Re: [Blackbelly] what I feed for minerals
It's also a potent, highly bioavailable mineral source, which contributes to parasite resistance. A couple years ago Barb Lee did her own fecal tests, and did see a significant drop in parasite load after giving DE, so while there may be no scientific studies, there are evidence based case studies to support the idea that DE works as a wormer. It's an established fact that it works on external parasites, such as mites, and is very effective against bed bugs, too. Julian On 10/18/2011 1:03 PM, Carol Elkins wrote: At 07:42 PM 10/17/2011, you wrote: What is DE. I've heard this on the listserve a couple of times, but I have no idea what it is. DE is diatomaceous earth. A lot of people swear by it as a dewormer, as well as use of Shaklee's Basic H detergent in the drinking water, and garlic. However, there are no scientific studies that suggest that any of these products have any substantial effect as an anthelmintic. I suspect that blackbelly sheep's natural tolerance to worms is the main reason that these substances appear to work. Carol Carol Elkins Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Algae bloom in ponds
On 7/28/2011 6:38 PM, William Buchanan wrote: Is Basic H2 the same as Basic H? I have been having trouble finding the reg Basic H. Chris Same stuff but double strength, so you use half as much. Probably done to save on shipping costs. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Algae bloom in ponds
In addition to being a wormer, Basic H prevents algae from growing in your tanks. If you don't have fish, you could try Basic H to keep the algae in check. Julian On 7/28/2011 3:56 PM, Mary Swindell wrote: Terry, I am glad to hear information about the Aquashade -- I did not know much about it and have never used it. Personally, I do not like the idea of coloring the water anyway, as it looks fake and the possible toxicity is always a worry. So that pretty much settles it for me: I would not consider this as a solution to keeping algae off livestock ponds. However, another solution which you touched upon is an aerating fountain. That involves some up-front cost, but might be the most natural, non-invasive solution of all. I know someone who has a floating aerating fountain connected to a dedicated windmill. The windmill drives the fountain pump so that no other power source is needed. This might be a good solution. Another approach: I have added several geese to my farm over the past 2 years, and I have no algae nor pond weed anymore. I wasn't sure if the waterfowl addition would be good or bad for the pond, but so far it seems to have a fairly benevolent effect. Of course, you have to put up with a little honking and squabbling of the birds from time to time, ha ha! Mary Swindell ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Parasite deaths
Minerals play a huge role in our sheep's resistance to parasites. I remember Barb Lee had a ram a few years ago who had a perpetual problem with parasites until she upped his selenium intake, then he was like a whole other ram. Many of the health problems in our animals (and people) are mistaken for a genetic problem, but are actually a nutritional deficiency. Julian On 7/19/2011 1:34 PM, Jerry wrote: Fellow Blackbelliers, I have lost 3 ram lambs (all born in January) in the past 6 weeks, all from anemia due to parasites. I have had ABBs for 6 years now and lost a few others along the way but nothing like this year. I have been operating on the theory of letting those least resistant ones die out rather than pass on their genes. But three out of about 40 is too many and I took another one, clearly with anemia, and acting lethargic, to the vet today. These were all destined for the November market. The vet recommended Panacur at 10 ml per animal for the entire flock today and again in two weeks . Our farm is in hot, humid South Mississippi with lots of rain and grass. Our flock is divided into three sub-flocks. Two of these smaller groups are rotated onto various paddocks of pasture when the grass gets higher in another paddock. The biggest group is on more pasture than they can eat down (in the spring and summer anyway). All of the deaths have occurred in the smaller two flocks. My questions are these: Those of you who do not deworm, what is your average loss rate? I suppose it would be different in arid climates than in humid ones. Has anyone in a similar environment to mine found that you have to deworm regularly to keep the flocks healthy? And if so, how often? And with which pharmaceuticals? Thanks for your help and for any advice you may have, Jerry Kirby Windmill Farms LLC Picayune, Mississippi ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Ram Off His Feed
On 8/30/2010 3:35 PM, eubankac...@aol.com wrote: I need some advice. Lawrence is a 14 mo. old AB ram. Last Thursday he did not come to eat. He was lying under the trees away from the rest of the boys. I have him in a small stall to isolate him. I examined him for any obstructions such as cactus stickers or sticks. Nothing. His eyes are clear, no mucus from the eyes or nose. The eye lids are pink. But I wormed him anyway. There is no signs of bloat. Stools were firm. Our pasture is bare with only cactus, pine trees and oak trees. I feed a medicated feed to prevent coccidosis. I mix in a little alfalfa pellets and whole corn. I also give all the coastal hay they can eat. His temperature was normal at 103. I started force feeding Saturday with the same feed, but no corn, watered to a fine soup. I use a turkey baster. I gave him 2 cc of penicillin. Sunday he was still not eating so I force fed him again and gave him another shot of penicillin. This morning his temperature was up to 103.5 and tonight it went up to 104.5. I made sure he was getting water with the turkey baster and force fed him again with the soup but he now has diarrhea because of it. I will start giving him scours medication as well. He still will not eat on his own or any hay. What should I look for next besides a vet? Well, 103.5 could be considered high-normal, but 104.5 would seem indicate an infection... Have you seen him pee? One thing you need to watch out for in rams is urinary calculi, which can block up their urethra. This condition eventually leads to their bladder exploding, then they often lose their appetite and just sit or stand quietly. If he is at least trickling pee, you can give ammonium chloride to help dissolve the calculi and pass them out. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] USDA restrictive dog transport regulations
On 8/26/2010 10:02 PM, Ron Keener wrote: animal welfare? or government regulation? come on USDA - which is it? animal? or regulation? where are your highest priorities? Regulation, or course. They have to justify their worthless existence somehow... Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Lamb with the runs (Julian Hale)
At 04:38 PM 3/18/2010, you wrote: Interesting, Julian. I've always read that sulfa-based drugs have side effects and Corid has no known/proven side effects. I got hit hard with scours several times with our three bottle-ewes and a pygmy goat last year. I started with Albon and read up on how it works and was desperate for something even more effective, or to work with it. snip How CORID works Structurally, CORID mimics thiamin (Vitamin B1) which is required by coccidia for normal growth and reproduction. When coccidia ingest CORID, they experience thiamin deficiency and starve from malnutrition. CORID has been experimentally administered at many times the recommended dosage and duration with no signs of toxicity. Sorry for the late reply, I lost this message in all the hustle and bustle lately. This is the problem with Corid, it inhibits thiamin uptake in the rumen, and leads to a B1 deficiency. I've read that Rumensin and related drugs are a good preventative, you could try that. I've seen plenty of Sweetlix blocks that contain rumensin. I'm not really big on pharmaceuticals in general, and usually prefer the older types when I use one, since the safety is well known and long established. This can cause a condition called polioencephalomalacia, which quickly leads to death. I'll take the sulfadimethoxine... Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Lamb with the runs
At 09:43 PM 3/17/2010, you wrote: I would try probios or a type of it or just mix some colustrum in her bottle. I have fed colustrum ro bottle babies for over 8 weeks to keep their gut healthy. It works on some and some it doesn't. Cecil in OKla Yes, Pro-biotics would be a good idea, also try kaolin-pectin to stop up her system a bit, and make sure she gets electrolytes. It seems like she's too young to have worms, but I always worry about coccidia in lambs/kids. Sulfadimethoxine(just about every feed store carries it) treats coccidiosis well, but IMO you should stay away from Corrid(amprolium), because of side effects. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/medications.htm#sulfadimenthoxine ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] shepherds Staff
At 08:59 PM 3/10/2010, you wrote: I am looking for a shepherd's staff that is a good quality, long lasting and highly functional (the real thing, not a decoration) and would appreciate any and all input on where to find good ones, what I should expect to pay, any suggestions for sheep/handling related to a staff/crook, or generaly thing or techniques any one uses with good success to sort and controll lambs/sheep. If the $5.00 ones are as good as the $40.00 ones thats great, I don't want to hurt my out door friends just get them where I need them to be.If one is needed for sheep and onother for lambs etc. I would very much appreciate all sugestions. TIA, Dave Premier probably has whatever you're looking for. They use what they sell, so they sell stuff that actually works. This is the one they like best: http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=216criteria=crook Sorry, I can't provide any insight as to usage, since I've never used one... Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] CD/T
At 08:02 AM 1/26/2010, you wrote: Curtis, you are not alone-- I also had no clue what CD/T even was so I Binged it and got this from Jeffers Livestock-- Still don't know what it is for except for Tetanus! Someone enlighten us please! -eldon- Look up enterotoxemia (aka overeating disease, pulpy kidney). Mostly only a problem with the lambs/kids/calves, although I've read about adults getting it too. The bacteria is closely related to tetanus, but much more prevalent in the environment. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Color dominance
At 08:14 AM 1/13/2010, you wrote: Thanks Julian. Dave Well, I spoke too soon. There is a lot known about color genetics in Icelandic sheep, some of which may apply to these guys. http://www.icelandicsheep.com/genetics.html http://www.hawksmountainranch.com/colorpatterngenetics.html http://www.inglesideicelandics.com/index_files/Page818.htm http://www2.localaccess.com/primolana/page3.htm http://www.lavenderfleece.com/genetics.html That's just a few, do a google search for either 'icelandic color genetics' or 'sheep color genetics' (without the apostrophes). One thing to keep in mind is that there are colors, and overlay patterns that hide the underlying color. I'm pretty sure that what's often called painted desert in ABs is actually a pattern, not a color. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Color dominance
At 07:02 PM 1/12/2010, you wrote: Can any one tell me what color traits are dominant...the ram's or the ewe's when breeding Color dominance has nothing to do with which parent a given gene came from, just whether it is a dominant or recessive gene. If you want to get into the color genetics of French Bulldogs or Labrador Retrievers, my wife could give you an earful, but sheep? Not a clue... I don't know if any research has even been done into color genetics in sheep, or specifically BB/AB. One thing I have noticed, though, is white patches on a parent tend to get thrown to the offspring. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] what to do about an aggressive ram?
Hmm... you could try a ram shield, but otherwise that's the kind of behavior that gets rams put in the freezer... Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Growth Rate for American Blackbelly Sheep
At 06:44 PM 12/9/2009, blueberryfarm wrote: Fellow Shepherds, I have 5 ABB wethers that were born in February. Their weights now range between 34 and 53 pounds. They have always been pasture fed, except for some occasional sweet feed to keep them trained to the bucket. Do you'll experience similar variation in growth weights? Are these weights in the normal range for 9-10 month wethers? I appreciate your comments. Jerry Kirby Windmill Farms LLC Picayune, MS In general, yes. There is a lot of variation in growth rate and maximum size in ABBs. A few breeders have taken on the task of weeding out the smaller and slower growing animals(and parents) from their gene pools, and have been rewarded with larger, faster growing animals. It takes time, but the rewards are there. Just don't overlook the overall quality and structure of the animal while focusing on growth and size. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Alfalfa
At 07:38 PM 10/25/2009, you wrote: I'm going to plant one of my fenced pens with alfalfa. In northern California, it should grow like mad thru the winter and be 18 tall by spring. I have a sickle mower and can harvest it, but was wondering what the group's experience with grazing sheep on live alfalfa, under controlled conditions. I could, for instance, give them, say, an hour a day on it. It will be about 10 animals on 1/2 acre, so I doubt they could do much to eat the plants to the ground in 1 hour a day, for instance. Our place is green with new grass already, and I have dry hay from the summer to feed them as well, but right now, they are mostly eating green grass and green ground-cover. I know alfalfa can be detrimental if they eat too much of it when it's green. Looking to see if anyone has any experience with this. The main problem with grazing a pure legume stand is bloat. Some ruminant raisers get around this with ant-bloat drugs, and some don't seem to have a problem. I had the idea of filling a stock tank with water treated with plenty of Basic H, that should prevent bloat. But when grazing in the winter they probably won't drink from the tank much at all. If you can get some grass to grow(winter rye?) with the alfalfa, that should also prevent bloat. I envy you the winter grazing opportunity... last year we had 4ft of packed snow on the ground, and had enough trouble just putting hay out(let alone keeping the hay shelter standing!). I have no idea what will happen this winter! Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] band saw for meat
At 01:14 PM 5/24/2009, you wrote: Of course the ram lamb had to get himself killed Saturday evening of the three-day Memorial Day weekend. My custom slaughter guy wasn't home. The meat packer was closed. It's 6PM and I'm looking at the 60-lb lamb lying bloated in the pasture, soon to be a siren call to every coyote in the county. The other ram lambs are looking the other way, unwilling to fess up to who delivered the fatal blow. So I'm stuck with the job of skinning, dressing, and cutting up about 30 lb of meat for the dogs. I didn't mind the skinning and dressing because I'd not done it before, so there was a certain novelty to the chore. But I've had to cut up carcasses for dog food before and it is a long, not fun job. Nevertheless, I plugged my MP3 player with its Clive Cussler audiobook into my ears and got that carcass skinned and the legs and rib cage bagged in two hours. I stashed everything into the spare fridge in the garage, too pooped to deal with cutting up the meat. So today was meat cutting day. Because it's dog food, I got away with cutting everything into 2-lb chunks, bone and all. Even so, that's a lot of legbone and rib cutting to do with a small handheld meat hacksaw. Now that everything is packaged and in the freezer, the idea of buying a bandsaw is looking really good. I don't have many unexpected sheep deaths, so a bandsaw won't get a lot of use. Perhaps I could get good at cutting my own steaks and save on the $35 butcher fee. I Googled and it seems there are sportsman models available for $250 to $330. Do any of you know of less expensive options? I'm not really too familiar with shop tools, but I was wondering if there is a kind of bandsaw that I could look for in a farm auction that would work. Do any of you have experience using such a tool in lieu of an actual meat bandsaw? Carol I've got one word for you... Sawzall! They work great for cutting up meat and bone. I often use one to cut a hanging carcass in half(and quarters, depending on what I'm doing), it makes short work of the job. Harbor freight sells a pretty cheap sawzall that I wouldn't use for demolition, but is definitely up to the task of butchering. They even have cordless models, if you don't want to be restricted by a cord. It's much cheaper than a bandsaw. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] band saw for meat
At 08:43 PM 5/25/2009, you wrote: I know this has probably been discussed before, and there are lots of different opinions on it - but do you feed bones and all to the dogs? Cooked or raw? There are plenty of folks who feed raw meat to dogs (and from my own sheep, I'd not worry about contamination anyway), but I have had it drummed into me never to feed bones - raw or otherwise - to dogs because of the risk of splintered bones or obstruction of the gi tract. Have you all been feeding bones to dogs for years and had no problems? I'd sure hate to lose one of my livestock dogs because of something I fed them. Stephanie RAW bones are perfectly fine. I've fed raw meat and bones for years without GI problems of any sort. COOKED bones on the other hand, splinter and can puncture the throat, stomach, etc. You do need to pay attention to choking hazards, but I know of dogs who've choked to death on kibble, so it's something to pay attention to anyway. Like I said a couple weeks ago, I almost lost a ewe to choking on alfalfa pellets! If you are interested in feeding raw, but are worried about consuming whole bone, I highly recommend the book The B.A.R.F. Diet by Dr. Ian Billinghurst. BARF stands for Bones And Raw Food, and relies upon grinding most of the meat and bones that you feed your dogs. I've switched away from Billinghurst's method, not because I found it lacking, but because it is a little too time consuming. Now I pretty much just feed whole meat and bones. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Electric net fencing
At 05:35 PM 3/24/2009, Dayna Denmark wrote: Last year I was going to use my tax return to buy Kencove's electranet fence. I thought it would be great for a portable fencing system. my husband, bless his heart, asked me how are you going to install a gate with this thing?? he was right. Think about it..if you want it to be portable but still have a way of getting in and out you need a gate. Somehow the current must make it from one side of the gate to the other. Not as easy as it sounds. Not very portable either. I guess if you just moved it around in the pasture it would work. But the sheep would be inside and you would be outside unless of course you ran a hot wire thru the tubing of the fence or buried it underground under the fence...a lot of work in my opinion. Barbara, I would encourage you to use more than a two strand hotwire fence. At first, anyway. The problem is some sheep will try to go under, some will try to go over, and some will try to go thru the middle. I think a space of 26 inches is two wide, and unless they get bit by the hotwire on their nose they might just go right thru the fence. Start with five strands and once they get trained you can use less. Dayna Denmark Half Ass Acres That's not how electric fences work. They are *not* a complete circuit, so you don't need the current to jump the gate. If you were to complete the circuit, it wouldn't work! That's what the sheep's nose is for... They have worked out the issue of how to move, etc. You just need to read the instructions, they should already be on the Premier/Ken Cove site. ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Calaveras County ???
At 08:12 AM 3/20/2009, you wrote: Hi everyone, I'm looking for someone in calaveras county or surrounding areas. I would like to trade young ewe lambs so I can get a few more unrelated girls in my flock. My sheep are not registered but they are registrable (American blackbelly) Thanks everyone, Erin There is someone in Valley Springs who I visited a couple years ago, I'll see if I can dig up her contact info. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Underdeveloped twin, please help
At 07:17 PM 2/28/2009, Michael Smith wrote: He suggested tubing him, and taught me how, and we got 4oz in him the first time. I was very encouraged. But, each time thereafter, I'd get a bit in, and then when adjusting the tube a bit, the syringe/funnel (no plunger in syringe) would fill back up with 20cc of milk or so, with a rancid smell. I hate to say it, but probably the most merciful thing you can do is put him down. I've never successfully nursed a lamb or kid out of something like this. Even if they've lingered for a couple months, they have always died eventually... they just never do well. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] resheep and cows milk
At 03:47 PM 9/29/2008, Dayna Denmark wrote: Hey Nancy, Cows milk is a no-no. The protein / fat ratio is not suitable for lambs. Goats milk is better, and milk replacer for lambs even better. Dayna Denmark Half Ass Acres Actually, it's not uncommon to give goat kids cow milk, to break the disease transmission cycle for CAE/CL. You would ideally use milk from a breed that is high in butterfat, like a Jersey. Goat milk is much better than milk replacer... I've never had a lamb or kid raised on replacer do as well as one raised on milk. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] wasting away could be coccidiosis
At 03:07 PM 8/18/2008, you wrote: IT certainly could be coccidia. If they are experiencing bloody scours, then coccidia would be almost certain. Corid is the drug of choice for coccidia. Sulfa also works. There is a new drug called MARQUIS for coccidia. I have not had a problem with this for so long I forgot. I did a quick review of the symptoms and sometimes coccidiosis presents without bloody scours. It damages the intestinal lining so this would explain the wasting away. My memory is beginning to fail me some on these diseases/symptoms. Cecil in OKla Yes, I would say that coccidiosis is the most likely culprit. Barb Lee has experienced wasting problems, and found out it was coccidiosis. She reported that supplementing selenium seemed to solve her problem, where coccidiostats didn't. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] wasting away
At 04:34 PM 8/18/2008, Tracy Wessel wrote: This Winter I had several sheep get sore behind. I assumed it was the doing of King Henry, my ram now in the freezer :0. Then I notice one ewe began to lay down a lot, and finally had what looked like pink eye in one eye. I hit her with LA200. Several folks suggested coccidia. This ewe came to me about 6 months prior to falling ill so anything my sheep could have been carriers I suppose. In any case, the ewe recovered, lambed, then 3 weeks later, died after several days of wasting and appearing to stagger and be drunk. I did try the LA200 but too late. That was probably either ketosis (aka pregnancy toxemia, low blood sugar), or more likely hypocalcemia(aka milk fever, low blood calcium). A bucket of warm water with a half cup of molasses after lambing is the best way to prevent/treat ketosis, and a small handful of calcium tablets(or tums) administered with a bolus gun is the best way to treat hypocalcemia. I've never had these problems with my sheep, but my goats have been afflicted many times. After losing a really nice Toggenburg doe, I now routinely treat for both after kidding, just in case. There may be a link between nutritional deficiencies and ketosis/hypocalcemia. Each year there were a few sheep here that got scours and got really thin. The vet felt that those individuals were eating a toxic plant (something yellow, like Buttercup). Other cattle/sheep people I talk to feel that some sheep just can't handle the Spring grass. I have one ewe that just gets sickly each Spring and I keep thinking I'll butcher her. But this year after the grass died, she started laying down a lot. I was going to hit her with LA200 and was concerned she'd fallen to the same fate as the one that died. But she's suddenly appearing better, and has recovered her weight and no longer has scours (until next Spring, unless the new property they are going to has a more agreeable pasture). That's probably grass tetany or staggers, which is a magnesium deficiency usually associated with low soil magnesium levels. You probably should cull the ewe that has that problem every spring, since she'll pass that weakness on to her offspring. Treatment is 50-100ml of a 50% solution of magnesium sulfate given sub-q. Having more legumes in your pasture mix may also prevent the problem, since they tend to be higher in magnesium. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Ram w/swolen hock joints
At 05:49 AM 7/2/2008, you wrote: I have a question regarding my ram that has been sick. It started from what is assumed being bit by a dog he backed off from his girls. He has been to the vet and found he had an infection and very low blood count which led to his stiffness and bloody nose. We have gone almost 3 wks w/out a nose bleed. (knock on wood) and he is gaining wgt. I am still giving him vit b shots every 3 days, probious to keep his stomach working every 3 days, a shot for pain apx 3 to 4 days, and I have him on a round of la 200. I have also rubbed his hocks down w/absorbine to see if it will help. He seems to not be as stiff but his hocks are still swollen. What has anyone seen or done to help w/swollen hocks that were a result of infection. The vet thought he would be dead the first week I took him in but the little guy is getting better and even has gotten to be turned out for a little to graze. Would appreciate any idvice. Oneta in OK Oneta and The Gang www.johnsonquarterhorses.com Don't tell GOD what to do, just report for duty! It sounds like joint ill to me... it's supposed to be a lamb thing, but in principle an animal of any age could come down with it(especially if he was immune compromised at some point). You should call your vet and find out how to diagnose, and what the prognosis is. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Hurt sheep
At 11:26 AM 3/30/2008, you wrote: Good morning, my husband found one of my favorite jacob sheep ewes caught in a fence this morning. I don't know how long she was there maybe overnight. She has a wound on her leg just above the ankle area which I put a little pennicillian on and also sprayed with iodine. I gave her a tetnus shot and about 6cc of penn. I don't know yet if she hurt her hip permantely or not as she hasn't tryed to stand since he got her out. Any other suggestions of what I can do for her? I will continue to give 6 cc of penn for the next 3 or 4 days. Any suggestions would be helpful. I know that I can't wrap or bandage her leg because of being a wooly. Thanks Nancy I had something similar happen to a goat last week. After I freed her, I popped a couple chewable baby aspirin in her mouth, and she was feeling a lot better shortly. It wouldn't be a bad idea to try relieving the pain. Also, some blue kote on the wound to protect against germs, dirt, etc. Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Strange behavior from angora goat
At 07:02 AM 5/5/2007, you wrote: Hello, I don't know if anyone can help with this or not. We have an angora goat doe. She is well fed, wormed shorn etc. she keeps banging her head on the post in the barn. We can't figure it out . She has her kid which was born back in late december and is doing fine. Thanks for your help. Nancy www.freewebs.com/mossyspringsranch Does she display any other odd behaviors? Trembling, circling, etc.? As far as the banging goes, does she stand in one place and hit over and over again? Maybe you can describe the odd behavior in more detail. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Lambless Ewe
At 02:07 PM 4/27/2007, you wrote: We have a ewe who gave birth to twins on Tuesday, April 24 and by mid-afternoon Thursday they were both dead. I don't know how much they had nursed from her but I don't think it was very much. Do we need to worry about her developing any infection because she still has colostrum and/or milk in her udder? I couldn't find anything about this in Managing Your Ewe and Her Newborn Lambs. Any input would be greatly appreciated You're not likely to have problems. The milk will build up a bit, the pressure will increase, which signals the mammary tissue to stop producing milk. This is generally how you would dry up a dairy goat, just stop milking her. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] ewe with swollen uterus and problems standing
At 10:36 AM 4/11/2007, you wrote: Without more information I can only do some experienced guessing. It may be Milk Fever. If so, quickly get some calcium IV into her. without knowing the time frame on these events I can only guess. If this is within the first week since labor, it very possibly is Milk Fever. Cecil in OKla IV should generally only be done by a vet, as it is dangerous. A safer way to treat milk fever is subq or orally. Sub-Q (in goats), give 40cc of a 25% solution of calcium gluconate under the skin in 3-4 different sites. Orally, about 8 ounces of calcium gluconate(PITA, and possibly dangerous)), calcium gel(mail order?), or several 1000mg tums. I had a nice Toggenburg doe die at the vet, getting IV calcium. I had Nubian a couple months later that I gave sub-Q calcium, and she recovered quite quickly. I talked to another local goat raiser, and she just stuffs tums down them. That is the slowest but safest method, and wouldn't harm her if she doesn't have milk fever. Does she have a low body temp? Trembling in the body, head, or neck? If not, it may not be milk fever. If she has a high temp, she probably has an infection. Another possibility is Ketosis, which requires administration of sugars. That can be diagnosed by smelling the breath or urine for a sweet smell, or by testing the urine with a ketone test strip. You can give food grade glycerine(glycerol), propylene glycol, or a mix of corn syrup and water. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/ketosis.htm http://fiascofarm.com/goats/milkfever.htm Sheep can generally be treated the same as goats, except the dosage of most drugs is about half that of a goat. This is a great website on treating goats both conventionally and holistically/herbally. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] taste and butchering
At 11:27 AM 10/8/2006, Stephanie Parrish wrote: Carol, Does he just cut the blood vessels? Or is he severing the spine(?) which I think would be difficult to do quickly, even with a very sharp knife. Does he cut the windpipe as well? Stephanie He's probably just cutting the jugular. It most likely takes a certain amount of practice to get the technique down, but once you've got it, the animal should barely notice the minor discomfort of the cut. If you cut into the windpipe, they can aspirate blood and drown before their heart has pumped out all the blood. Not only does that leave coagulated blood behind(yuck), but the animal may suffer. I've slaughtered one ram and a 4 year old goat wether, but I shot from behind the skull into the brain. Both went down immediately, no suffering. Good bullet placement avoids the horn plate entirely. I've done several lambs like this, too, but they have soft skulls. By the way, shooting them in the brain is not a stunning shot, you're literally destroying the brain. They don't feel a thing, unless you somehow miss the brain. They will kick around more than you would ever think, though. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] taste and butchering
At 08:07 AM 10/8/2006, Barb Lee wrote: Rick, The last time the custom slaughter guy was out here, he did not shoot the animal, but instead simultaneously cut its throat and broke its neck. Death was instantaneous. I couldn't watch but Bob did and he said the animal never twitched, unlike being stunned by a rifle first. This is a pretty specific skill, and of course his knives are as sharp as surgical instruments. Barb Lee Wow, that *is* a pretty specific skill... I'd have to see it done many times before I'd be confident to try it. He could probably sell an instructional video to homesteader types. I have a hard time separating the skull from the spine when they're dead, let alone still breathing. I know someone who's grandma used to kill chickens by twisting the head right off in one movement. She'd hold it and pet it until it calmed down, then *pop*! Another trick I'd like to learn. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Old Meat, Scours Copper
At 05:08 PM 8/22/2006, you wrote: Copper is a poison to sheep and goats.. That is why there are two types of salt, two types of licks and two types of feed supplements. The ones without copper have the sheep and goats on the package and the ones with cooper have cattle pictures on them.. Mark Lin Storey Sheep yes, goats no. Goats need copper, and can get quite sick if they become deficient. Barb's story seems to show that the same can happen with sheep, at least if your soil has a high molybdenum content. Copper deficiency in goats is correlated with lack of parasite resistance, so it may very well be in sheep, also. Blood tests are probably the only way to determine if your animals have a surplus or deficiency of any trace minerals. http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] crossing AB with Dorper?
At 10:43 AM 7/31/2006, you wrote: Negative effect on the meat? Since when? Where did you find this information? Corn has been the biggest feed lot food for decades. Not meant to eat grain? Again, where, why. My sheep have gotten out and head to the farmer field that's next to us. They love corn. Yes too much of corn has a negative affect buy not a little as a supplement. As far as too expensive, if you buy it direct from the farmer in quantity it's the cheapest food source available. Around here a 50# bag is only 4.00. That's cheaper than any dog food. Sharon Since always, it's just that nobody ever knew to look until more recently. Ruminants are solar powered lawn mowers, and were never designed to eat grain. Also, grass is much cheaper than any grain, because you don't need to burn fuel to harvest it, and it needs much less fertilizer. As for a negative effect on the meat, grass fed beef/lamb/etc. has better flavor, and a much better fatty acid ratio. At least one study has shown that even feeding a little grain will permanently affect those fatty acid levels in a negative way. Also, dairy cows that eat only grass and hay have a noticeably lower incidence of mastitis than grain fed ones. Grain fed meat from a feedlot is unhealthy. Just because they'll eat it, doesn't mean it's good for them. I spread out some broiler litter a couple weeks ago, and one of my goats went nuts eating it(very high protein). I had to move her to keep her from making herself sick. BTW, did you know that feedlots often feed broiler litter to their cattle? If you want more information, start out reading at eatwild.com, then check out some of their external links. I also recommend The Omnivore's Dilema, and anything by Joel Salatin and Alan Nation. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] crossing AB with Dorper?
At 09:06 AM 7/31/2006, you wrote: Rhonda-- Why not grain? I can't answer for Rhonda, but I don't feed grain because: 1) Sheep aren't meant to eat grain. 2) Too expensive 3) It has a negative effect on the quality of the meat, both flavor and health factors Check out www.eatwild.com for starters. BTW, where in Idaho are you located? I live a bit north of Spokane, WA. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] DE
At 04:59 PM 6/22/2006, you wrote: Julian, can you quote your source? How could DE cut up internal worms and maggots, and not earthworms or dung beetle larvae? I am not challenging you, I'd just like to read it from the source. Thanks, Barb Well, as I said, it's anecdotal on the dung beetles. Unfortunately, it was a friend of the rancher who posted, and not the rancher himself. However, there was a report there about a rancher who feeds DE regularly, and still has tons of dung beetles. I think having chickens is probably more detrimental to dung beetle populations... As for earthworms: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_org_research.php?id=41 http://www.ghorganics.com/DiatomaceousEarth.html http://www.freshwaterde.com/ http://www.shagbarkridge.com/info/de.html Worm farmers(ranchers?) apparently use it to treat their worm beds for fungus gnat larvae, parasites, etc. You can find more at: http://www.google.com/search?q=diatomaceous+earthworms Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] DE
At 06:40 PM 6/22/2006, you wrote: I don't know if it's true or not, but many sites say the DE you buy for the pool filters doesn't work the same as the 'nursery' or food grade DE. It may just be hype from the people that want you to buy the expensive DE, I don't know. Yes, you don't want the filter grade, you want food grade. The filter stuff has been treated, and is no good for our purposes. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Fwd: URGENT-Please help stop NAIS funding at least until it's fixed
At 10:16 PM 5/16/2006, you wrote: This was sent by Nathan Griffith, editor of Sheep! Magazine. He obviously feels very strongly about this issue. In all the years I've read Sheep! Magazine, Nathan has never used his position as editor to try to affect an issue...until now. I urge you to contact your congressman using the link provided in his email. Tomorrow afternoon is the deadline for Ron Paul's amendment to block funding. Here's the reply from my congresscritter: Dear Julian, Thank you for contacting my office regarding Representative Paul's amendment to H.R. 5384 the Agriculture Appropriations bill. It is an honor to represent the people of Eastern Washington and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me. H.R. 5384 protects our human health and safety by ensuring funding for Avian Flu, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). It also fulfills commitments to important food and nutrition programs such as: Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Child Nutrition Programs, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Food Stamp Program, and the Food fro Peace Program. Finally this legislation supports Farmers, Ranchers and Rural American by funding the Farm Service Agency, Agriculture Research Service and the Rural Community Advance Program. I supported this bill which passed on May 23, 2006 with bi-partisan support 378 to 46. Representative Paul offered an amendment to prohibit the use of funds to implement or administer a National Animal Identification System. I supported this amendment after hearing from many in Eastern Washington who are concerned with how USDA is implementing a rule to impose a National Animal Identification System. This amendment failed by a recorded vote 34 to 389. Thanks again for contacting me on this important issue. I invite you to visit my website at www.mcmorris.house.gov for additional information. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance. Best Wishes, Cathy McMorris Member of Congress ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] thistle
At 07:19 PM 5/27/2006, you wrote: Hay Julian, let me clue you in to another perfectly astonishing thing about BUCKWHEAT. It has a profound ability to take soil phosphorus which is unavailable to other plants, and when plowed in, release it in available form to other plants!!! When we had our soil tested recently it came out to about one pound of available phosphorus per acre! :o( In the garden last year, I planted three successive crops of buckwheat, which I allowed to flower for the bees, then plowed under. When I tested the garden soil it was positively SATURATED with phosphorus!! Go for it! If you could rotate it with legumes, then throw on the wood stove ashes, you'd have a nutritional goldmine! Regards, Barb L. Yeah, the phosphorus and calcium scavenging is definitely another plus. I just did a little reading, and incorporating cow peas or soybeans with the buckwheat works well to boost N levels, so I'll call my seed guy on Tuesday and see what he can get me. Or maybe I'll mix in some field peas into my pasture mix this fall, and use those for adding some N. I could also seed more into the pasture in the spring, to help the grass hold up better through the summer. Apparently, field(winter) peas continue fixing N even when they are grazed. I don't know if other peas/beans do or not, but field peas were specifically mentioned to do that. I'm not sure where I would get that much wood ash, or how I would spread it out. Supposedly feeding imported grain can cause an over-accumulation of potassium in the soil, so my free ranging chickens may take care of the potassium requirements anyway. Hopefully feeding kelp meal and DE will contribute more trace minerals to the soil. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Mineral Mix
At 07:32 PM 5/28/2006, you wrote: Barb, What is the mineral mix recipe that was from Pat Coleby? Maybe we aren't giving our sheep enough of what they need. We noticed that we had pretty small lambs this spring and a lot of singles - I was thinking that it was just the ewes taking a break from multiples Sure would appreciate the info or where to find it - it is on the net? Sue Miller According to http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/irrabina/info.htm#ml the mix is: 25kgs dolomite 4kgs copper sulphate 4kgs sulphur powder 4kgs seaweed meal Since all that really matters is proportions, you can substitute lbs of kgs. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Question about ticks
You could dust her with diatomaceous earth, or boric acid. Both should be safe. I don't know about the flea collar, they often don't work well for dogs. Also, having chickens and/or guineas running around should lower the tick count considerably. If she is inherently more susceptible to ticks, this will probably be an ongoing problem. It might even manifest itself in her own lambs, so culling might be your best option. Julian At 10:30 AM 4/18/2006, you wrote: Hello all, I have a lamb with a somewhat sparce long hair coat that has had three ticks on her that I had to remove with a tick puller. These have been full size ticks not sheep keds. Two were by her mouth and one was on her neck. I was wondering if any of you have tried or considered trying a flea/ tick collar made for cats and dogs? Any idea if these are safe to use on sheep? Any recomendations for products that repel ticks? Any really good natural treatments?? Thanks, Dayna ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Scrapie Ear Tags
At 08:00 AM 3/15/2006, Carol J. Elkins wrote: (I suppose we should be glad our sheep have any ears at all. The folks raising La Mancha goats (which are earless) have an interesting dilemma. I believe they tattoo, which is REALLY a pain--literally.) Yes... I bought a La Mancha last year, and her tattoo is in the sensitive hairless area of the *underside of the tail*! That *had* to hurt! I don't plan on raising any myself, for that very reason. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
[blackbelly] How do you teach a bottle lamb to drink?
I've got two bottle lambs, almost 10 weeks old now. They're eating hay just fine, but they have not figured out the whole water thing, yet, so they still get bottles. I'd like to wean them, and get them acclimated to colder temperatures, but first they need to know how to drink water. Does anybody have any tips for me? Speaking of weaning, does anybody make a lamb sized gag? The little girl is driving me nuts... Thanks, Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Delta Airlines - Pet Alert
They killed a French Bulldog on the way to the Nationals in California last October, also. Gave the owner all kinds of grief on top of killing her dog, too. I'd boycott, but I don't fly anyway... Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Number of lambs
At 09:55 PM 1/30/2006, you wrote: It was my understanding that copper in excess of 18ppm was toxic, and often fatal to sheep. Am I mistaken in this? If so, what is the safe dosage? No, you're not mistaken... Helmut, why do you supplement copper? Did you maybe mean selenium? I know selenium definitely has an effect on fertility. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Ewe with Mastitis?
It does sound like mastitis. Since she has claimed the lambs, leave them with mom and supplement their food with formula or goat milk. I have a ewe with mastitis right now, and my vet said that as long as she is eating and drinking, and there is not blood or stringy material coming out of the affected teat(try milking her), medication is not necessary. He recommended hot packing 3-4 times a day, along with massages to break up the mass. Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
[blackbelly] Freemartins?
I know with cattle, if there are twins, one male, one female, that female is usually sterile... what about sheep? Is this not an issue? I know that goats have mixed gender twins all the time, and I've never heard of it being a problem. Thanks, Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] wooliness in sheep
At 01:35 PM 10/24/2005, you wrote: Hi Julien, I've seen photos of sheep that simply are not good sheep because they are too wooly and it never sheds. There are a lot of crosses that do that. You'll know them when you see them. Your ram Art is borderline. If I were you, I'd wait another year before I ruled on his wooliness because he is young yet. The fact that his sister is relatively sleek supports the idea that it may be a temporary thing for him. Carol Thanks for your input, Carol. We'll see how everyone turns out next spring. Art doesn't really matter, though... the reason his name is Wall Art, is his markings: http://jbhale.home.comcast.net/Baby_Art.jpg Once he sheds out in the spring, we'll have a nice hide to put on the wall, and maybe some nice horns to put up, too :) Julian ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
RE: [blackbelly] Re: Oh No!!! A Friendly Ram!
Seems to me that if he is already 4+ years old, he's not likely to become a problem. Unless he is still just getting situated, and will change when he gets the lay of the land. I've known dogs to suppress their temperament and personality, until they get comfortable, then they seem to suddenly change. Julian At 10:48 AM 9/15/2005, you wrote: I forgot to mention that my new ram is very mature (4+ years old). I have had young rams that were friendly grow up to be mean. And I have had some that have grown up to be perfect gentlemen. Adhering to the you leave me alone and I'll leave you alone policy. If you like the ram lamb give him a chance. Keep an eye on him and don't try to turn him into a pet. The three year old ram I butchered and turned into ground meat. This is the oldest ram I have processed and the meat is great! Mark ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Sex Ed
I'm glad I could provide amusement :) That's the problem with acronyms, I just meant BlackBelly, I think it's a handy catch-all. I've noticed a lot of people just call them blackbellies. I've been meaning to pick up the cookbook, I suppose I have an excuse now ;) Thanks, Julian At 09:05 AM 8/29/2005, you wrote: Julian, what a great way to start a Monday--with a belly laugh g Your 2-year-old American Blackbelly (not BB, not Barbados Blackbelly, since only American Blackbelly have horns) will be delicious regardless of what cut you choose to cook. I've butchered rams at 2.5 years and their flavor is excellent. They were a little tough, however. Because of the lack of testosterone, a wether will not be as tough as a ram at that age. Even so, you might want to have steaks cut from the more tender areas, stew meat and ground lamb from the rest. There is a really good description of the cuts of meat and their uses in the Lamb Lover's Cookbook sold by the BBSAI. You can order a copy at http://www.blackbellysheep.org/cookbook.htm I have an old wether (8 years) that, if he eventually dies of old age, I have considered having all of him made into sausage. Does anyone have experience with using really old mutton as sausage or ground? Carol At 10:30 PM 8/28/2005 -0700, you wrote: So what are everyone's favorite cuts on a 2+ year old BB? Carol Elkins Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz T-shirts, mugs, caps, and more at the Barbados Blackbelly Online Store http://www.cafepress.com/blackbellysheep ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Sex Ed
Speaking of Sex Ed, we feel really stupid... it turns out there is a very good reason she has never gotten pregnant... she is missing the requisite equipment! It turns out she is a wether. We were looking for testicles and horns(or lack thereof), and completely missed the fact that he has a penis! We were watching him very closely today, and noticed him pee for the first time. Then I spotted the tiniest of horn buds, about the size of the tip of my pinky. Considering he's at least two years old, he's got very tiny horns, they weren't visible at all a year ago. This is what happens when you have to catch your sheep while flying through the air... they don't necessarily get the lookover that you would like to give. I certainly learned something today :/ So what are everyone's favorite cuts on a 2+ year old BB? Julian At 06:43 PM 8/26/2005, you wrote: Maybe she's got cystic ovaries. Cows that have cystic ovaries can show this kind of bullish behavior, and won't get bred. Don't know if it happens in sheep, but I don't see why not. You may want to check with your large animal vet - they may be able to diagnose it with ultrasound, and treat it with hormone shots. ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: RE: [blackbelly] Basic H 101 Follow Up
You could always pen them up for the 2-3 days and feed hay. Far better to worm when needed than to wait until it is most convenient for you. Julian At 07:17 PM 8/25/2005, you wrote: It must be the ONLY source of drinking water including wet, succulent grass. Are you saying they CAN'T have wet grass during this period? If so, I would have to wait till winter. ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] New Northwest Blackbelly Fancier's Group Forming
Liz and I will be there. It works out perfectly for a trip we were already making! Are you intending this to be a swap/sale as well as a get together? Julian PS: Was it the Storey farm you were saying sold you the sheep with Soremouth? There is someone in Yakima selling a ram from them, and I probably won't even bother the seller further if the flock he originally came from has soremouth. At 11:41 AM 8/23/2005, you wrote: To all blackbelly sheep owners in the Northwest, this is important news. There has never been a more opportune time to join together in support of the blackbelly sheep breeds! It's time we pooled our resources to better market our animals, to improve them, to learn about them, to promote them, and to just plain enjoy the fun of getting together with other blackbelly enthusiasts. Think of how much fun it will be to share your love of blackbellies with other enthusiasts, not to mention FINALLY finding out where to buy them! This may also be the perfect way to spin off some 4-H blackbelly sheep clubs! Good, clean, country family fun at its best! The formation get-together is October 3rd, from 3p.m to whenever we get tired of talking about sheep! It will be held here at Blacklocust Farm in Oregon City. Please respond privately to me (not to this list) at [EMAIL PROTECTED], or 503-631-2862 if you want to join the fun! Also, please let me know if you are interested in sticking up flyers on bulletin boards around your area. Thank you! Barb Lee Blacklocust Farm American Blackbelly Sheep with Good Taste! ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] New Northwest Blackbelly Fancier's Group Forming
Sorry, I meant that to go directly to Barb... Julian ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Kelp
There is a breeder listed on the BBASI breeder list in Scott Bar. Go to http://www.blackbellysheep.org/breeders.htm to see his listing. Do you or a friend have a pickup with a canopy/shell? Put down a good layer of straw or something else soft, and load them into the back of the truck. I haven't transported any sheep this way, but I've done goats and it works well. Also, as Carol said, dog crates in the back of a truck or utility trailer works well too. Julian At 04:14 PM 8/16/2005, you wrote: I am trying to find about 3 more American BB ewes, reasonably priced in Northern California, near Redding. I would like 2 years old or younger. Trying to get the herd built up a little, enough so that as we sell the lambs, we can use that money to buy their feed. We enjoy the animals, but need them to be at least partly self-supporting. We don't have a trailer at this time so if the person, as local as possible, has a trailer, we would need them to transport them. Julie Riha [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Hello to All
A lot of people like to breed around 7 months, to lamb at around a year(assuming it works schedule-wise). Some prefer to wait 6 months to a year longer, to give the ewe a chance to get a little bigger. This significantly raises the likelihood that she will have twins or triplets her first freshening, which rarely happens with a very young ewe. It is up to you, but the seem to do just fine getting bred that young. As for separating, there are three things I can think of: a) Pen up your ram lambs and feed them grass hay b) Divide your property into at least two areas, and run the rams in one and the ewes in the other c) Find a neighbor or friend with good fencing that will let you keep the two ram lambs on their property Julian At 02:07 PM 8/13/2005, you wrote: I also have a question for everyone. How young do you separate ram lambs from ewe lambs? And at what age do you breed the ewe lambs? This breed of sheep seems to be somewhat different from anything else that I've ever raised, I was wondering if it's younger than usual? ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] RE: Roundup alert!
I was thinking that they probably used 2-4-D rather than roundup. It's a very common herbicide, kills broadleaf plants but leaves grasses alone. I think some people use Roundup generically, in the same way people used to say Xerox instead of photocopy. I wouldn't assume that 2-4-D is any safer than roundup... Julian At 08:06 PM 8/8/2005, you wrote: If Roundup was sprayed on the Bermuda Grass it would have killed it. I would imagine that it was sprayed on the field prior to the emergence of the Bermuda Grass touching only the weeds. Round up only works when it touches green. It would not even enter the dormant Bermuda Grass. In no way am I saying that Round up is necessarily good or bad only that it should not be in the hay just because of the properties of the chemicals in Round up. And I wouldn't drink any of it. Rhonda ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
[blackbelly] Average lamb weights?
What does the average Barbado ram lamb weigh at 6 months? About what percentage of the live weight is the hanging weight? Thanks, Julian Hale ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] A new lamb
Second generation crosses are notoriously unpredictable... color, markings, and conformation can be all over the place. My ram, who is 3/4 blackbelly, has thrown some unusual colors and markings. Most of the lambs are darker than usual for a blackbelly, and 2 of the 3 that are a typical blackbelly color have funny markings. One has a white cap on the top of its head that looks like a Yarmulke. The other has splashes of white all over it's body. At first I thought it was a white sheep, it was only later that I realized it had standard blackbelly color and markings underneath. I'm sorry to hear about your other ewe... I've now heard three stories in the recent past about this happening, so I'm keeping a really close eye on my ewes. Julian At 09:48 PM 4/19/2005, you wrote: Hi everybody, We have a new lamb as of this afternoon. :o) We think it is a little ewe...with black legs and markings under it's chin. It has a big black spot around at least one eye...and many black spots on it's body. I was supprised cause the mother and father are both have black face and legs and beige wool. So a little spotted lamb was not what we were expecting.. Oh well it is darling and I guess it is in the genes somewhere. Both mother and dad are Dorsette/Suffolk cross from a herd of the same. Does anyone know if this is usual? I would have thought they would be all black or black and beige. Anyway we are happy to have it with us happy and doing fine so far. We lost one ewe a couple weeks ago that had twins and one was decomposing in her...the other was dead also when we got it out. That was very sad so I am happy all went well even though there was only one, instead of twins, this time. Annette Alan and Annette Hake Menookhaw Mountain, Ravenden, Arkansas ___ This message is from the Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info mailing list Visit the list's homepage at Blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
