# Longface....Magnificent old girl



## Sheepshape (Oct 20, 2012)

Longface (a Beulah Speckle Faced sheep) came in a batch of 10 'old ewes' 4 years ago, bought to 'have one last season' and was aged 6-7. In spite of the fact that she had been in a distant field, one of thousands, and very unused to people, she seemed friendly from the start. She rapidly became very tame (on a daily diet of biscuit treats and strokes).She produced 3 good lambs.

 At the end of the season, inspected by local farmer she was marked with a 'slaughter' mark as she was old. "Let's keep her another year" said I as I had grown so fond of the old girl. She produced another 3 good lambs. The scene repeated itself the following year.....and another 3 good lambs.

Last year, and about 10 years of age, with not a lot of teeth in her mouth I hid her when hubby took those marked for slaughter to market. He grumbled and mumbled, but she went back into the field with the breeding ewes. On New Years' Eve last year she was scanned....4 sacs. Oh dear....sounded like it was too much for the old girl. However, with careful attention that she fed well in the latter part of her pregnancy, she waddled her way towards term. One cold evening having waddled up from the field with her flock mates. Having eaten her fill she came and stood by me. "What's wrong old girl?"....I stood stroking her and she stayed put by me. As the others started to make their way back to the field she didn't. So I invited her into the shed and placed her in a lambing pen. I checked her twice before bed. She was lying down and chewing contentedly. I went to bed and rose early to this scene.








We still have the lovely old girl.....now this will be her last year....well as a potential mum anyway. 

She has earned her retirement. Today she is in the field with the breeding ewes, always with the first to the fence for treats, sleek, fat and happy.


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## BrownSheep (Oct 20, 2012)

Ah quads..I dream of quads. So far I've had 6 sets of triplets but no quads as of yet. She looks like a good old gal reminds me of my Big Bertha. Give her a scratch and a treat from me!


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 20, 2012)

What a heartwarming story.


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## Southern by choice (Oct 20, 2012)

makin' me cry! 

How sweet!


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## promiseacres (Oct 20, 2012)

love this.


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## RemudaOne (Oct 20, 2012)

Awesome ewe! Glad she found you!


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## Alice Acres (Oct 20, 2012)

I love your story!
We had a similar old and dependable ewe. She was a regular triplet mom, but she never had 4!
Good luck with your gang, the lambs look like they are all a good size and should do well.


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## goodhors (Oct 20, 2012)

What a nice old girl!.  I would be keeping any ewe lambs, to retain the great 
genetics for my flock.  A good producer like that should pass fertility and 
long life on to her ewe lambs.  Her still producing so VERY WELL at an advanced 
age is an EXCELLENT quality to have in your flock.  Lambs look quite nice too, 
appear evenly sized, no huge ones or runts.  Those kind of ewes are money 
makers for you, long-lived producers of quantity, more than paying their way.

Nice that she is also so friendly and easy to handle.  Maybe she can be the 
lamb babysitter for weaning, now that she is too old to breed again.  Still
useful, as well as being a pet.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 20, 2012)

Awww, too cute!


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## Alice Acres (Oct 20, 2012)

As Goodhors mentioned - there is value in a good and steady ewe in the flock. We have had several over the years that we have kept beyond their reproductive years, just because they have such good characteristics - calm, nurturing, set good examples for the younger and usually flightier stock.


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## PendergrassRanch (Oct 21, 2012)

aww what a heartwarming story! I'd say she definitely earned a lovely retirement at home and not slaughter


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## bonbean01 (Oct 21, 2012)

Wow...got teared up reading your story and that photo with her and the four babies and her with the red X on her !!!!  Yes, she has earned the right to live out her old age happily in my opinion.


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## Sheepshape (Oct 21, 2012)

I'm glad to hear from so many like-minded people. 

Here's the old girl 'full frontal'.







With a face like that, who could consider her for slaughter?


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## Splashy (Oct 21, 2012)

wow, how sweet. I'm glad you saved her.

Lulu


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## Shelly May (Oct 24, 2012)

we get attached to MANY, but we can't keep them all, I have alot of respect for you.
for keeping her as she has earn it. and true she will have other uses down the road
as care taker during weaning. Hubby isn't so bad either as he did let you keep her.


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## CocoNUT (Nov 1, 2012)

Very touching story...and adorable lambs! Good for you all!


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## that's*satyrical (Nov 1, 2012)

Awww, good job ole girl!!! Glad she gets to live to be old and happy with you as a reward for being such a sweet girl & a good momma.


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## doxiemoxie (Nov 3, 2012)

Aww, I needed this!  I just sold three of my baby goats       and this morning my hubby and I were talking about how old our old lady goat is (we don't know, she was an auction rescue) and how much we like having her.  She's not a producer like your girl, but she's the queen bee and keeps the herd in order.  I will be a mess if/when we lose her.  

Thanks for loving your old girl and sharing how special she is with us. (more baby pics too please!)


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Nov 3, 2012)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> What a heartwarming story.


X2!!!


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## Southdown (Nov 3, 2012)

Such a heartwarming story that it makes me want to cry.  I'm so glad you decided to keep her.  I would keep her until she dies of old age.  What an amazing girl.  

I just love sheep.  They add so much to life, don't they!?


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## Cornish Heritage (Nov 6, 2012)

> What a nice old girl!.  I would be keeping any ewe lambs, to retain the great
> genetics for my flock.  A good producer like that should pass fertility and
> long life on to her ewe lambs


Absolutely! Genetics like these are incredible. Our oldest girls here turn 6 this month & should also lamb this month or maybe next. Wouldn't get rid of them as they are still going strong. 

Liz


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## Sheepshape (Nov 7, 2012)

She made obvious overtures to our huge ram about a week ago and he responded in time honoured fashion. She is probably in lamb again (though she will definitely be retired after this year). She is very fit -looking at the moment.

She will be scanned  in about 6 weeks time. I hope that she is not having quads again as her history is for triplets. However, any ewes who are having multiples are separated off for special treatment, and if this is the case with old Long she can be separated off with a companion ewe for the last few weeks.

She is a very special sheep.


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