Re: [Blackbelly] Fwd: Website Request for Information about BBSAI

2012-11-18 Thread Michael Smith
Northern california as well, near San Jose. My rams just ate their pasture down 
and always get a good handful each, of alfalfa in the mornings, and now, the 
nice hay i grew this last summer. My 5 intact AB rams, who all live separated 
from the ewes, rub and bang on barn walls and such, pretty much all the time. 
But in fall, the lead ram's face usually has more scars than usual. They can 
smell the ewes, who are kept at last 100' away.   Not sure if this breeder has 
ewes? They are sparring a bit more than usual, since my girls are going into 
heat more prominently right now.

Theres also a strange thing that happens every spring where the lead simply has 
skin raked off his forehead, in strips, and I attribute it to thorny berry 
branches coming over the fence. I try to keep them cut back. He's not that 
smart, and appears to be scratching himself on them. 

One of the younger ones broke off a tip several months ago. I simply attributed 
this to him probably getting it caught in some fencing. Never found the tip. 

The lead, when he was a juvenile, would beat posts until his horn base bled 
from being partially dislodged. This would alarm me as well, but would also 
heal just fine. His horn base is so thick and strong now, I don't imagine that 
happening any more.

-MWS

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 18, 2012, at 2:28 PM, Mary Swindell  wrote:

> Hello breeder friends,
> 
> As Registrar of the BBSAI, I answer questions from those who write in to the 
> BBSAI web site at www.blackbellysheep.org.  This week someone wrote in 
> (below) with a question about sheep horn health, which I do not know much 
> about.  Can any of you help with advice to this person?  I will keep this 
> person's name private, but I will tell her that I have sought information 
> from a group of knowledgeable blackbelly breeders.  Thank you for any advice 
> and suggestions you can offer.  Please reply either to this listserve, or to 
> me privately.  I will forward all your responses to this person.  Her 
> question is included below.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Mary Swindell
> Registrar, BBSAI
> 
>> To: i...@blackbellysheep.org
>> Subject: Website Request for Information about BBSAI
>> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:56:16 -0800 (PST)
>> 
>> Comment: My father has 5 blackbelly sheep.  All Rams of various ages.  He 
>> purchased them to keep all weeds and vegetation down for fire prevention.  
>> They used to have horses and Boer goats for that purpose on his 10 acres. 
>> Dad is getting older and the responsibility for their care has fallen upon 
>> me.I have been doing some research regarding blackbellies.  I believe they 
>> have adequate food in the pasture and he has supplied them with a salt block 
>> that was reccomended as well as whole corn in the winter.  My question is 
>> that recently the sheep have taken to excessively rubbing their horns on 
>> trees.  They have always done this but lately it has been extreme.  The base 
>> of their horns look dry with some cracking.  The horns themselves look dry.  
>> Just yesterday I noticed one ram had broken off aprox 5" off the tip of his 
>> horn.  I am researching as much as possible.  I didnt like the breeder as 
>> these sheep were in poor shape when dad purchased them.
>> Is this normal for rams at this time of year?  We live in northern 
>> california aprox 80 from OR border.  Good land with lots of natural growth. 
>> I would appreciate any help.  Thank you.
> 
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Re: [Blackbelly] Fwd: Website Request for Information about BBSAI

2012-11-18 Thread Cecil R Bearden
I would add a supplement rich in vitamin H and follow with a good 
worming with safegaurd or panacur.


Cecil in oKla

On 11/18/2012 4:28 PM, Mary Swindell wrote:

Hello breeder friends,

As Registrar of the BBSAI, I answer questions from those who write in 
to the BBSAI web site at www.blackbellysheep.org.  This week someone 
wrote in (below) with a question about sheep horn health, which I do 
not know much about.  Can any of you help with advice to this person?  
I will keep this person's name private, but I will tell her that I 
have sought information from a group of knowledgeable blackbelly 
breeders.  Thank you for any advice and suggestions you can offer.  
Please reply either to this listserve, or to me privately.  I will 
forward all your responses to this person.  Her question is included 
below.


Sincerely,
Mary Swindell
Registrar, BBSAI


To: i...@blackbellysheep.org
Subject: Website Request for Information about BBSAI
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:56:16 -0800 (PST)

Comment: My father has 5 blackbelly sheep.  All Rams of various 
ages.  He purchased them to keep all weeds and vegetation down for 
fire prevention.  They used to have horses and Boer goats for that 
purpose on his 10 acres. Dad is getting older and the responsibility 
for their care has fallen upon me.I have been doing some research 
regarding blackbellies.  I believe they have adequate food in the 
pasture and he has supplied them with a salt block that was 
reccomended as well as whole corn in the winter.  My question is that 
recently the sheep have taken to excessively rubbing their horns on 
trees.  They have always done this but lately it has been extreme.  
The base of their horns look dry with some cracking.  The horns 
themselves look dry. Just yesterday I noticed one ram had broken off 
aprox 5" off the tip of his horn.  I am researching as much as 
possible.  I didnt like the breeder as these sheep were in poor shape 
when dad purchased them.
Is this normal for rams at this time of year?  We live in northern 
california aprox 80 from OR border.  Good land with lots of natural 
growth. I would appreciate any help.  Thank you.


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Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info


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[Blackbelly] Fwd: Website Request for Information about BBSAI

2012-11-18 Thread Mary Swindell

Hello breeder friends,

As Registrar of the BBSAI, I answer questions from those who write in 
to the BBSAI web site at www.blackbellysheep.org.  This week someone 
wrote in (below) with a question about sheep horn health, which I do 
not know much about.  Can any of you help with advice to this 
person?  I will keep this person's name private, but I will tell her 
that I have sought information from a group of knowledgeable 
blackbelly breeders.  Thank you for any advice and suggestions you 
can offer.  Please reply either to this listserve, or to me 
privately.  I will forward all your responses to this person.  Her 
question is included below.


Sincerely,
Mary Swindell
Registrar, BBSAI


To: i...@blackbellysheep.org
Subject: Website Request for Information about BBSAI
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:56:16 -0800 (PST)

Comment: My father has 5 blackbelly sheep.  All Rams of various 
ages.  He purchased them to keep all weeds and vegetation down for 
fire prevention.  They used to have horses and Boer goats for that 
purpose on his 10 acres. Dad is getting older and the responsibility 
for their care has fallen upon me.I have been doing some research 
regarding blackbellies.  I believe they have adequate food in the 
pasture and he has supplied them with a salt block that was 
reccomended as well as whole corn in the winter.  My question is 
that recently the sheep have taken to excessively rubbing their 
horns on trees.  They have always done this but lately it has been 
extreme.  The base of their horns look dry with some cracking.  The 
horns themselves look dry.  Just yesterday I noticed one ram had 
broken off aprox 5" off the tip of his horn.  I am researching as 
much as possible.  I didnt like the breeder as these sheep were in 
poor shape when dad purchased them.
Is this normal for rams at this time of year?  We live in northern 
california aprox 80 from OR border.  Good land with lots of natural 
growth. I would appreciate any help.  Thank you.


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Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info