CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Great pics of some great animals!!.....
mysunwolf - four acres and some sheep
Baymule
Herd Master
Your pigs look lovely! They are so easy to raise and sure fill the freezer up! The lamb is precious, love the picture.
Nice to have some friendly dogs to keep one warm while resting on the living room sofa! 
Everyone needs one of those there house sheep!
Everyone needs one of those there house sheep! - Thread starter
- #244
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Thanks for all the love for the critters, baby lamb has been a huge hit 
She is around here as well. I'm going to have to buy some bigger diapers!
Ooh, and before I forget, a few updates from earlier in the year, and the MEAT!
In November we grazed the sheep on the side of our gravel road. It was okay, though the sheep were terrified of vehicles (I don't drive a lot in the field when the sheep are in there) and I became concerned that they were going to break through the net. Or that someone was going to walk away with the fence charger.
We've had some cold days this year, horribly cold with windchills below zero and all. Puff is always happy to curl up in the coldest, windiest spot on the farm as long as he has his buddy Tangerine (not my cat, but I guess she is now).
Plus, in late December, we picked up the meat from the new butcher and they did a fantastic job!! The lambs I took in were still a little young and small, but the butcher managed to make the cuts look really incredible. Molly was the perfect size for us, and since no one seems interested in buying mutton we will be consuming her ourselves
Her meat has a deep richness, while still being as tender as lamb. Here are the loin chops, to get a better idea of how amazing her meat is and how great my new butcher is:
Plus, these folks at the slaughterhouse did not grind all my legs of lamb like the other one did (TWO YEARS IN A ROW). In fact, they kept out exactly the number of legs I requested and cut and packaged them to perfection. If anyone lives around Southwest VA, mid VA, south WV and needs a good USDA butcher let me know.
She is around here as well. I'm going to have to buy some bigger diapers! Ooh, and before I forget, a few updates from earlier in the year, and the MEAT!
In November we grazed the sheep on the side of our gravel road. It was okay, though the sheep were terrified of vehicles (I don't drive a lot in the field when the sheep are in there) and I became concerned that they were going to break through the net. Or that someone was going to walk away with the fence charger.
We've had some cold days this year, horribly cold with windchills below zero and all. Puff is always happy to curl up in the coldest, windiest spot on the farm as long as he has his buddy Tangerine (not my cat, but I guess she is now).
Plus, in late December, we picked up the meat from the new butcher and they did a fantastic job!! The lambs I took in were still a little young and small, but the butcher managed to make the cuts look really incredible. Molly was the perfect size for us, and since no one seems interested in buying mutton we will be consuming her ourselves
Her meat has a deep richness, while still being as tender as lamb. Here are the loin chops, to get a better idea of how amazing her meat is and how great my new butcher is:Plus, these folks at the slaughterhouse did not grind all my legs of lamb like the other one did (TWO YEARS IN A ROW). In fact, they kept out exactly the number of legs I requested and cut and packaged them to perfection. If anyone lives around Southwest VA, mid VA, south WV and needs a good USDA butcher let me know.
Baymule
Herd Master
We are fortunate to have two good slaughter houses near to us. One is owned by Mennonites, the other is also family owned, but USDA inspected. Both are good. There is nothing like your own meat that you raised. We sold a half pig in November, they are already asking for a whole pig. LOL
- Thread starter
- #246
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Honestly am really jealous of people with good slaughterhouses near them. Somehow where we settled they are just few and far between.
It is actually really expensive to raise pigs and chickens for the table, compared to the grocery store, but you're right that having our own meat is worth it!
- Thread starter
- #247
mysunwolf
Herd Master
I went over to my neighbor's farm one morning last week to feed and check on everyone, and the ewe with pneumonia was dead in her jug w/the male. This is the same mom that had rejected her female lamb just after they were born. So I pulled the male too, and now have two bottle lambs in the house.
The male is still pretty scared of people, but he's coming around. When they have energy they run around the house in circles, chewing on things and playing lamb races. When they're tired they sleep cuddled together in front of the heat vents. We are going through a LOT of diapers, and the female still has nasty, runny poop. We're waiting on a culture of the fecal to see if it's salmonella, giardia, crypto, or maybe just sensitivity to the dumor replacer. Probably not ecoli or she'd be dead. The male's poop was fine because he was on mom for about a week, but since being on the replacer has taken a turn for the worse. We are doing electrolytes in between feedings, and probios and yogurt in the replacer.
On my farm, all the animals are doing really well with winter. We have had a respite from our crazy cold temps, and I've enjoyed not having to constantly thaw waterers. The health testing for my flock came back negative again for Johnes, OPP, CL, brucellosis. And it came back positive for pregnancy!! Every single ewe is bred. That means I don't have to worry about trying to put the rams back in with them this breeding season.
It also means that we are indeed set for breeding. The first date is Charcoal on 2/3/18, then Squid on 2/25/18. After that it's going to be really murky since we had all the rams running together and the ewes were standing even though some of them they were already bred (let this be a lesson for those of us who always say "ewes won't stand for the ram if they're bred," it's a lie).
The male is still pretty scared of people, but he's coming around. When they have energy they run around the house in circles, chewing on things and playing lamb races. When they're tired they sleep cuddled together in front of the heat vents. We are going through a LOT of diapers, and the female still has nasty, runny poop. We're waiting on a culture of the fecal to see if it's salmonella, giardia, crypto, or maybe just sensitivity to the dumor replacer. Probably not ecoli or she'd be dead. The male's poop was fine because he was on mom for about a week, but since being on the replacer has taken a turn for the worse. We are doing electrolytes in between feedings, and probios and yogurt in the replacer.
On my farm, all the animals are doing really well with winter. We have had a respite from our crazy cold temps, and I've enjoyed not having to constantly thaw waterers. The health testing for my flock came back negative again for Johnes, OPP, CL, brucellosis. And it came back positive for pregnancy!! Every single ewe is bred. That means I don't have to worry about trying to put the rams back in with them this breeding season.
It also means that we are indeed set for breeding. The first date is Charcoal on 2/3/18, then Squid on 2/25/18. After that it's going to be really murky since we had all the rams running together and the ewes were standing even though some of them they were already bred (let this be a lesson for those of us who always say "ewes won't stand for the ram if they're bred," it's a lie).
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Sorry for the loss and struggles....
Good news on the test results and after our week of dealing with toting water, I'm sure glad ya are having a reprieve from it....certainly not any fun at all.
Good news on the test results and after our week of dealing with toting water, I'm sure glad ya are having a reprieve from it....certainly not any fun at all.
Baymule
Herd Master
Having endured a few days of bucket toting, I can say that I am glad I don't have to put up with that all winter! Congrats on having all the ewes bred and a clean bill of health. Sorry about losing the ewe and I hope you can get the lambs eating and pooping right.
- Thread starter
- #250
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Sorry for the loss and struggles....
Good news on the test results and after our week of dealing with toting water, I'm sure glad ya are having a reprieve from it....certainly not any fun at all.
Thank you both
it's not my ewe that died but it still hurts as I just started helping out with this flock a few weeks ago (and of course I now have the labor of caring for the orphan lambs). Two already had frothy pneumonia when I came in, and one had to be put down last week. It's a miracle this other girl survived as long as she did. Hopefully with a solid vaccination and worming program, plus working the flock on a schedule for check-ups, this farm won't have as many problems as they had in the past. Actually the main problems are coyotes and dogs, but they are not willing to get a guard dog as of right now for fear of being able to keep it home and/or it turning on the sheep.How did you know?! I am so sick of carrying water!
This is the worst winter since we moved here in 2012. The only upside is keeping up my arm strength through winter 
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