YEAH!

Three of my Angora does were not registered (CAGBA) and since one or both their parents were not registered they had to be registered by inspection. One can choose physical inspection or photo inspection. I chose photo inspection ( as I tried to do the physical inspection a couple years ago, but could to take the goats to the show in MI, due to WI state rules.) For the photo inspection one needs 12 pictures of the goats (shorn and full fleece) as well as the entire unskirted fleece. The fleeces/photos are mailed to a show where the the inspection is held. A goat has to pass three judges (they have a list of traits they check) to be registered.

I am quite pleased to say that all three passed! Now all of my goats are registered.
China's side shot in full fleece and then shorn.
England in full fleece and shorn.

Belle in full fleece and then shorn.

A Bit Of Fall Color

We went on a walk in the kettle moriane on Sunday, here are some of the beautiful fall leaves. Most had fallen down already though.

I been very busy around here, I got my sheep jacketed and sorted the ewe lambs and AI ewes out of the rest of the ewes who will be bred. (I finished making the coats that I needed for the sheep, but need to finish the goats' coats!) On Monday I plan to break the sheep and goats into breeding groups, but before I can do that I need to set up electric netting to subdivide the pasture.

Ewes grazing and market lambs

Ewes, replacement ewe lambs and a couple small (unshorn) market lambs enjoying some of the last grass. I am afraid that the grass will run out about a month earlier than last year. At leat I have some of my winter hay. Now just to keep working and the sheep coats I'm making...

I had decided to save money by making my own sheep coats this year. I can buy a coat for $15 each or make them for $3.70 each (not counting my time) so since I need about 50-60 coats that's quite a savings. Eleven done... (The rest are all cut out.)
The blacks are Corriedale X Shetlands and the whites are Shetland X Coopworth. The Shetland X Coopworth are defiantly bigger, but the two sets of Corriedale X Shetlands are out of first time lambers and they are black while all the Coopworth X Shetlands are white. In Paul and Carol's Coopworth flock the whites are always bigger so I don't know if that would hold true for the Corriedales or not. I will do the Corriedale cross again this fall (that will give me more to judge on) and he will get more than two ewes!
Shetland X Corriedale
Shetland X CoopworthThe Coopworth X Shetland fleeces are very nice. They are not kempy like the North Country Cheviot X Shetlands and they are heavier (by about 1#), shinier, longer and silkier than the Bluefaced Leicester X Shetlands.
Another Coopworth X Shetland. I am keeping seven Coopworth X Shetlands. They will not be bred this year. Next year I may get a terminal sire or use the Corriedale on them. (The Corriedale sired lamb out of the Shetland X Bluefaced Leicester is great-she is about 100# and has a wonderful soft, dense, bold crimped, silky soft charcoal fleece-I'm keeping her as well.)
The Corriedale X Shetland fleeces are great colors, but of the four two are kind of double coated (this is one of those.) I can pull of guard hairs out and they area different color, but it is not a typical double coat. The hand on these two is kind of like a down wool. One of the other two is crimpy and very soft and the other is very long, soft and is like an intermediate Shetland.

One other thing. The Coopworth X Shetlands are great to shear-the fleeces cut through like butter, while of the Corriedal crosses one was great to shear and the other three were like cutting through a brick. I could not get to the skin level on those three and I started to wonder if my blade shears were dull, but they weren't as I did some more Coopworth X Shetlands after them.