Friday, July 08, 2011

Sheep shots

Sarai is now dressed for success (clean-fleece success, that is!):

Marta wasn't sure what to make of Sarai's new attire, at first:

Beautiful Bramble:

Lovely Annabelle:

Those are the four adult ewes at Boulderneigh now. Annabelle carries one poll gene; I'm hoping the others carry at least one poll gene as well. I am tentatively planning to breed Cadbury to Annabelle, and Bunker to the other three. Here's hoping I don't get all white lambs next year!

That's it for now from . . .

5 comments:

Shula said...

The top blanket is different is it a new style or one you made? Mine do well in the Rocky suits but the hay collects at their necks. Good luck with next years lambs I hope you get a nice mix of colors. Bramble is looking beautiful!

Mary Ann said...

I know you have probably explained it before, but why do sheep wear coats, and how long do they wear them? Isn't is HOT for them? I know of someone who lost a sheep in the heat one year.

Ebonwald Cardigans said...

what size coat is that on Sarai just so i have an idea? I have 30 new rocky mountain suits to put on specific ewes. Curious to see what size she took!

Jenny Holden said...

Lovely sheep. Shame I can't send Tolly over to you, he has thrown a few polled this year. I love Marta :o)

Michelle said...

Yes, Shula, that is a different brand of sheep suit that I bought used from someone. I don't know the brand or the size; it came with too-tight elastic around the neck, sides, and tail, which I snipped.

Garrett, I think Saria and Marta would both fit in a Rocky size C right now; I only have one of those and I'll put it on Marta once she's sheared. The size D looked too big when I held it up to Sarai. They are petite little things!

Mary Ann, I put coats on my sheep to keep the vegetative matter out of the bulk of their fleeces; the coats also protect them from sunbleaching. We don't get extremely hot or humid weather here and my sheep always have access to shade, so overheating is not a problem. In fact, I think my black sheep stay cooler in a light-colored coat than they would uncoated because of the difference in "solar gain." But I'm not sure it would be a problem anywhere, since the coats "breathe" and wool acts like an insulator.

I would love to have Tolly for a breeding season or two, Jenny! I might get SPOTS, along with yummy fleece and polled genetics!