Here are the three ladies that are instrumental in my breeding program. They were three of my original ewes.
They are: RYL Rachildas. Awt/Ag, BB/BB, Ss/Ss. All of her grey lambs were spotted/bersugget. She is a 75 pound ewe and produced Mules for me this year. She will be bred to a horned Shetland ram this fall. Every white on my farm goes back to her, and I'm proud to say that. As a 10 year old her micron is right around 30 AFD, with a CV of 20.1. She has definitely been improved upon, and I used her for AI (Heights Orion) and had lovely ram lambs (Roman and Rhodes). Rhodes is now in TN and Roman is in MD after I used him. LOVE this ewe. She's not particularly tame, but she is not wild, and every ounce of her screams PRIMITIVE (excellent forager, mother, resistant to worms, no lambing assistance needed etc). She'll live her until she dies. its the least I can do for her tribute to my flock.
Justalit'l Chloe was used for AI three times. (once to Todhill Jericho at my mentor's farm, twice here, Greenholme Holly and Shirehill Minder). She has been influential to my breeding program as well. She is Ab/Ab, Bb/bb, SS/Ss. And although she homozygous katmoget, she is worth her weight (which is 71 pounds) in gold. She is also 10, and had twin mules this year (badgerface!!) and I'm keeping her ewe lamb. Chloe is one of the tamest ewes I've ever owned and loves to be pet, scratched and loved on. She's also a wonderful mom and at 10, is 30.6 AFD with a CV of 21. Again not terrible numbers for such an old gal! She too, will live here until she dies, having given me such wonderful lambs.
Justalit'l Black Lambo was a ewe I saw at Stephen Rouse's farm for several years when I attended Michigan Fiber Festival. When she became available, I purchased her and promptly put her to Heights Orion (AI). I liked what I saw so much, that I AI'ed her again the following year to Todhill Jericho. She was also AI'ed to Roban Dillon back on Stephen's farm. Lambo is also another very tame ewe and this year she is 11. Her micron was 28.9 as a ten year old but I didn't micron her this year (also the blob on her belly is belly wool...I hand sheared my entire flock this year and missed a spot apparently on her!) I didn't breed her last fall (much to her irritation) and she was quite miffed to be with the lambs all winter, as I wanted to make sure she got enough groceries. However she someone managed to get back in with the flock the day her two daughters lambed and I found the entire family unit in a corner, with Lambo in front protecting her daughters and grand daughters. NO LIE. She made me weep. Sheep really are not as dumb as you think. She'll live her days out here as well and she is quite the legacy in the breed, particularly in the polled lines.
They aren't wonderful photos of the girls, but honest pics of them grazing out with the flock.Truly wonderful ladies that I'm proud to say I own.
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5 comments:
Lovely post.....I love the story about Lambo!
A beautiful tribute to your beautiful ewes. Thanks for sharing!
I'd love to see posts like this from all shepherds; I hope you've inspired them with this wonderful tribute!
I just ran across this, Garrett. WOW, I'm touched. Chloe, a daughter of Underhill Bartok gets her friendly nature from her sire. Lambo, from her sire as well, polled Bramble Dixen, aka Berber as that is what we called him cause he felt like berber carpeting. I would not be surprised if Lambo roos as her sire did. He was only ever sheared once, we rooed him from then on.
Wow, I'm touched! Thanks Garrett. both girls get their friendly nature from their sires. Chloe from Bartok and Lambo from polled Dixen, aka Berber (that's what we called him). Berber...er, Dixen, also rooed. He'd only ever been sheared once. Lambo looks exactly like him, same BLACK AS INK fleece. I'll bet she'll roo for you.
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