Hi there Claudia, I have some sheep that are "wild as deer", but they were bought as adults that way. My first two ewe's were my kids, so they are tame. They eat from your hand, walk on a leash and have been used in petting zoo's. Some of there offspring are just as tame, learning from their moms. I try to tame the ewe lambs, because I am keeping them for breeding. My ram lambs are freezer meat. My ram is quite tame. He will walk on a leash, eat treats and loves to have his back scratched. But! He is still a ram. He will try to ram you when you aren't looking. So we have found it is best to pet him through the fence. Always better safe than sorry, I say.
I feed the same quality alfalfa that I feed my horses. I feed very little grain. Mostly just as a treat to tame them and keep them coming to me. I don't give vaccinations or worm. I have not had a sick sheep or parasite problem in the 3 years that I have had sheep. Hoof trimming...hmmm. I seem to just miss the hoof trimming. Seems as though when I see they need a trimming, the hooves break off and when I get out there to do it, it has already been handled by nature. Theses sheep are really easy to care for. Just throw out some feed, and watch them grow and reproduce. I just butchered a 8 month old wether. I was just curious if there was a difference in flavor from an intact ram and a wether. Haven't tried it yet, but will keep you posted. His dressed weight was 48 lbs. I did notice that there were much smaller horns and less "rammy" attitude. If the meat is good, I may continue to band due to the amount of children I have running around here. I just got my new web site up. I will get some pix of the sheep up within a day or two. I am starting a boarding stable...so right now, the horses are primary. Bobbie Ram's Head Ranch Maricopa, AZ www.rams-head-ranch.net =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list. To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly
