Scottish Blackface

[ragdollcatlady]

Hi Rusty... I'm in central California.
I think the black and white faces are just too beautiful. Do they have spots on their bodies too or just faces? They look like they have very long fleece fibers... Are they softer than sheep with curlier fibers? Your animals have a very graceful and refined appearance. I keep coming back to look at your pictures.
Kat

 

[RustyDHart]

Thanks Kat, The faces and legs have the black/white patterns and the fleece, for the most part,..... is natural white......a few black spots do show up now and then and I have had two solid black lambs born before. The wool is very long on a good blackface and is more coarse than in other long wool breeds. I'm trying to breed for a finer texture of wool in my bloodlines. I'm pleased that you like looking at the photos....I will be taking lamb photos in April and will post them here. My favorite ewe is "Deirdre"...I've shown her several times before and she is the current month of September photo choice for this years Backyard Herds Calendar. She has a very long wool staple length of a finer, slightly curled texture. I can't wait to see her offspring this year. Every year I try and make them better....selective breeding and compassion for the perpetuation of a heritage breed are what keeps me in the fields, pastures, lambing barn (all times of the night and day), observing and studying each and every animal and hoping that I am making the correct choices. I've been a farmer all of my almost 54 years and have bred and shown exhibition livestock for most of that time.....the sheep have been my newest endeavor and interest.....only having had them for 16 years. I plan to continue this path and make my part of the World a bit nicer...one sheep at a time. Here again is "Irish Acres Highland Deirdre".....you can tell by her posture she knows she's special. Take care, Rusty

 

[RustyDHart]

Well it has started......lambing that is, and so far 3 ewes have produced 5 lambs......one ram lamb and 4 ewe lambs. I'm predicting 40-45 Scottish Blackface lambs to be born this year. I'll try and take some baby pictures when a few more lambs are born.....My best to all and Happy Lambing Season!!!

 

[bonbean01]

Wishing you a great lambing season...and can't wait for lamb photos

 

[Remuda1]

Hoping for a great lambing season for you

 

[RustyDHart]

Thanks Remuda and bonbean.....there's several more ewes out there waddling with unborn lambs...I can see many heavy with twins....if not with twins....then they are carrying baby elephants, because they can't get any bigger.... I'll try and get some photos this weekend.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I want,I want, I want......
Best wishes for a happy, healthy season Rusty!
Kat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

4:1, let's hope that ratio continues! Can't wait to see pics!

 

[RustyDHart]

Five more lambs today...one set of twin ram lambs, one set of twin ewe lambs, and one single ewe lamb. So far.....7 girls and 3 boys. Catch up with you later......

 

[RustyDHart]

Five more lambs today...one set of twin ram lambs, one set of twin ewe lambs, and one single ewe lamb. So far.....7 girls and 3 boys. Catch up with you later......

16 lambs total to date from 10 ewes so far......11 ewe lambs and 5 ram lambs.....My favorite ewe "Deirdre" had twin ewes....taking photos today....hope to post later this afternoon. Later, Rusty