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[paxamicus AT earthlink.net]

Roy "works" our sheep without dogs, they come running when they see  
him. Remember that old song "Candy Man"? They would follow him anywhere.

Me, I dislike working socialized sheep, the wilder the better. These  
Katahdins have basically become pets.

I could sheer wool sheep with my giant horse clippers. I went and got  
a lesson from a wandering sheep man on a friend's commercial flock. It  
isn't so very hard once you've nailed down the containment  
issue...head gate, sling, hammock, whatever. I mean, it's not like you  
actually need them to look pretty when you're done. I've done horses  
where I sweated over every blade mark.

Oddly, one thing I would be interested in is trying my hand at sheep  
milk's cheese....it's pretty hard to find fresh soft cheeses around  
here, but...BIG but, that's a long way off. I'm not even close to  
thinking about it yet.

MY first time ewes got mostly twins, a few singles, and one set of  
trips which were then orphaned, and which we successfully bottle  
raised to maturity.

I selected for color so I could tell them apart. Ha!


On Oct 23, 2008, at 11:09 PM, EarthNSky wrote:

> I've had great luck with Katahdins, the breed Moon also has.  I don't
> know if Dan Settles is still around, but I think he had them, too.  Up
> until 3 years ago, I ran 10-30 head on my front pasture.  I've never  
> had
> any other breed, but I can say I was very pleased with Katahdins and
> will get them again.  I won't rule out a Dorper cross though, as  
> several
> people in this area have Dorper/Katahdin crosses.
> My Katahdins, while stupid like other sheep, looked more like goats  
> due
> to their hair.  I selected for white Katahdins because we live in a
> remote area, the front pasture is next to the road, and spotlighters  
> are
> common.  I wanted anyone with bad intentions to know that my sheep are
> sheep, not deer.   I had no parasite issues, and from my experience,
> they almost always twin, and I had triplets at least once a year it
> seemed.  However, and maybe it was just my ewes, but whenever we had
> trips, one would always suffer and end up dying eventually, either the
> mother would abandon it, wean it too early, or the ram/queens would  
> take
> it out.  For whatever reason, I'd always lose the third.  I think I  
> had
> singletons possibly 4 or 5 times, always from very young ewes, first
> time mothers.  In our climate, it did seem like they breed year  
> around.
>  I've had lambs born at Christmas, in March, and in August.
> I had sheep and goats at the same time.  I had a hands on approach  
> with
> the goats, and a hands off approach with the sheep.  They were rounded
> up and 'worked' once, maybe twice a year.  No shearing necessary, just
> hoof work, immunizations, worming, checks, etc.  I bottle fed a few
> lambs over the years, and if Ray is still around, he can give you an
> update on two I sold to him...
> If I did not have milk goats, I might try a more hands on approach  
> with
> the sheep.  My sheep were so wild that it was hard to work them.  That
> is why I finally resorted to a dog.  I think it is possible to work
> sheep without a dog-I did it, and with a hands on approach it would be
> easier to do without a dog, but I think I'll give serious thought to
> renting someone's herder come time to work the sheep.  For me, I'm  
> just
> not into trialing and herding competitions, and my pasture is not some
> wide open expanse, so I don't need a dog everyday, just a few times  
> a year.
> The reason we raised sheep, and will raise them again is for the lamb.
> I can eat lamb once a week...love it.  Of course, I can't afford to  
> buy
> it but once a year.
>
> Bev
>
>
>
> Lynda wrote:
> > Don't have him yet but are considering a Dorper as a  ram vs. the  
> > St. Croix
> > due to the beard on the St. Croix.  Around here we'd end up with a  
> > BIG mess!
> > The total body weight to cut weight is better on the St. Croix and  
> > they are
> > "nicer" sheep to work with but, well, heck, the ram's gonna stay in a
> > limited area and not be something one works with much, so no big  
> > deal.  The
> > Dorper still have a better dressed weight to useable weight then your
> > "average" lamb that goes to market.
> >
> > Lynda
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <paxamicus AT earthlink.net>
> >
> >
> > > snip<
> > >
> > > Let's step away from the politics together, you and I..... tell me
> > > about your Dorpers, I was thinking about a dorper ram for my  
> > > ladies...
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Oct 23, 2008, at 6:06 PM, Lynda wrote:
> > >
> > > > This is silly.  So you don't like Drudge.  Click on the info and go
> > > > to the
> > > > original source.  He certainly doesn't write the headlines that he
> > > > tracks
> > > > down.  So here's links to the actual reports:
> > > >
> > > > House shot up over McCain sign:
> > > > http://www.local6.com/politics/17784129/detail.html
> > > >
> > > > McCain volunteer attacked and mutilated, "the robber took $60  
> > > > from the
> > > > woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the
> > > > victim's
> > > > car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using
> > > > the knife
> > > > to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said."
> > > > http://www.local6.com/politics/17784129/detail.html
> > > >
> > > > Now, I'm just curious, no pun intended.  Were you all worked up  
> > > > when
> > > > there
> > > > was a whole magazine on Dumbya that had him as Curious George?
> > > >
> > > > Lynda
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: <paxamicus AT earthlink.net>
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> --
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