That would be WhitePine Sarai - although you can see that Marta vies for the title sometimes. ;-)Sarai came all the way from Perham, MN to join my flock at the end of June, when Garrett (Ramsay Farms) drove out for Black Sheep Gathering. I almost bought Sarai as a lamb the previous year, but she was only eight weeks old or so when he made the long road trip in 2010. Then Garrett decided to keep her. When he offered her to me this summer, knowing I was looking to add a fine-fleeced ewe or two to my flock, I could scarcely believe it!
The fine fleece I was looking for came packaged with stellar conformation, typey Shetland characteristics and beautiful blue-grey katmoget coloring. Sarai quickly came to trust me, and today is the friendliest sheep in my flock. She was bred this fall to Whistlestop Bunker, and I am eagerly anticipating what they will produce for me.
It couldn't get any better - right? Wrong!
Garrett took fleece samples at spring shearing, but only recently sent them in. Yesterday he sent me Sarai's micron test results from her first shearing. Drum roll, please.... AFD: 23.9, SD 3.9, CV 16.5, CEM 6.7, 96.3 CF, 22.4 SF. Wow.
My bred ewes, from left to right: Annabelle (Whistlestop 0338), Kimberwood Marta (AFD 22.1!), and Sarai. Oh, what a wonderful lamb crop I am expecting in a few short months!From the excited shepherdess at . . .
6 comments:
Congratulations on the new addition. Can't wait to see new lamb pictures.
It should be interesting! Does Bunker carry color? You might be the proud sheperdess of a bunch of white lambs (not a bad thing - you can dye it...)!!
I was amazed at how friendly your sheep are - most shetlands aren't. That's a testament to your loving care, I'm sure!!
Great numbers...I shoot for SD's below 5, CV's below 20 and CEM's below 10, so if you get sick of this girl....just let me know!!
Thanks, Tombstone!
Laura, I don't know yet if Bunker carries a pattern other than Awt. His dam DOES carry Aa, so he could have gotten that gene from her. Here's hoping for color from Annabelle and Cadbury, and color from Sarai and/or Marta! (And most of the Shetlands I've "met" are on the friendly side; part of the reason I got them in the first place.)
Like THAT'S going to happen, Kelly! ;-)
I am spinning White Pine Selah from Garrett right now. Beautiful. Selah looks like your girl. Garrett has beautiful sheep.
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