SageHill Ranch Journal

[fuzzi]

I like Moose.

 

[Ridgetop]

Not to diss the spotted ram lamb but I really don't like his topline. He has a significant dip behind his chine while the blacl ram lamb has a much better topline. The black lamb looks proportionately longer in the body as well. If you are breedng for color and want spots, that is one thing, but for my money I would keep the black lamb instead of the spotted lamb. I like his structure better from the picture. You have to look at them from several angles and make sure that they are carrying meat in the hind end, through the twist, and along the loin. They will change dramatically between now and 12 months, so you are ok keeping them and watching how they grow. Also what are the dams like? Is one producing growthier, heavier lambs at weaning? Is one ewe easier to settle? Does she produce twins routinely? Finally, you won't know which of the rams is a better sire until you actually breed them and see their get.

There is nothing wrong with keeping several rams while you decide. They will live together without fightig as long as no ewes in estrus are with them. The black ram will give you color while the spotted ram may give you the spotting gene. One thing to remember is that those brown spots may fade out a bit while the black ram will retain his color (althrough he may get bit rusty looking on the ends of his fleece through exposure to sun).

 

[SageHill]

Not to diss the spotted ram lamb but I really don't like his topline. He has a significant dip behind his chine while the blacl ram lamb has a much better topline. The black lamb looks proportionately longer in the body as well. If you are breedng for color and want spots, that is one thing, but for my money I would keep the black lamb instead of the spotted lamb. I like his structure better from the picture. You have to look at them from several angles and make sure that they are carrying meat in the hind end, through the twist, and along the loin. They will change dramatically between now and 12 months, so you are ok keeping them and watching how they grow. Also what are the dams like? Is one producing growthier, heavier lambs at weaning? Is one ewe easier to settle? Does she produce twins routinely? Finally, you won't know which of the rams is a better sire until you actually breed them and see their get.

There is nothing wrong with keeping several rams while you decide. They will live together without fightig as long as no ewes in estrus are with them. The black ram will give you color while the spotted ram may give you the spotting gene. One thing to remember is that those brown spots may fade out a bit while the black ram will retain his color (althrough he may get bit rusty looking on the ends of his fleece through exposure to sun).

Thank you!
The spotted ram is from Calico - this is her first lambing and she is out of a slightly spotted ewe (Stripe) who I sent to auction as she was getting on the older side of old (guessing 10yrs) her lambs have always been fast to gain weight. Easy lamber and good mother (both ewes). Definitely in the pic I do not like that topline. I'll keep an eye on that for sure.
The black ram is out from the now infamous Silver. Her first twins, third lambing and low on mothering instincts.
LOL each has their plusses and minuses. I like his length. Since he's younger I think he'll fill out as he ages.
I agree on the toplines. It seems like they look good until I take photos - and has been true of most all the lambs I've had. I'm wondering if it's an age growth thing?? All my full grown have nice toplines. I'm thinking that the thing to do is keep both and see what happens.
LOL - I'm still so new to all the sheep breeding and growing of lambs. Wondering if the lambs are like puppies who go through some pretty gangly stages.

 

[Ridgetop]

Wondering if the lambs are like puppies who go through some pretty gangly stages.

Yes they do! LOL
Early on you can choose likely prospects, about 6 months they fall apart. Around one year they start to come back together again. Watch for the ones that have more frequent WOW! moments. LOL

 

[SageHill]

Yes they do! LOL
Early on you can choose likely prospects, about 6 months they fall apart. Around one year they start to come back together again. Watch for the ones that have more frequent WOW! moments. LOL

Ah! That helps and good to know. I know dogs - look at 8 weeks and forget until about a year. Some hold together well and others you just need to not look for awhile.

 

[Baymule]

I’ve had a few ram lambs that stopped me in my tracks at their birth and just continued to get better. A few.
I have a fully registerable white ram that will go to slaughter. He was big, beautiful, and it’s like he just stopped growing. I have 2 black rams, 1 was big and beautiful 1 was scrawny. Scrawny has passed big and beautiful and looks fantastic. Big and beautiful will go to slaughter. Scrawny was fuzzy and wooly, slicked out to nice hair coat. Big and beautiful is shaggy and raggedy. Scrawny gets to stay awhile longer.

 

[SageHill]

I’ve had a few ram lambs that stopped me in my tracks at their birth and just continued to get better. A few.
I have a fully registerable white ram that will go to slaughter. He was big, beautiful, and it’s like he just stopped growing. I have 2 black rams, 1 was big and beautiful 1 was scrawny. Scrawny has passed big and beautiful and looks fantastic. Big and beautiful will go to slaughter. Scrawny was fuzzy and wooly, slicked out to nice hair coat. Big and beautiful is shaggy and raggedy. Scrawny gets to stay awhile longer.

Ah!!! It's the luck of a slightly weighted draw!!
We'll all just have to watch these two grow up.

 

[SageHill]

Finally - more than just moving sheep to a pasture. Thank you fall for the cooler weather and clouds. Out and grazing with Obi and Zo. Obi turned 10 in March, he's slowed down considerably. He still has the moves but no longer has the speed. What he does have is many years of experience, that makes up for the lack of speed most of the time.
Zo is a youngster - he will be 4 in November - he has the speed! When I work the two of them together (which is most of the time now) Zo takes the head and sides and Obi takes the rear and sides. Zo keeps them moving at a nice pace controlling their speed by working the front of the flock, Obi keeps the back of the flock on track while making sure any stragglers stay up with the flock.
On the way back I was up front and to the side of the sheep. I realized I hadn't seen Zo for a bit - turned around and coming up from a ways behind - a little white lamb, Obi and Zo. Obi doing his favorite thing - bringing up a straggler "lost lamb" - and in this case I truly believe he was showing Zo how to do it.
These dogs, they amaze me every time we work. Day in, day out, day after day, year after year.

At the beginning of a graze, Obi moves in to stop the ewe from browsing on the oak.

 

[SageHill]

Here's more what I see of the spotted ram lamb. Yeah not a great photo as we were out grazing. But you can see what I see, and probably why I was surprised at what I saw in the previous pic.

 

[Baymule]

I like the spotted ram!

Obi and Zo! Watching them work is food for your soul.