Breeding Time

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day - perfect for setting up breeding groups. Chuck set out electric netting on the SW corner of the farm while I moved the netting for the lamb group. Then we brought Lockerbie across the road. Might I add that 250# rams do not like to be haltered and led/shoved/dragged from their paddock, across the road, and into a barn for reasons unknown and unexplained to them? He managed to throw himself down just as we reached the muddy spot at the entrance to the barn. Splat! Once we got him up, he noticed the 6 lovely ewes waiting for him in the catch pen, and rushed in to introduce himself. "Why didn't you tell me this is what you wanted me for???" So Kirby is with Caliope, Clio, Adagio, Rowan, Royce, and Bess on the far side of the creek, guarded by Beth.

Lanark got the lion's share of the flock. He is with Pegasus, Serenade, Aislinn, Arlene, Hannelore, Ballad, Nell, Iden, Colette, Wallis, Vivace, Wynne, Wilkie, Jillian, and the 2 biggest ewe lambs, Bijoux and Quadrille. Bob is their guard. They are in the pasture east of the barn along the road, but will soon move farther east into the 5A hayfield at the far eastern edge of the farm.
I like to keep a few fences and several hundred yards between breeding groups - its saves bruises on ram's heads and wondering which ram actually bred which ewe!

You can see pictures of the rams and all the ewes mentioned HERE

The flock due date will be March 19th. Mark your calendars - this basically guarantees that Ohio will experience its coldest spell of the year, complete with sub-zero temperatures and blizzard conditions.