2012 Gotland Lambs

Lambing season came early to EverRanch in 2012.  The first lambs arrived on February 24th - 2 sets of triplets! - and the last on April 2nd - single Sprite.  This post features most of the Gotland lambs.  I'll get the Shetland lambs posted soon.

Part of the EverRanch Gotland flock
(with Eve the Scottish Blackface in the background)

2012 marks the first year with Gotland lambs in the US born of Swedish rams!  The Gotland breed was developed in Sweden, so going to the source seemed natural for our upbreeding program.  Carol Ronan,  Polly Matzinger and I collaborated to import the first, and so far only, semen from Swedish Gotland rams.  It wasn't so simple to get semen from Sweden and I totally credit Carol (Ronan Country Fibers) for making that effort successful.

Eleven top Gotland rams were collected.  A limited amount of semen is available: http://www.washingtonwool.net/show136v/Purebred_Gotland_Semen_from_Sweden

Here are the results at EverRanch.  Note that several are for sale - this is an excellent opportunity to add diverse genetics to your Gotland or fiber flock!  EverRanch uses all Northern Short-Tail genetics in our Gotland upbreeding program, through Finnsheep and Shetland sheep foundation ewes.  We feel that the body type is just as important as fleece type, and ease of care and production is most important of all!  All of our Gotland sheep are recorded/registered with GSBANA - the original Gotland Sheep Association in North America.  Ewes can be registered at 75% and up, rams need to be at least 87.5% Gotland to be registered.

Our products for sale, including sheep and lambs, are on Washington Wool dot Net:
http://www.washingtonwool.net/show2b/EverRanch_Farm

Firstborn Swedish Gotlands in the USA!!!  EVR Bits and her triplets Cameo (e), Gunpowder (r) and Powder Puff (e), 75% Gotland/25% Finnsheep.  Sire is Granby's Mr. Big.  Gunpowder and Powder Puff are for sale.  Bits produces terrific lambs and herself has fleece with high luster and softness.  It's a favorite at fleece sales.

A closer look at Cameo.  She's a keeper!

Cameo

Gunpowder - for sale

Bossie lambed the same day with her triplets - two rams, Ferdinand and Angus, and a ewe, Elsa, by Sindarve Silver.  The rams are for sale.  75% Gotland/ 25% Finnsheep.
 Bossie has the softest fleece of our adult Gotlands and is wonderfully friendly. 

Bossie with Angus and Ferdinand (All for sale)

This is EVR Alice with her ram lamb, Graeme, by Sindarve Silver.   Graeme (87.5% Gotland/ 12.5% Shetland)  will be used for breeding  this fall, then will be for sale.

Graeme.  Several of our Gotland rams have small scurs like Graeme's.   I've learned through Shetland Sheep friends that genetically polled breeds like Gotlands can have these small, loosely attached scurs.  They're often knocked off (they are rams, after all!) leaving a smooth polled head.

EVR Marie (Alice's twin sister) and her ram, Desmond, by Granby's Mr. Big.  87.5% Gotland/12.5% Shetland.  Desmond (SOLD), though it's very tempting to keep him!  Marie is also for sale (75% Gotland/25% Shetland, by NZ Hoppy out of EVR Bunny)

Desmond (Sold) and Marie - for sale

Here's looking at you!  - Desmond (Sold)

Connor -  he's 75% Gotland/25% Finnsheep by Sindarve Shaun out of EVR Chamois.  I was so hoping for a ewe out of this breeding, and this ram is very, very nice.  He's for sale, though if he's still around I might use him on a couple of ewes this fall.

Lola!  ...on the left (Mica on the right).  I've been waiting for a nice AI ewe from Angie, and here she is by Fattings Tjelvar.  75% Gotland/12.5% Finnsheep/12.5% Shetland.  Angie has the best combination of fleece and structure in our flock.  Her wool is long, curly and lustrous. She's eye catching and four square with lovely tail and legs.  Lola carries that forward into the next generation.   Angie is for sale; Lola is staying.

EVR Gem and her twins, Mica (r) on the left, Smoky Diamond (e) on the right.  These 87.5% Gotland lambs are fabulously curly and stocky.  Both will be retained.  Granby Mr. Big is their sire.  

Smoky Diamond

This next group features lambs out of the backup rams, EVR Flint (87.5% Gotland/12.5% Finnsheep by NZ Ralph out of EVR Gem) and EVR Dancer (75% Gotland/25% Finnsheep by NZ Flash out of EVR Bits)

EVR Jewel (twin to EVR Gem) with one of her triplets by Dancer.  Jewel is for sale, as are two of her lambs, 1 ewe, 1 ram - 75% Gotland/25% Finnsheep.  Jewel has the most lustrous fleece with larger diameter curls.  She is a wonderful mom and long bodied ewe.

EVR Suede - by Dancer out of Jewel.  Suede is staying.  This breeding is a combination of our best producing Gotlands and the best of the UK and NZ bloodlines.  

These twins are DeeTee's latest.  The ram is on the left and the ewe is on the right.  Both are for sale.  The ram has tight pincurls like his sire, Flint.  The ewe has a more typical open curl.  68.75% Gotland/ 25% Shetland/12.5% Finnsheep

DeeTee's ewe lamb again.  She's lovely and for sale!

These two are EVR Delilah and EVR Sprite.  (Sold)  Delilah is Angie's daughter from 2011 out of RCF Caidon.  Delilah is 68.75% Gotland, balance Finn and Shetland.  Sprite is by EVR Flint and out of Delilah. Sprite is 75% Gotland, bal Finn/Shet.   Sprite was the last lamb born on the farm and has already overtaken the smaller triplets in size.  She's a real character and very cute with her white tail tip and socks.

Delilah and Sprite.  They are a very nice pair.  Delilah is doing very well at being a first time mom.  Sprite is  75% Gotland and eligible for registration with GSBANA.  Both have the slender, long legs, body style and short, fluke shaped tail typical of the Northern European Short-tailed sheep.

EVR Delilah - sold.

Missing photo!!!  Bunny and her triplets by EVR Flint will be included in a future post.  Although, Bunny is the front and center sheep in the leading photo, above.

More to come!
- Franna