeding; all the hooves were trimmed and crutching finished.  We put up (and later took down) 820 feet of temporary fencing for moving lanes; moved dogs, dog houses and watering troughs.  We were excited that we got the ram’s bellies trimmed and marking harnesses on before dark, and were not working by truck light. We were even more thrilled that it was a beautiful day and not 20 degrees, not raining or snowing, as in previous years.
Today, we are proud to present the first of the 2011 breeding groups – Liam’s Ladies.  Liam is our six year old registered Border Leicester, purchased from Kelly at Spring Breeze Farm as a yearling.  He has great lineage and a super disposition.  He throws a beautiful lamb with a long top and lovely wool.

613 –   Hebe  Coopworth – Border Leicester – Wensleydale cross
711 –   Daisy   Lincoln – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross
716 –   Harmonia   Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross
801 –   Patience   Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross
809 –   Hestia   Coopworth – Border Leicester – Cotswald cross
821 –   Siar   Cotswald – Border Leicester – Coopworth – Wensleydale cross
924 –   Meara   Coopworth – Blue-faced Leicester – Wensleydale cross
1004 – Aurora – Registered Border Leicester  





Big Weekend Plans

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The breeding ewes have spent the last six weeks or so in one of the hayfields, giving some of the pasture paddocks a rest.  They spend the day in temporary fencing, coming inside the pine grove paddock’s perimeter fencing at night.  We have moved the large temporary paddock twice which has allowed the ewes to graze a large portion of the hayfield.  We have followed this plan for a couple years and it seems to have really improved the hayfield along with eliminating many of the weed problems.
This weekend we plan to move the ewes back to the barn paddock and begin hoof trimming and crutching in preparation for breeding season.  It won’t be long now… the circle of life begins again.