A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE OLD RAM

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day folks,so on top of everything else we had a dog attack on the flock last sat night.We think it was just one dog .It "terrorized a group of breeder ewes and one went into shock and collapsed and died,we found the rest the next day "hiding" in deep bush in their paddock so we moved them up closer to the house to recover.The dog then moved on to a the lamb group ,killed two and mauled one other (which i do not expect to survive).

I have laid a line of "tasty treats" laced with 1080 if it returns.

The cost of the fires and flash flood continue to mount and now exceeds $120 K and now with the VIRUS we do not expect to have that block back in production for up to 3 years."Oh well ,the joys of a farmers life"....T.O.R.

 

[Baymule]

That is a shame about the dog. I have often wondered about your predators or seemingly lack of. I am sorry for the sheep that you lost. People dump dogs out here all the time. Sometimes we can get the county to pick them up, they adopt them out free of charge. Sometimes coyotes eat them and sometimes they get shot. People who dump dogs ought to be horse whipped.

We are covered up with coyotes, they come right up to the fence. Were it not for our dogs, they would kill our sheep. In November and December, there was a cougar in the area, it killed 5 goats less than a mile from us. She only used donkeys as pasture guards. I'm sure the donkeys were only concerned with outrunning the goats. The cougar was heard screaming on both sides of our 8 acres, but did not come in, the dogs convinced it to find an easier meal. We have 2 Great Pyrenees, 1 Anatolian/Great Pyrenees cross and 1 big black Labrador/Great Dane cross. The Lab cross is making a fine farm dog and copies what the LGD's do. On Christmas Eve, he held off a bobcat in the yard that was probably after new lambs.

 

[Bruce]

Very sad for your losses! No guardian dogs? I would think that almost mandatory given the number of sheep and acreage you have.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day folks, here is a photo of one of our rams.He was purchased at about 18 months old at our auction barn for his meat value ,$120.00.Both he and a stud Wiltipol have served a group of ewes this season...T.O.R.

 

[Baymule]

Very nice looking ram! You got him for a great price!

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day folks,here is a couple of photos of our first lamb of the season.A ewe now about 6 weeks old,We have had 3 other singles,but you have to remember that they joined at the height of the "big dry".All the mothers have a heap of milk and if they all grow like this one i will be "extremely" happy.

 

[Bruce]

That is a big and healthy looking lamb!!

 

[Baymule]

What a nice lamb! I hope the rest of them are that nice too!

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day folks,first Speckle ,looks like a ewe ,2 days old....T.O.R

 

[Baymule]

What a pretty lamb, she looks well built.