Breeding Groups!

Hah!!!  I just found this post in the drafts pile.  Well, better late than never to publish the post.  It'll explain the lambs a bit better as they're posted in later blogs.


...written in mid-October, 2011
Today was "move the sheep into breeding groups" day. AI was 2 weeks ago, and it was time to get the backup rams in. The "main man" is ram lamb EVR Flint - an 87.5% Gotland/12.5% Finn. Flint has soft, soft blue-grey fleece on a refined body. His dam is EVR Gem, the 2010 Island County Supreme Ewe, and his sire is from New Zealand - Ralph. Three of the AI'd ewes are closely related to Flint, including Gem, so they went into the pen with EVR Dancer.

Here's hoping Flint only has one ewe to breed - ewe lamb Delilah, and Dancer has none!

I also put the Shetland ewes into a pasture by themselves, soon to be joined by Nightcap and Babybee.

Flint has:

EVR Bits (50% Gotland/ 50% Finn). Bits is one of our favorite ewes. She has a soft handling, curly white fleece on a very nice body. She is friendly and produces well. We now have a 75% daughter of hers, so it's possible she'll be for sale in a year or two.

EVR Bossie (50% Gotland/ 50% Finn). Bossie is another of our first year Gotlands. She has the finest fleece of any adult we've kept. Bossie, too, is very friendly. We haven't kept a ewe lamb from her, so fingers are crossed for next spring!

EVR Bunny (50% Gotland/ 50% Shetland). Bunny is the third of our first year Gotlands that we still have. She has produced very well for us. We have three of her adult ewe offspring - Angie, Alice and Marie, and used a ram from her, Jack, for two years. This year she gave us triplets including 2 ewes. It's likely we'll keep at least one of them.

Owl Hill Deepti (50% Gotland/ 50% Shetland). We bought DeeTee as an adult and have yet to keep a ewe lamb from her. Hopefully, in 2012!

EVR Angie (50% Gotland/ 25% Shetland/ 25% Finn). Angie has the best fleece/body combination of any of our 50% Gotland ewes. Her head and expression are gorgeous!

EVR Delilah (68.5% Gotland/ bal Shetland/Finn)

EVR Alice (the 2011 Island County Supreme Ewe, 75% Gotland/ 25% Shetland)

EVR Marie (75% Gotland/ 25% Shetland)

EVR Eclaire (32.5% Gotland/ 67.5% Finn)

Dancer has:

EVR Chamois (50% Gotland/ 50% Finn)

EVR Gem (75% Gotland/ 25% Finn)

EVR Jewel (75% Gotland/ 25% Finn)

Nightcap has:

Dodge Electra (grey, double coat)

Bitterroot Bessie (fawn katmoget, long fine double coat)

EverRanch Blanca (white, fine crimpy, poll carrier?)

EverRanch Toffee (moorit, fine crimpy intermediate, poll carrier?)

EverRanch Spark (grey katmoget, intermediate, poll carrier?)

EverRanch Popcorn (white, fine & crimpy, poll carrier?)

Lil'Country Babybee (moorit, fine & crimpy, poll carrier)