Psalm23Farm: Lamb pictures

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Lamb pictures

Down to 4 ewes left to lamb! Here are some purebred Shetland lamb pictures.

Love this little ram (UTS Sorelle x PS23 Drummond) lamb's "elf ears"!

Sabbath Farm Swan's twin ewe lambs. The "black" (top) has a brown cast to her head and legs and her wool looks sheala/emsket underneath. I'm not sure what color she'll be! Her twin has a very consistent birth coat and is moorit, but may fade to musket. (PS23 Essex had a med. moorit ewe lamb that looks just like Swan's moorit.)

This little gray gulmoget was born this morning and weighed just 3 # 6 oz.! Tiny! Her twin brother is a lot bigger than her. Her dam is PS23 Easterlilly and sire is SheltringPines Justinian.

These two are Sabbath Farm Silvia's out of PS23 Fairlight an F1 Jings. The (top) lamb with the black leg is a ram and is very nice looking. He has a perfect tail and a very consistent birth coat. The (bottom) ewe also is very nice.

PS23 Edelweiss with her grey Gulmoget/Katmoget ram. Edelweiss is very tame-I think she is the tamest/friendliest sheep that I have and her ram lamb is tame so far.

4 comments:

MichelleApril 10, 2010 at 6:39 PM
That white lamb with the dark leg IS very striking, and what an unusual "marking"!
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MimApril 13, 2010 at 2:53 PM
Is that little guy with the dark leg one big white spot?
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GraceApril 18, 2010 at 6:56 AM
Your picutures are so fun. Quick question: what is the best tool you have found to shear your animals ---to preserve the wool?

So far I hire a man with electric shear---just am concerned about cross contamination from other flocks.
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LauraApril 19, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Thanks Michelle!

Hi Mim,

I think he is white (AWT) as his sire is, but you never know. (I also got a white lamb out of the same sire with a brownish spot on her thigh.)

Hi Pam,

Thanks! I use Burgon and Ball handshears. They are made in England. I got them from Profiles Show Supply.

You could also ask your shearer to clean his equipment before coming to you farm.
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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, April 10, 2010

Lamb pictures

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