[Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth on Grass only.
Hi Carol, To follow up on your success on grass only: Wow, so you are able to keep their condition up without grain during lactation too? I am looking at your climate charts in your neck of the grasslands. It looks like you are able to provide fresh graze during about 180 days of the year, with about 60-90 days being too hot for the rainfall you have to sustain active growth and another 60-90 being too cold and dry for the rainfall you have. For your operation has it been possible (economically advantageous) to stockpile forage for the non-growing months? Do the BBs gain weight on stock piled forage? Do you know why (or can you suppose why) there is a growth rate effect related to season in the Northeast? I ask because part of our plan is to work towards stockpiling forage to carry over the winter non-growth months we have in the Northeast. So far we have found our spring, summer and fall vegetative (mixed grasses, legumes, and forbs) growth are productive. But of course the absolute vegetation growth rate declines as the year progresses. What is the method you use for determining forage protein content? Joanne ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth on Grass only.
Hi Joanne, I give my ewes grain during lactation and gestation. Not a lot--perhaps 1 cup a day. I graze the sheep on pasture grass from around mid-April to mid-October. I buy baled alfalfa hay during the summer to feed to my sheep during the winter. Generally in my location we get 3 to 4 cuttings of alfalfa. I try to keep enough in storage for the entire winter. I estimate about 9 bales of hay per sheep per winter. The ewes maintain weight on alfalfa hay; and I always have lambs eating it and they grow just as fast (which isn't very fast) as lambs on pasture grass. As I've said, I don't take weights on my ewe lambs and I only weigh my ram lambs when they have been slaughtered. But my data show that on average, my ram lambs get to 85-95 lb by 9 months regardless of when they were born and what they've eaten. I can't help on your question regarding growth rate in the Northeast, but I'll email you privately with contact information for someone who can. I don't worry about forage protein content on my grass or alfalfa hay. Most farmers around here have no idea what the protein count is on their hay. They can get top dollar for it without having that information. I've fed lush leafy alfalfa and stemmy alfalfa and old grass hay. One year I grew oat hay and baled it. BB sheep simply do well on whatever forage I give them. I think the better forages improve a sheep's overall health, resulting in fewer lambing issues, less sickness, and good worm load tolerance. In 16 years, I've had remarkably few problems with my BB sheep, and I attribute that to good food since that's about all I have to do for them. Carol At 03:43 PM 12/28/2014, you wrote: Hi Carol, To follow up on your success on grass only: Wow, so you are able to keep their condition up without grain during lactation too? For your operation has it been possible (economically advantageous) to stockpile forage for the non-growing months? Do the BBs gain weight on stock piled forage? Do you know why (or can you suppose why) there is a growth rate effect related to season in the Northeast? What is the method you use for determining forage protein content? 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
[Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth Chart
Hi Carol, et al. Thanks for the information. Yes I did mean Barbados Blackbelly. It is great to get that information on grass-fed weights since that is our intention to eliminate grain as our pastures are developed. We are in Rochester NY. Though we have a harsh winter we expect to be able to provide fresh graze for at least 200-250 days of the year with proper management. Because the BB and the BB crosses we have will develop more slowly we would like to develop some benchmark weights to guide us to evaluate the nutrition that our pastures are providing and at which times of the year. Other factors we will take note of will include singleton/twin, initial birth weight, season of birth and sex of lamb. All but 2 of our ewes are dorper x BB being crossed with BB ram so we will have to consider Dorper traits as well. At those live weights, what weights do your lambs dress out on a graze only diet? Joanne ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth Chart
Joanne, it is refreshing to hear from a breeder with a well-defined breeding plan. Depending on what you are feeding in lieu of pasture now, you probably don't need to feed grain. BB sheep do well on most grass hay. So unless your available hay is seriously low in protein, I recommend only giving grain to ewes that are lactating or gestating. I have not found initial birth weight to be a good indicator of overall growth rate or performance. Parents' genetics is a better indicator of overall growth rate, assuming a nutritionally adequate diet. I breed for lambing in April and November and haven't seen much difference in performance between the two groups. Other breeders have, however, so other factors may contribute to seasonal lambing differences, such as geography and diet. I'm in Colorado; breeders reporting seasonal lambing differences are generally from the East Coast. My 90-lb ram lambs dress out to 45-55 lb of packaged meat, depending on how the customer has asked it to be cut. But in general, you can expect a 50% yield percentage, which is par for the sheep/goat market averages. It just takes longer to get a BB sheep to slaughter weight, and that reduces your profit depending on how much you have had to supplement their diet during the 9 month growth time. So if you can schedule your lambing to take advantage of 8-9 months of pasture, you'll have a greater profit. I sell my slaughter lambs for $3.50/lb LIVE weight and have a line of customers always willing to buy. I provide on-farm slaughter facilities, and the customer pays someone else for slaughter/dressing/packaging. That $3.50/lb live weight is all mine. Getting that premium price required developing a market that appreciated all-natural, grass-fed, chemical-free meat. My customers are primarily health-care professionals and people who shop at higher-end health-food stores. It took awhile to build that market, but it has paid off. Carol At 07:27 PM 12/26/2014, you wrote: At those live weights, what weights do your lambs dress out on a graze only diet? 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
[Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly starter flock for sale
Excellent opportunity to acquire a starter flock of purebred Barbados Blackbelly sheep. I am selling four young, bred ewes and an unrelated* ram. I have too many ewes and need to downsize the flock a little. The ewes have been bred to two different rams, assuring you a good genetic mix when they lamb. All sheep are registered and represent established bloodlines from the purebred flock at Virginia State University and from lines developed at Critterhaven by selecting for large body, long loin, and smooth heads. I do not vaccinate or deworm, so my sheep are extremely parasite tolerate and disease resistant. You can see photos and prices at http://critterhaven.biz/sale/livestock.htm I do not often have starter flocks available, and I am the most western breeder of Barbados Blackbelly sheep in the U.S. Ron Keener is planning another cross-country delivery trip, so this would be a good time to reserve space to transport this flock to your farm. The flock will be ready for transport January 1, 2011. The ewes will lamb beginning mid-April and you can expect 4 to 8 lambs, essentially doubling your flock and doubling your initial investment (try getting value like that at your bank!). *Ram is half-brother to one of the ewes, which will not be a problem. 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
[Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly starter flock(s) for sale
For sale: One or more starter flocks of Barbados Blackbelly. Three mature ewes with lambs by their sides, an unrelated ram, and a spare ewe lamb. These are top-notch genetics. Two of the mature ewes are from the Virginia State University (VSU) research flock. All of the lambs have VSU bloodlines in their pedigrees. All lambs will be registered prior to delivery and I will try to provide them with names to your liking. My flock is enrolled in the voluntary scrapie certification program and is inspected by the USDA annually. They are very healthy sheep. I do not deworm, vaccinate, or use any chemicals on my sheep. You may view photos of the sheep at http://www.critterhaven.biz/ Terms of sale: 50% deposit reserves the sheep. Buyer pays for costs incurred for health certificate, including vet costs and any additional tests. Costs usually run around $125. Sheep must be picked up by June 1 or thereabouts (see note below re Ron Keener's transport). Photos of all sheep plus their sire/dam, DOB, and scrapie resistance can be viewed at http://www.critterhaven.biz/sale/livestock.htm (Sheep are shedding right now and look awful; they will shed out sleek and shiney in a few weeks.) Save $225! Price is $1075 for entire group or adult ewe or ram = $175 ram lambs=$100 ewe lambs=$150 Ram 224 Spaw --Spaw ram lamb Pester --Pester ram lamb --Pester ewe lamb Diane (Critterhaven) --Diane ram lamb Yvonne ewe lamb Ron Keener is taking reservations now for his June/July transport so if you are interested in any of these sheep and want Ron to haul them, you need to contact him very soon. His rates have gone up a lot because of the surcharge for fuel. You can view his fee schedule at http://tinyurl.com/6nhfg3 and an addendum at http://tinyurl.com/6ph3vu . You need to belong to his Travel with Ron K Yahoo group to view these docs, however. It is at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/TravelWithRonK/ 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 mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
[blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Ewe Lambs and Ram Lambs Available
I have several registered Barbados Blackbelly (polled) ewe lambs and ram lambs available. These lambs are from excellent registered BB bloodlines, and are some of the nicest quality BB stock in the country. They were born between 6/14/06 and 8/07/06. Most will be available for pickup or shipment by October 1st. They will sell for $125.00 each. There is a 50% deposit required to hold them. I will ship if desired (buyer pays shipping charges). Please call or write for details. Pictures and pedigree information available upon request. Mary Swindell Bellwether Farm 815 Bell Hill Road Cobden, IL 62920 (618) 893-4568 (home) (618) 453-1697 (work) [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] barbados on E-bay
There are some rear window graphics for sale on E-bay. 7 Blackbellies on a 38 by 64 rear window graphic for $119.00.. That is more money than I got for 7 sheep!!! Just thought you all might like a laugh!! Cecil in OKla ___ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [blackbelly] Barbados
Yes, and any details you can get. oj -Original Message- From: David Kellough [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 1:13 PM To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: [blackbelly] Barbados My wife and I are leaving for Barbados in the morning and will be there for a week. We hope to come across some sheep. We would be happy to share whatever pictures we take with all who wish to see them. David Susan Kellough Ohio ___ 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 ___ 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] Barbados
Thanks for information. I have been in contact with the breeders in Barbados for a while and friends of use went to visit. The problem I face, non is able to tell me how many fullblood B.Blackbelly are on the Island. Seems there is not too much left as true genetics. The have three types of sheep, in every flock is some of what ever kind. The only genetically well bred flock of Barbados Blackbelly as far as I know are in Cuba and in France, under INRA research. May try to find out how many fullblood Barbados Blackbelly do excist and where they are registered. With best regards Helmut - Original Message - From: David Kellough [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 11:12 AM Subject: [blackbelly] Barbados My wife and I are leaving for Barbados in the morning and will be there for a week. We hope to come across some sheep. We would be happy to share whatever pictures we take with all who wish to see them. David Susan Kellough Ohio ___ 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 -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: 21/10/2005 ___ 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
