SHEEP

 My flock began with speckled face bottle lambs and a Suffolk ram lamb.  Since then I have tried several different breeds of sheep:  Hampshires, Corridale,  Columbia, North Country Cheviots, Rambouliet, Polypay and others.  I really do not have a favorite breed, each has good qualities.  I do think the specked face cross bred ewe is hard to beat for mothering ability, milk production, and health.  I  prefer Hampshire rams because they seem to produce lambs that grow quickly with good feed conversion. I keep a wide variety of sheep breeds because they each react differently when worked by the dogs.  I try to expose the dogs to heavy and light sheep so the dogs become well rounded and confident with all sheep.  I enjoy lambing around February, retaining lambs for replacements for myself and others then fatten the remaining lambs for market.  I also have lambs availablefor 4-H projects.

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          LIVESTOCK GUARD DOG

         

Predation of lambs by coyotes and stray dogs is always a concern for those of us with sheep.  Chewy is a Great Pyrenees and his sole job is to protect the flock from any threat.  He is ever vigilant at night and patrols his territory for any intruder, during the day he can be found sleeping close to the barn under a shade tree.  He is not as bonded with sheep as some LGD’s are, he enjoys playing with the other dogs.  He has the run of the place and will keep the raccoons away from the garden, the deer out of the alfalfa and many people in their cars.