Mystang's Homesteading Circus

[mystang89]

I don't want anyone to feel bad about what I allowed to happen. I'm glad no one was seriously injured and I look at it from a learning perspective. Going from what many of you have said, including @Mike CHS and @farmerjan , there ARE Rams it there which aren't overly aggressive.

I do have one problem and it seems from what you said farmerjan. Since this breed isn't that prolific in the states it's a bit difficult to get another replacement ram which is also the reason why I always keep 2 Rams even though my herd is so small.

I think what going to impliment going forward is a 3 strike system. After 3 strike you're gone, even if that means I have to go with east fresian or something like that. (I tried to stay away from them because I've read many articles saying there constitution wasn't very strong.

Once again, thank you all for all the help and guidance. Don't feel bad for what happened but be grateful no one was hurt and lessons were learned.

 

[Bruce]

I think I would make that "3 strikes" pretty flexible. (With no experience!) I think it would depend on the severity of strike 1 and strike 2, if the ram is allowed to have that opportunity. What Bruce did to your DW, to me, would be 3 strikes even if it was also the first.

 

[mystang89]

I think I would make that "3 strikes" pretty flexible. (With no experience!) I think it would depend on the severity of strike 1 and strike 2, if the ram is allowed to have that opportunity. What Bruce did to your DW, to me, would be 3 strikes even if it was also the first.

Good point and something I'll definitely bare in mind!

 

[Latestarter]

You can always breed in the milkiness of the east fresian through the buck to the breeds you have or want. Then keep one (or more) of the "best" rams produced to be the future herd sire(s). So you can select the future herd sire based on the specific traits you're looking for. It will take a while longer to get where you want to be but you can breed in better milk, better meat, better wool, and better parasite resistance...

 

[Wehner Homestead]

You can always breed in the milkiness of the east fresian through the buck to the breeds you have or want. Then keep one (or more) of the "best" rams produced to be the future herd sire(s). So you can select the future herd sire based on the specific traits you're looking for. It will take a while longer to get where you want to be but you can breed in better milk, better meat, better wool, and better parasite resistance...

Work on some hybrid vigor!! May be a great option!

 

[mystang89]

better parasite resistance...

Yeah, the parasite resistance is where I get worried at. You never know if they have parasites until it's too late

 

[Mike CHS]

Yeah, the parasite resistance is where I get worried at. You never know if they have parasites until it's too late

It's fairly cheap to get in to doing your own fecals and there are some great procedures out there available. After we started doing them ourselves we still took sample of the same animal to the vet to make sure we were doing them right. He's a great vet and spent a lot of time telling us easier ways to do them.

 

[mystang89]

Finally proceed the ram (nope, doesn't even have a name anymore, just "the ram".) I was pleasantly surprised with the amount if meat obtained. I know he was over 2 years old but that was quite the amount.

The vid I posted above which I was using to help in the processing didn't really help much in the end as it seemed when it came to the smaller details, such as boning and such, he told what needed to be done then fast forwarded through what he had just said. I looked up another video and watched it all the way through and he seemed to explain everything in a much clearer way while not forwarding through his movements. Unfortunately I hadn't found this vid until I was just about done. I told DS to go get another sheep so we could try it out.... He just laughed at me

Children were real good helps. Cut a bunch of the meat into cubes and helped me hold the meat still so I could cut through the bones......(GET MEAT SAW OR BAND SAW!) Afterwards they helped clean up. Very blessed to have them. DS cut himself pretty good with the knife while trying to sharpen it but hopefully he learned the lessons I've been trying to teach them for a while now. 1.) Pay attention to what you're doing when messing with knives. 2.) Don't cut towards yourself! Those are the two times he broke.

He was sharpening the knife and I had always told him to move the knife away from himself when sharpening however this time he brought it towards his arm and nicked it nicely. After a good bandaging, (applied by Mom since mine failed) he's as good as new and he'll hopefully keep that lesson much closer to himself next time. Mistakes can be a very good thing as long as they are learned from and if he's anything like me, he'll be making plenty of those in his life as you could probably tell from the past few pages of this thread lol.

 

[Mike CHS]

he's as good as new and he'll hopefully keep that lesson much closer to himself next time. Mistakes can be a very good thing as long as they are learned from and if he's anything like me, he'll be making please ty of those in his life as you could probably tell from the past few pages of this thread lol.

I hope you realize men are slow learners. I've been "learning" from those kind of mistakes since I was a young boy but I still do them several decades after getting the lessons.

 

[Latestarter]

I told DS to go get another sheep so we could try it out.... He just laughed at me

Children were real good helps.

When I was feeding my family primarily venison for red meat, my kids used to enjoy helping me butcher the deer. Of course that was many, many, years ago, but if we have a SHTF event, I'd guess it'll all come back to them. I guess when it comes right down to it, it's all basically the same... a skeleton with edible muscles attached. Detach the muscles, remove the "blue skin" from the muscle, cook, cut cross grain, and enjoy. Hope you enjoy that ram meat!