RE: [blackbelly] Sheep Prices

[The Wintermutes]

Hi Carr,

I analyze your situation as follows:

Were your rams in good body score condition (meaty or skinny)?  Has there
been ample good pasture?  Have internal parasites been a problem?  Do you
have a deficiency in nutrients in your area such as selenium?  How
inter-related genetically is your flock?

If your rams were meaty, there has been good pasture, no parasite problem,
they have had access to mineral salts, and are not very inter-related then I
would suspect you just have small genetic sheep.  The solution would be to
buy a new larger ram.

If your rams were skinny determine why.  Are there just too many sheep for
your pasture to support?  I do not know your part of the country.  Is it
affected by drought or is it an arid desert.  Sheep don't grow well eating
dirt.  Can you improve your pasture?  Please keep in mind that your rams are
doing great if they are surviving where nothing else can!  Many times as a
flock becomes inter-related their body size decreases.  The solution is to
again buy a new larger ram.

If you are desperate and have addressed everything mentioned above you can
always cross your sheep with a Dorper ram.  You will no longer have
Blackbelly lambs with most of them being white in color and larger in size.
But you still would have the benefit of a Blackbelly ewe flock for a low
input sheep operation. 

Another option is to give grain supplement to your lambs and ewes while they
are nursing.  This is the greatest growth period for your lambs.  A creep
feeder is well worth the money.  I would not hold on to the lambs "another
year" hoping for more growth.  The growth will be minimal and you will
likely be discounted at the sale for selling older sheep.

Mark Wintermute



-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Carr DuPuy
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:08 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [blackbelly] Sheep Prices

Here is a list of pricing for some blackbellies sold at auction in Meridian
, TX.  I am open to suggestions, comments.  Is there a better way?  Should I
let the rams grow another year so that can gain more weight?  These sold
were all rams.  Free range rams, no supplements, hay in the winter.  Very
minimal.   Thanks,  Carr

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