Sheep flock history
I got my first ewe lamb from my neighbor in 2006. She was 1/2 Montadale x 1/2 Babydoll Southdown. She and the Babydoll Southdown sired lambs she would later have lived at my neighbor's until 2012, when they were moved to my parents house shortly after I graduated high school. That fall, I purchased a Texel ram and bred him to my ewe and her 3/4 Babydoll daughters. I used him for two seasons and kept back some 1/2 Texel daughters. I then purchased a 1/2 Finn x 1/2 Dorset ram. He was used for one season and kept back some daughters.
From 2016-2020 lambing seasons, I used a homebred ram, my Texel sired ram out of my original 1/2 Babydoll x 1/2 Montadale ewe. My flock was still at my parent's house in Woodsboro, MD, while I had moved to Fairplay in 2016. After lambing 2020, I moved the sheep flock from my parent's house to my house and exposed the ewes to two rams, a Dorset and a Romanov.
From 2016-2020 lambing seasons, I used a homebred ram, my Texel sired ram out of my original 1/2 Babydoll x 1/2 Montadale ewe. My flock was still at my parent's house in Woodsboro, MD, while I had moved to Fairplay in 2016. After lambing 2020, I moved the sheep flock from my parent's house to my house and exposed the ewes to two rams, a Dorset and a Romanov.
The sheep flock today
We raise a commercial flock mixed with Romanov, Texel, Cheviot, Finn, Dorset, Montadale, and Babydoll Southdown.
We also have a small flock of Lacaune x East Friesian dairy sheep who come from DSANA Production Improvement Program enrolled flock.
Our flock is our business and they have to make a profit, so we select for traits which lend well to our goal: prolificacy, growth rate, and ease of care (good mothers, healthy, parasite resistant, minimal hoof trimming, not crazy, etc).
We also have a small flock of Lacaune x East Friesian dairy sheep who come from DSANA Production Improvement Program enrolled flock.
Our flock is our business and they have to make a profit, so we select for traits which lend well to our goal: prolificacy, growth rate, and ease of care (good mothers, healthy, parasite resistant, minimal hoof trimming, not crazy, etc).
Flock health
Our flock is very healthy. We do not have any history of abscesses, soremouth, foot rot, coccidiosis, or any chronic wasting diseases. Our scrapie flock premises ID is MD3188. We can provide complete flock health/treatment records upon request. We however do not test for diseases at this time, such as OPP, Johne's, or Scrapie resistance.
We perform monthly flock health checks where we score FAMACHA(R), 5 Point Check(R), weight, hoof condition, and udder condition. Any ewes suspected having issues with internal parasites will have a fecal sample taken where we count for worm eggs using the modified McMaster method. We typically only deworm 1-2 ewes per year.
We perform monthly flock health checks where we score FAMACHA(R), 5 Point Check(R), weight, hoof condition, and udder condition. Any ewes suspected having issues with internal parasites will have a fecal sample taken where we count for worm eggs using the modified McMaster method. We typically only deworm 1-2 ewes per year.
Feeding program
Our ewes are on pasture most of the year. We only dry lot them during winter to allow the grass to grow back to a nice level. Whenever sufficient grass is not available or they are on a dry lot, we usually feed round bales of grass hay.
| Stage | Hay | Corn | Soybean Meal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeding | 3.25 lb | 1.00 lb | - |
| Late Gestation | 5.00 lb | 1.00 lb | 0.10 lb |
| Lactation, 1 | 5.00 lb | 1.15 lb | 0.40 lb |
| Lactation, 2 | 5.00 lb | 1.50 lb | 0.75 lb |
| Lactation, 3 | 3.50 lb | 2.45 lb | 1.15 lb |
Membership
We are members of the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association, National Sheep Improvement Program, and Continental Dorset Club.
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