Psalm23Farm: Done lambing and lamb stats

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Done lambing and lamb stats

Windswept Lime had a white ram lamb. She waited to breed until I had put all the adult ewes and rams together so I don't know who the sire is. He does look like a purebred though. Lime was the last ewe to lamb (at least for now, if the four yearlings are bred they'll lamb in June.)

The lamb stats are:

18 cross bred lambs:

5 ewes- 2 white Merino/Shetlands, 1 Corriedale-Dorset/Shetland, 1 white Shetland/North Country Cheviot and 1 light grey Shetland mule (Shetland/Bluefaced Leicester)

13 rams (now wethers)- 1 white Corriedale-Dorset/Shetland, 1 light grey Shetland/Bluefaced Leicester, 1 Charcoal Shetland/Bluefaced Leicester, 3 white Shetland/Bluefaced Leicester, 5 white Shetland/North Country Cheviots, 1 Shetland mule/North Counry Cheviot and 1 Shetland mule/Shetland

16 purebred lambs:

9 ewes- 2 fawn, 3 white, 2 black, 1 light grey and 1 grey katmoget (3 are AI ones)

7 rams- 1 fawn, 2 white, 2 moorit, and 2 grey katmoget (4 are AI ones)

4 Angora kids- 2 black bucks (now wethers), 1 back doe and 1 white doe (also had 1 doe and 1 buck that did not make it-the one with the funny ribs.)

This year I won't have any ewe lambs for sale (I'm keeping all the good ones and any that don't meet my standards will go to market.) I will have a few ram lambs for sale including 1 or 2 Orion F1's. The Angora wethers and black doe kid are for sale after weaning. I also have a 3 year old red Angora buck that is for sale.

My Mom's garden (in the dining room!)

I added a picture of the " rise" in my post about rooing.

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Welcome to Psalm 23 Farm

I'm breeding my NASSA registered Shetland sheep for fine and med. fine lustrous single coated fleeces in both the crimpy and the locky, wavy fleece styles. I have a wide range of colors and makings as well as the bright pure whites. I'm emphasizing on production, mothering ability and sound conformation. I have both horned and naturally polled Shetland rams and a few horned Shetland ewes.

I also produce fast growing grass-fed market lambs and commercial ewes with excellent fleece. (Shetland x Coopworth and Shetland x Australian Corriedale.) These F1 (first generation cross) ewes are great maternal ewes to put under a terminal sire for the ultimate grass fed market lamb.

Angora goats are my other love. I'm selecting for fine yearling grade mohair in adult animals. All of my goats are CAGBA (colored) or AAGBA (white) registered. I'm also selecting for sound healthy goats.

Posts will be about the Shetlands and Angoras with an occasional post about the other animals on the farm. Posts will also be about wool, spinning and a variety of other topics.

Psalm 23 Farm sells raw "jacketed" wool and mohair fleeces, mohair locks, dyed and natural Shetland and Shetland/mohair roving. Also sheepskins, quilt batts, handspun yarn, mohair lock yarn, and mill spun yarn.

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognized markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25 to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from Shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in spring. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibers have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be worsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

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Saturday, May 2, 2009

Done lambing and lamb stats

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