[Blackbelly] Alternative to Blackbelly Listserv (was: Times change and it is time to close the Listserv)

[Carol Elkins]

Thanks for all of your kind words, everyone. Before I bring down the 
Blackbelly Listerv next weekend, I wanted to point you to an 
alternative resource for blackbelly sheep people. Those of you who 
use Facebook can follow the Blackbelly Sheep group at 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1546546692334878/


It has 264 members and, like the Blackbelly Listserv, is open to all 
blackbelly breeders irrespective of breed or any affiliation with a 
registry or association. There are many active contributors from all 
over the world, and it is a good place to go to get questions 
answered, share experiences, and upload pics of your beautiful sheep.


I'm sorry that there really isn't another email-based group for 
blackbelly sheep, so if you don't use Facebook, you are pretty much 
out of luck as far as I know. Feel free to post alternatives that you 
are aware of to this Blackbelly Listserv before next weekend.


Happy shepherding, everyone!

Carol Elkins
List owner

At 05:19 PM 9/20/2017, you wrote:

Dear Listserv members,

The Blackbelly Listserv was first created in 2001, and it has served 
a vital role in helping stabilize both the Barbados Blackbelly and 
American Blackbelly sheep breeds. It has provided a meeting place 
for a friendly community of breeders to discuss problems, answer 
questions, and generally provide support to each other.


Messages have decreased considerably during the last two years, 
largely due to newer social media tools such as Facebook that can 
better serve member needs. This is as it should be---after all, this 
Listserv was born because in 2001 the only resource available to 
breeders was a clunky bulletin board.


It is time to move on, so I will be shutting the Blackbelly Listserv 
down on October 1, 2017. You will always be able to search the 
group's archives at 
https://www.mail-archive.com/blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info/


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[Blackbelly] Times change and it is time to close the Listserv

[Carol Elkins]

Dear Listserv members,

The Blackbelly Listserv was first created in 2001, and it has served 
a vital role in helping stabilize both the Barbados Blackbelly and 
American Blackbelly sheep breeds. It has provided a meeting place for 
a friendly community of breeders to discuss problems, answer 
questions, and generally provide support to each other.


Messages have decreased considerably during the last two years, 
largely due to newer social media tools such as Facebook that can 
better serve member needs. This is as it should be---after all, this 
Listserv was born because in 2001 the only resource available to 
breeders was a clunky bulletin board.


It is time to move on, so I will be shutting the Blackbelly Listserv 
down on October 1, 2017. You will always be able to search the 
group's archives at 
https://www.mail-archive.com/blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info/


It has been a privilege working with the oldtimers who have 
contributed their time by responding to list messages and the newbies 
who were courageous enough to ask questions. It has been a joy 
working with such a great group of friendly and helpful people. We 
have never had a serious disagreement; no one has ever been flamed or 
gotten out of line. What a great group of people you are!


So my heartfelt thank you to each of the 265 current members in this 
list. I wish you continued success with your blackbelly sheep. There 
is no more beautiful sheep in this world than a blackbelly 
sheep--regardless of which blackbelly breed it is.


Carol Elkins
List owner

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Re: [Blackbelly] The Blackbelly FB page

[Carol Elkins]

Rick, there is a tremendous amount of information located in my site 
at http://www.barbadosblackbellysheep.com/links/#veterinary


Carol

At 11:27 AM 1/10/2017, Rick Krach wrote:
Thanks Gail, can you give me anyplace to learn the actual way in 
which worms work and are controlled in animals? I need to learn how 
to recognize trouble before a sheep goes down, without using wormers 
preventively.


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[Blackbelly] milk/dairy price-fixing lawsuit payout for you

[Carol Elkins]

Friends, if you've purchased milk or dairy products since 2003 and 
you live in Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Kansas, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, 
Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, or 
Wisconsin, you are entitled to $50 from the Fresh Milk Products 
Price-Fixing Class Action Lawsuit. Go here:

https://www.boughtmilk.com/?utm_medium=top-sites_campaign=coupons_source=facebook-ad

Merry Christmas!

Carol

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[Blackbelly] Man vs blackbelly ram--Some people have no common sense

[Carol Elkins]

Don't try this at home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsTO3YMYAU

Carol
Image result for butting ram
  


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[Blackbelly] FREE webinar--3 Steps to a Profitable Farm

[Carol Elkins]

The well-respected Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is offering a 
FREE webinar to help you learn how to connect with the very people 
who want to purchase your farm's products. It's not about advertising 
or convincing people they need your products.


Wednesday, October 5
1pm Eastern; 10am Pacific

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101894121878=8661fe20-3635-441c-910f-6eb50ea157df

Even if you can't attend the scheduled Webinar, sign up for the class 
so that you will be notified of where the recorded version is located 
for watching later.


Carol

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[Blackbelly] AB Sheep delays minor baseball game

[Carol Elkins]

Thursday's short-season New York-Penn League game between the Batavia 
Muckdogs (Marlins affiliate) and State College Spikes (Cardinals 
affiliate) was delayed for a few minutes when an American Blackbelly 
sheep wandered onto the field.


This could have gone much, much worse...

http://www.milb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1096357283=630=354=milb

Enjoy!

Carol

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[Blackbelly] free sheep care handbook available

[Carol Elkins]

Ron Parker raises wooled sheep but nevertheless he is one of the most 
knowledgeable sheep breeders that I know of. In 1983, he wrote "The 
Sheep Book." He revised and updated the book in 2007. You can buy it 
for $20 at Amazon.


However, Ron is a generous guy and wants to help people who love 
sheep, so he has made his book available online at

http://joshua-parker.net/ronparker/tsb.html

It is a great resource. Bookmark the site so that you can find it 
quickly when you have questions. Or download the PDF for each chapter 
to keep it handy. Or buy the printed book.


Carol

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Re: [Blackbelly] need photo of horned rams fighting

[Carol Elkins]

Wow, Michael. This video is hard to watch! I'll try to do a screen 
capture of the frame where they are hitting in mid-air.


Carol

At 03:06 PM 6/19/2016, you wrote:
no lambs this year--so not much news, but so far I seem to have 
treated the couple of sheep that were real thin and might have been 
suffering from Coryne, using gobs of penicillin ( my local vets 
recommendation). here's a movie that might have some frames you can 
grab that are decent. I might have the master movie at work, could 
try to get a cleaner version of a frame or two, there 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnAw_zVofm8 -Michael, Perino Ranch 
Blackbellies On Sun, Jun 19, 2016 at 10:44 AM, Carol Elkins 
<celk...@critterhaven.biz> wrote: > Can anyone give me a photo of 
two American Blackbelly rams head-butting? I > need it to illustrate 
an article in the July newsletter for the BBSAI. > Photo will be 
fully credited to owner. > > Thanks! > > Carol > > (Geesh, this list 
has been so quiet lately. Are Cecil and I the only ones > who have 
sheep any longer?) > > Carol Elkins > Critterhaven > Pueblo, CO > 
http://www.critterhaven.biz > 
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[Blackbelly] need photo of horned rams fighting

[Carol Elkins]

Can anyone give me a photo of two American Blackbelly rams 
head-butting? I need it to illustrate an article in the July 
newsletter for the BBSAI. Photo will be fully credited to owner.


Thanks!

Carol

(Geesh, this list has been so quiet lately. Are Cecil and I the only 
ones who have sheep any longer?)


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven
Pueblo, CO
http://www.critterhaven.biz 


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[Blackbelly] SHEEPGOATWEBINARS 2016 Winter Webinar Series: Special Topics -- coming soon!

[Carol Elkins]

The 2016 Winter Webinar Series (Special Topics) to be hosted by the 
University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension Program will begin 
soon. Here's the schedule:


February 4 Jeff Semler (Toxic plants)
February 11  Susan Schoenian (EBVs for beginners)
February 18  Dr. Dan Morrical (Mineral and vitamin nutrition)
February 25  Dr. Tom Terrill (Sericea lespedeza)
March 3  Dr. Gareth Bath (The Big Five/of internal parasites)
March 10  Dr. Dahlia O'Brien (Natural Dewormers)

All webinars will begin at 7 p.m. EST, except for the one on March 3. 
Since it is originating in South Africa, the time will be different 
(no sure what time yet).  The webinars will last for 45-60 minutes, 
with additional time allotted for questions. All interaction will be 
via chat box. The webinars are open to the first 100 people who log-on.


To log on, go to:  https://webmeeting.umd.edu/mdsheepgoat/

Enter as a guest.  Give name.  Include your location in your 
name.  Example: Rick Smith Delaware


Log-on ahead of time, to make sure the software works on your 
computer or device.  I'm not sure if it works on all tablets (or smart phones).


Susan Schoenian
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
ssch...@umd.edu



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[Blackbelly] Importing sheep into Canada just got a lot harder

[Carol Elkins]

Note in the announcement below from the ASI that Canada is requiring 
a codon 171RR for imported rams. That is going to make it MUCH more 
difficult to get blackbelly sheep established in Canada. Combined 
with the requirement that the flock of export must be certified 
scrapie-free, it pretty much puts the nail in the coffin.


Carol
_

Canada Changes Small Ruminant Import Policy

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that the import policy 
for small ruminants intended for breeding purposes will change 
effective Feb. 1, 2016.


Among other revisions, the policy will require that:
   * Imported females must originate from a farm that is considered 
a "negligible risk premises."
   * Imported males must meet one of the following criteria to be 
eligible for import from the United States:

   * Must originate from a "negligible risk premises," or
   * Rams must be of the codon 136AA 171RR or 136AA 171QQR genotype, or
   * May be imported from any premises in the United States 
provided they are imported onto a farm that has been enrolled in the 
Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program for a minimum of one 
year. Under this option, there are additional post-import 
restrictions placed on imported animals including how they are kept 
and where they can move.
The policy describes what constitutes a "negligible risk premises" in 
detail. In essence, U.S. farms enrolled in the Scrapie Flock 
Certification Program Export Monitored stream for a minimum of five 
years (even if they have not yet reached Export Certified status) 
constitute negligible risk premises. In addition to scrapie-related 
restrictions, some disease testing may be required depending on the 
species and state of origin.


The full announcement is available on ASI's website at 
www.sheepusa.org/ResearchEducation_Literature_ExportInformation. 



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[Blackbelly] free online summit about off-grid living skills

[Carol Elkins]

I thought some of you might be interested in this.

Online  |  November 9-14, 2015

The Beyond Off Grid Summit is a FREE training event focused on 
returning to the old paths of self-reliance and sustainable living, 
and will feature a week of online training from a wide range of 
experts November 9-14. Each day, five video training sessions with 
informative presentation slides and images will be available for 24 
hours, followed by five new training sessions the next day. This 
six-day training event will give you access to 30 training sessions 
with over 45 hours of content!


Learn from experts about topics and skills such as:
   * Food Production
   * Homestead Planning
   * Raising Animals
   * Natural Building
   * Permaculture
   * Alternative Energy
   * Water Resource Management
   * Food Preservation and Storage
   * Natural and Herbal Remedies, and more!

http://beyondoffgrid.com/summit/thank-you-for-signing-up-for-the-beyond-off-grid-summit-online-event/ 


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[Blackbelly] free booklet on livestock guardian dogs

[Carol Elkins]

Here is a newly published booklet on using livestock guardian dogs 
that looks good. It is published by Texas A


http://sanangelo.tamu.edu/files/2013/08/Livestock-Guardian-Dogs1.pdf

Carol

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[Blackbelly] Fwd: [SHEPHERDSNOTEBOOK] [Shepherd's Notebook] 2016 Winter Webinar Series

[Carol Elkins]

Most of this year's U of Maryland webinars should 
be of interest to blackbelly breeders, so I 
encourage you to find time to tune in. They will 
all be recorded so you can listen at your convenience.


The topic on EBVs will give you some ideas on how 
to define measureable traits in your sheep that 
you want to pass to offspring. This is one of the 
practices that has skyrocketed the Katahdin sheep popularity and growth.


The topic on the Big Five is about sheep parasites and how to minimize them.

Enjoy!

Carol


From: Susan Schoenian 
Subject: [SHEPHERDSNOTEBOOK] [Shepherd's Notebook] 2016 Winter Webinar Series

The University of Maryland Extension Small 
Ruminant Program will be hosting a webinar 
series (for small ruminant producers) on 
consecutive Thursday evenings from February 4 
through March 10. The title of the webinar 
series (short course) is Special Topics. It will 
cover a variety of topics and be presented by 
speakers from several states and institutions.


All webinars will begin at 7 p.m. EST and last 
for approximately one hour, followed by a 
question and answer period. Interaction will be 
via a chat box. Presentations will be recorded 
and made available for later viewing via Adobe 
Connect or 
YouTube. 
PowerPoint presentations will be uploaded to 
SlideShare.


Date Topic Speaker Affiliation
Feb 4 Toxic plants Jeff Semler University of Maryland
Feb 11 EBVs for beginners Susan Schoenian University of Maryland
Feb 18 Vitamin and mineral nutrition Dr. Dan Morrical Iowa State University
Feb 25 Sericea lespedeza Dr. Tom Terrill Fort Valley State University
Mar 3 The Big Five Dr. Gareth Bath University of Pretoria (SA)
Mar 10 Natural dewormers Dr. Dahlia O'Brien Virginia State University

Anyone with an internet connection (high speed 
access recommended) may participate in the live 
webinars.  Pre-registration is not required. 
There is no cost involved. Log-in instructions 
will be provided via a listserv. To subscribe to 
the webinar listserv, send an email message to 
lists...@listserv.umd.edu. 
In the body of the message,write 
subscribe:  sheepgoatwebinars.  Participation is 
limited to the first 100 people who log-on.


The highlight of the 2016 series will be a 
presentation by Dr. Gareth Bath from the 
University of Pretoria in South Africa. Dr. Bath 
was one of the scientists who developed the 
FAMACHA© system and Five Point Check©. His 
presentation will be entitled, The Big Five. He 
will discuss the five important aspects of 
internal parasite control:  animals, parasites, 
pasture, monitoring, and treatment. Because of 
the time difference involved, Dr. Bath's 
presentation will not be at 7 p.m. EST.


The University of Maryland Extension Small 
Ruminant Program has been doing webinar short 
courses since 2011. The webinars have covered 
various aspects of sheep and goat 
production:  nutrition, management, breeding, 
health, and pasture. Links to these webinars are 
available at 
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/#!webinars/cu81.


Download 
program flyer





--
Posted By Susan Schoenian to 
Shepherd's 
Notebook at 11/05/2015 01:42:00 PM


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[Blackbelly] forage and nutritional content

[Carol Elkins]

This is a well-written publication that in 4 pages pretty much 
explains everything you need to know about forages and their 
nutritional content.


http://msucares.com/crops/forages/newsletters/08/7.pdf

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[Blackbelly] good Craigslist ad to use as a model

[Carol Elkins]

I was very impressed with this Craigslist ad for American Blackbelly 
sheep. The owner has done a great job talking about the benefits of 
the breed, of building the reader's confidence that the owner is a 
good person to do business with, and has priced the sheep at what I 
believe is a fair value -- $325-$400 each.


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/grd/5260382151.html

The only way the American Blackbelly breed as a whole will begin to 
command higher prices is by breeders recognizing the gourmet quality 
lamb and easy-care sheep that they have and working harder to market 
those traits. Every week I see so many ads for mutt hair sheep 
selling for $75 to $125 as adults. Gaack! They are worth at least 
$300 as freezer lamb! And American Blackbelly are even better!


It just takes a bit of extra work to have some business cards printed 
($10 for 500 cards at Vistaprint.com) and to hand them out to 
everyone you meet. Make sure your doctors get a card, and pin a card 
up at the local health food store and anywhere else diet-conscious, 
health-conscious people hang out who are willing to spend money on 
gourmet-quality, all-natural, chemical free lamb. Find a way to help 
those people buy your sheep and get it butchered. Know how to help 
them BEFORE they contact you so that when they do, you'll have all of 
their questions answered and their problems solved. Once they taste 
your lamb, they will be lifetime customers. Market your sheep by 
becoming an evangelist for the breed--if you've eaten your home-grown 
lamb, you already know that it can easily compete with the best 
t-bone steak available AND WIN! Quit keeping this to yourself, and 
spread the word.


The only people who can increase the value of your sheep breed is YOU!

Carol

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[Blackbelly] FDA issues first major rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act

[Carol Elkins]

If you were thinking of selling your homemade salsa or lamb sausage 
from your farm stand, CSA, or farmers market, then  you might want to 
read how the USDA's new rule will affect you. The report is written 
by Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA), a national organization 
that supports independent family farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, 
and homesteaders. FARFA fights against USDA overreaches, such as the 
USDA's ban on the sale of raw milk and their attempt to pass the 
National Animal Identification System a few years ago. FARFA supports 
issues that benefit farmers, such as country of origin labeling and 
local meat production. You can read their analysis of this new rule here:


http://farmandranchfreedom.org/first-fsma-rule/

Carol

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Re: [Blackbelly] Marley the AB ram died, I suspect pneumonia

[Carol Elkins]

Michael, I am so sorry you are having to go through this.

Coryne psuedotuberculosis is the bacterium that causes the disease 
Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) in sheep. There is no cure. See 
http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/animal-disease-faq/caseous-lymphadenitis 
and other sources.


An abscess on a sheep's jaw/throat is commonly the first symptom to 
appear with CL. But it is very easy to confuse with bottle jaw and 
milk goiter. I've read that CL abscesses are hard whereas bottle jaw 
and milk goiter lumps are soft. What do the abscesses on your sheep 
look and feel like?


Carol

At 02:15 PM 9/12/2015, you wrote:

Thanks for everyone's advice. The Vet came and did a necropsy on Marley:

Coryne psuedotuberculosis.  All through his body.

I have had a few of the abscesses on my sheeps neck or jaw before and
was aware this was contagious, but was not that aware of how
devastating it could be.. Now I am.


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Re: [Blackbelly] Dewormer chart for sheep

[Carol Elkins]

I think it is important to ensure really good health in your sheep to 
help them naturally resist the effects of worms. Pasture rotation 
helps reduce the worm population overall but the sheep will still 
have worms. If the sheep are very healthy, the loss of blood from the 
worms (with barber pole worms) won't affect them much. I have no 
experience with tape worm in sheep so I don't know what its life cycle is.


I think I have been able to avoid deworming for 17 years because 1) 
I've invested in higher protein feeds, which has built a stronger 
immune system that can resist the blood loss; and 2) rotated pastures 
every week so that 30 days elapse before sheep return to grass 
they've already grazed.


Carol

At 09:36 AM 7/21/2015, you wrote:
I am curious, for those that don't deworm how do you control the 
worm population in your flock?  Even with rotating pasture every 2 
weeks we have had to deal with tape worms for the 1st time this 
year.  We have wormed with Safe Guard (fenbendazole)  and are 
feeding diatomaceous earth with the feed every other day.


Mike


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Dewormer chart for sheep

[Carol Elkins]

Those of you who still deworm your blackbelly sheep can download a 
dewormer chart prepared by the American Consortium for Small Ruminant 
Parasite Control (ACSRPC). The chart gives the recommended dosages of 
various drugs by weight and withdrawal times.


http://media.wix.com/ugd/aded98_e173a9632aa742aa8241ea5d1f3694a2.pdf

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] comparison of fencing costs

[Carol Elkins]

My friend Joe over at RaisingSheep.net has put together a good 
comparison of fencing costs that I thought you might be interested 
in. Have a look at


http://www.raisingsheep.net/sheep-fencing.html



Carol Elkins
Critterhaven
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Identifying Lambs

[Carol Elkins]

I put newborn lambs and their dams in a lambing jug as soon after 
birth as I can, and they remain there for a couple days; more if 
there are any problems. A lambing jug allows me to monitor both the 
ewe and her lambs to ensure that the lambs are getting sufficient 
milk and are otherwise healthy. The ewe appreciates being separated 
from the flock because she would do that naturally to protect her 
lambs. It enables a first-time mom to bond with her lambs. But most 
importantly, it enables me to catch the little buggers to apply ear 
tags. I apply them at age 2 days. I use the small brass tags sold by 
Premier at 
http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=122670cat_id=103 
because in my experience, any larger tag will rip a lamb's tender 
ear. I apply scrapie tags only to adult sheep and ONLY if they are 
leaving my farm.


A lambing jug can be a temporary enclosure and measure 6x6 ft or in 
my case 3 x 12. You can see photos of my lambing jugs at 
http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/barn_setup.htm. I built these 
permanent ones after using scrap chainlink for a couple of years to 
experiment with the idea.


Carol


At 10:26 AM 3/31/2015, you wrote:

So, how do you all identify your lambs? At what age do you typically ear
tag?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] hoof trimming tutorial

[Carol Elkins]

Yes Rick, there is a video. If you can't see it, 
try using a different browser. These days it 
takes three different browsers to display content 
because of coding issues and plug-ins that you 
might have installed on one browser and not another.


Carol

At 09:14 PM 3/27/2015, you wrote:
Carol, was there a video here? I couldn't see 
it.😩 Rick Krach in Auburn, CA


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[Blackbelly] hoof trimming tutorial

[Carol Elkins]

My buddy Joe over at raisingsheep.net has created a really good 
tutorial on how to trim sheep hooves. Have a look at 
http://www.raisingsheep.net/how-to-trim-sheep-hooves.html


I've asked him to ditch the drop-shadows in the steps that explain 
the procedure, but other than that minor annoyance, his photos and 
explanations are great. Anyone who is still timid about trimming 
their sheep's hooves will find it a great tool. And don't forget to 
watch the video. There is nothing like seeing someone else do it 
close up to give you confidence that you can do it yourself.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] 2009 Superbowl Budweiser Ad with American Blackbelly sheep

[Carol Elkins]

I'm a little late sharing this with you but it is worth watching. I 
think this is the 2009 Budweiser Superbowl Ad. It has some great 
American Blackbelly sheep in it. Watch closely or you'll miss 'em!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb3fhsfs6ZU


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] free pasture management webinar series

[Carol Elkins]

The University of Maryland Small Ruminant Program will host a series 
of five webinars on pasture management presented by Susan Schoenian 
and Jeff Semler. All webinars will run 1 hour starting at 7pm EST.


Feb 4Planning a pasture system
Feb 11   Pasture plants, including alternative forages
Feb 18   Pasture and grazing management
Feb 25   Pasture nutrition
March 4 Pasture health problems

The webinars will be recorded and made public for viewing, so don't 
worry if you can't attend them all. But calling in to the webinar 
allows you to ask questions specific to your farm.


For details and registration go to 
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/Winter2015.html


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[Blackbelly] Registered Barbados Blackbelly Flock for Sale

[Carol Elkins]

Small flock of registered Barbados Blackbelly hair sheep for sale in 
Pueblo, Colorado. Four adult ewes and your choice of three adult 
rams. Two of the ewes are bred to lamb April 1 and the other two have 
lambs by their side. Flock includes two Anatolian x Pyrenees 
livestock guardian dogs. Will not split this group up. Serious 
inquiries only. The flock must go to a conservation-minded person who 
will work toward developing the bloodlines. For details and photos, 
see http://critterhaven.biz/sale/livestock.htm


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth on Grass only.

[Carol Elkins]

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

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Re: [Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly Growth Chart

[Carol Elkins]

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

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[Blackbelly] Short video about livestock guardian dogs

[Carol Elkins]

Here is a link to a wonderful video about livestock guardian dogs 
from the Oprah Winfrey Network. This was posted today by Susan 
Schoenian on her Shepherd's Notebook.


http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-guardians.html

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Fwd: Where to Buy Local American Lamb

[Carol Elkins]

I sure would like to see a lot of blackbelly breeders get signed up 
as suppliers on this American Lamb Board list. If you want to 
increase exposure of your lamb to potential customers, this is a good 
way to do it. Also at http://www.localharvest.org/ Both are free opportunities.


Carol


Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 18:30:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: American Lamb Board r...@americanlambboard.org
To: celk...@critterhaven.biz
Subject: Where to Buy Local American Lamb


The American Lamb Board (ALB) needs your help with connection 
consumers with where to buy your lamb locally. ALB is currently 
redesigning their website included a new and improved where to buy 
American Lamb section. This section will have an interactive map so 
consumers can find restaurants, retailers and butcher shops and 
farmers in their area that carry American Lamb. The website will 
also include a list of suppliers that sell American Lamb online and 
a list of suppliers and Direct Markets by market for chefs and 
retailers. If you would like to be included in the new where to buy 
database click here 
(https://americanlamb.wufoo.com/forms/where-to-buy-local-american-lamb/ 
) to enter your contact information.


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[Blackbelly] Free webinar--Understanding Sheep Nutrition

[Carol Elkins]

I'm forwarding this in case any of you might want to tune in to this 
Webinar next Tuesday. The presenter, Dan Morrical, is a backbone in 
the hair sheep industry so I doubt that the Webinar will focus solely 
on woolie white sheep.

___

Understanding Sheep Nutrition

Join us for a webinar on Aug 26, 2014 at 8:00 PM EDT.

Register now!

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1893379174388669697

Presenter:
Dan Morrical, PhD
Sheep Extension Specialist
Iowa State University

Host: Dr. Jay Parsons, University of Nebraska  Optimal Ag

This webinar will focus on key nutrients that sheep need in their 
rations. I will cover protein, energy, minerals and vitamins, 
sampling feeds and software available to do the calculations. Some of 
it will include reading feed tags to know what is in the ration. I 
will also spend time explaining terminology like dry matter basis and 
as fed basis, parts per million and milligrams per kilogram. Feed 
costs are the single largest cost of production and understanding 
nutrient requirements and meeting them economical is critical to 
profitable sheep production.


This webinar is made possible with funding support from the American 
Sheep Industry Association and the Rebuild the Sheep Inventory Committee.


After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing 
information about joining the webinar.


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Re: [Blackbelly] Trees or bushes in the pasture

[Carol Elkins]

My sheep will not eat Virginia creeper. I grow this climbing vine on 
all my fences as a visual barrier.


Carol

At 11:15 PM 6/29/2014, you wrote:
I have a general question for everyone. Do any of you grow any trees 
or bushes inside your pastures which the sheep will not and do not like to eat?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Results of my old sheep experiment

[Carol Elkins]

I decided to butcher my old ewe Troublesome as soon as she weaned the 
one triplet that she was able to nurse. After two years of bottle 
lambs, her half udder was no longer something I was willing to deal 
with. Troublesome was 11 years old. As an experiment, I decided to 
have all of her meat turned into ground mutton. I figured worse case, 
if it tasted bad, I could give it to the dogs.


Troublesome weighed about 100 lb. (I didn't get a live weight on her 
because with her udder I couldn't get her into the weighing sling.) I 
got 25 lb of ground mutton off her carcass, which is 25% yield. One 
can expect a 50% yield when bones are left in the cuts, and I wasn't 
sure what to expect with all ground. The butcher told me that 
although she was very lean (as all BB sheep are), there was enough 
fat on her so that he didn't need to add any pork or beef fat to make 
a good ground meat.


Her meat is just marvelous. I would never know that I was eating 
11-year-old mutton. Being ground eliminated any possibility of toughness.


So now I know that I can slaughter for table any BB sheep, regardless 
of age. Thought this information might be useful to the rest of you.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] ASI Photo Contest Open

[Carol Elkins]

Hey all of you shutterbugs! Let's stir up some trouble and get a 
photo of a blackbelly sheep selected as first place winner in the ASI 
photo contest. The ASI (American Sheep Industry) generally ignores 
hair sheep (in my opinion) and gives preferential treatment to wooled 
breeds. Let's show 'em how beautiful and practical our sheep are. 
Send your photos as instructed in the ASI's announcement below.



Give Us Your Best Sheep Shot: ASI Photo Contest Open

The American Sheep Industry Association's (ASI) 2014 Photo Contest is 
underway and is open to all who wish to enter. The only rule is that 
the photographs entered in the contest must include sheep or lambs 
raised in the United States.


Photographs entered in the contest will be judged on clarity, 
content, composition and appeal. More than $1,000 will be awarded to winners.


The deadline? Entries must be postmarked by Sept. 1.

The winning photos will be highlighted in the October 2014 issue of 
Sheep Industry News and will be available on Oct. 1 at 
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LA2MD6m8o1G-3su6ToNs_-7lVZL8DPwBTnuGvy7SoJ7kg-bHYfHttLcL510i_-JK7UMAXn1RQTNrTcz5LE85JcsqAGUXY4UfKF2cQf3kM7KND_ColHuosxMGOhwMdMfOUQ3PxHQkl2DdgBhQq2GKbU25ANfycy66WcOtswjcJas=c=wGYlF9u_iew3AQ9EU50-Q9moLl_ZvxbskuOAPlL9rA-cQKInX8O3JQ==ch=UYVYW_VNn5Lsv52xl7pB4nJko_0x5dQ4jZjjF-gLiIb5lSWTJtsQbQ==www.sheepusa.org. 



Photographers are advised to submit photographs in large file size 
and both horizontal and vertical photos are encouraged.


There are four categories in this year's contest:

~ACTION- Photographs of activities such as shearing, wool 
classing/skirting/baling, moving/trailing sheep, lambing, tagging, 
feeding, etc.


~SCENIC (East) - Photographs of sheep outdoors located east of the 
Mississippi River. (Photos entered in this category cannot include people.)


~SCENIC (West) - Photographs of sheep outdoors located west of the 
Mississippi River. (Photos entered in this category cannot include people.)


~OPEN- Photographs with subject matter that does not fall into the 
three above-listed categories.
Entries should be emailed to 
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LA2MD6m8o1G-3su6ToNs_-7lVZL8DPwBTnuGvy7SoJ7kg-bHYfHttMG0YEsLBvtRT7we5B6mhcKPbhe2CAkLes4NxvlC065YqDpJD5xBXtyKyQNHZN2tYGWvbxRXTfiphoZQp2LOZMANLEO8UK9WlJr9CMGUBoC5VXBtwu64U9Y=c=wGYlF9u_iew3AQ9EU50-Q9moLl_ZvxbskuOAPlL9rA-cQKInX8O3JQ==ch=UYVYW_VNn5Lsv52xl7pB4nJko_0x5dQ4jZjjF-gLiIb5lSWTJtsQbQ==ra...@sheepusa.org 
with the subject line of ASI Photo Contest. Those mailing photos 
should send them to ASI; Attn: Photo Contest; 9785 Maroon Circle, 
Suite 360; Englewood, CO 80112.


For a complete list of contest rules, go to the home page of 
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LA2MD6m8o1G-3su6ToNs_-7lVZL8DPwBTnuGvy7SoJ7kg-bHYfHttLcL510i_-JK7UMAXn1RQTNrTcz5LE85JcsqAGUXY4UfKF2cQf3kM7KND_ColHuosxMGOhwMdMfOUQ3PxHQkl2DdgBhQq2GKbU25ANfycy66WcOtswjcJas=c=wGYlF9u_iew3AQ9EU50-Q9moLl_ZvxbskuOAPlL9rA-cQKInX8O3JQ==ch=UYVYW_VNn5Lsv52xl7pB4nJko_0x5dQ4jZjjF-gLiIb5lSWTJtsQbQ==www.sheepusa.org 
or contact Ralph Loos at 
mailto:ra...@sheepusa.orgra...@sheepusa.org or 303-771-3500, ext. 55.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Coyote fence ideas

[Carol Elkins]

Michael,

Most LGDs believe that a good offense is the best defense and will 
network with the entire neighborhood to keep current on the state of 
affairs. Networking in this sense is barking. And LGDs need to bark 
long before there is a problem to ensure that whatever is out there 
doesn't become a problem. In my experience, there are over-barky 
LGDs, but I have found that my minimalist LGDs still bark at things 
that I don't perceive as problems. Like you, my farm was victim to a 
combined cougar/coyote attack that killed and consumed 5 90-lb lambs. 
I lived under siege until I could purchase my LGDs. They were 6 
months old when they arrived (they don't become adults until they are 
2 years old), but they had their adult bark. That bark is what I have 
relied on ever since they arrived in 2008 to keep my farm safe. Yes, 
it can be really annoying at times (full moons are particularly 
problematic), but I have ear plugs.


Carol


At 03:50 PM 5/9/2014, you wrote:

Sheila is a good dog in that she only barks when there's really a
problem. Living only 30-40 feet from the house, that is important to
us.  I'd like to at least try to get the pup to learn from that
example.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Breeding

[Carol Elkins]

Although I only breed my ewes once a year, I break the girls into two 
separate breeding groups. This allows me to use a different ram with 
each group. I breed Group 1 in November (to lamb in April) and Group 
2 in May (to lamb in October). I keep the rams separate from the ewes 
except for the 35 days that the ram is introduced for breeding. By 
using two rams, I'm able to build starter flocks with the ewe lambs 
and an unrelated ram lamb. By lambing in Spring and late Fall, I'm 
able to have freezer lamb available for my customers more frequently. 
Also, having two groups of lambs spaced 6 months apart reduces the 
number of mouths that my pasture needs to feed at any one time and 
helps me rotate the animals on it better to keep it from being grazed 
down too fast.


When I first started 16 years ago, I needed to make as many lambs as 
possible to help restore the Barbados Blackbelly breed's critically 
low numbers. I used an accelerated breeding program in those days 
that yielded three lambings in 18 months. You can see an Accelerated 
Breeding Schedule here: 
http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/breedingschedule.htm I don't 
recommend this for long-term use because it is very hard on the ewes. 
But none of my ewes suffered from the couple of years I subjected them to it.


Carol

At 11:16 AM 4/7/2014, you wrote:

I'm curious what is everyone's breeding schedule? Do you only breed once a
year or do you try and get more lambing's from your ewes? (Lets assume your
ewes condition is good) Just curious the pro's and con's to both ways.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] taste of lamb

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Rick,

Yes, I've butchered 2- to 3-year-old rams and they taste fine. The 
connective tissue in the older rams gets pretty tough, so I generally 
have the older animals put into ground meat rather than steaks. There 
is no magic butcher age; I guess a lot depends on the ram's diet 
and environment.


There is a good market for lamb and mutton with the raw dog food 
enthusiasts. I think the next time I have a ram older than 3 years to 
butcher, I'll go ahead and have his meat ground. If it's too strong 
flavored, I can recover the slaughter and packaging fees plus 
probably $1.00/lb live weight by selling the meat to the raw dog food folks.


I have no experience with American Blackbelly, so I can't say for 
sure. Perhaps an AB breeder can comment on this.


Carol

At 11:17 PM 4/4/2014, you wrote:
Carol, this is the first time I've heard of a 3-year age put on 
good-tasting meat.  Is that for real cuz I've never tried lamb 
over 13 months.  Secondly, would this only apply to your Barbados 
Blackbellies or possibly the American Blackbellies, too?  And 
finally, what does the meat taste like after 3 years and a month, 
surely there is no magic 36 month age? Thanks,

Rick Krachin Auburn, CA


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Fading lamb

[Carol Elkins]

Natasha,

I'm so sorry to hear about your lamb. Yes, death is part of raising 
livestock, but lamb deaths are particularly painful, especially when 
you work so hard to keep them alive.


It is important that we try to learn something from every death that 
occurs. Unfortunately, all of my most valuable lessons have been 
learned the hard way at the expense of an animal's life. If we learn 
the lesson, then we are likely to not repeat it. Carefully review all 
of the circumstances surrounding the lamb's short life and determine 
if, in hind sight, there was anything that could have been done 
differently. Do not beat yourself up; simply learn.


The only thing that occurred to me from reading your email is 
wondering if perhaps it might be unnecessary to castrate your ram 
lambs. That would reduce the amount of trauma that they have to go 
through, especially so soon after birth. On my farm, ram lambs grow 
up to be either breeding rams or freezer lambs, and neither require 
castration. Unlike other breeds of sheep, blackbelly meat remains 
mild flavored well past 3 years of age. The only time I castrated a 
ram lamb was when I had to bottle feed a lamb whose mother had died. 
I knew I'd never be able to butcher him, and sometimes it's very 
handy to have a wether around.


It never gets easier. Don't let anyone tell you that it does.

Carol

At 03:29 PM 4/3/2014, R. Natasha Baronas wrote:
I put the lamb down about an hour after writing this.  He started 
crying like he was in pain.  My friend talked to a nurse and they 
feel that the lamb may have taken a hit to the head.  It sounded 
like neurological damage.


Sadly yours,

Natasha


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Actual Barbados Ram and ewes for sale in

[Carol Elkins]

Without knowing his parents, we can't know if he is a Barbados 
Blackbelly or an American Blackbelly. He is probably a cross-bred. 
The blackbelly color trait is very strong and can express even when a 
blackbelly is bred to a white sheep, such as a Katahdin or St. Croix.


But as I stated before, some long-pedigreed Barbados Blackbelly sheep 
occasionally throw scurs or horns. And some long-pedigreed American 
Blackbelly sheep occasionally are polled or have only small scurs. So 
it is possible that he is purebred but has mutated horn genetics. 
Very little is understood about the genetics of horns and scurs in 
blackbelly sheep. I've spoken to several geneticists who have studied 
the breed in other various genetic ways, and they agree that horns 
and scurs probably have different alleles and different loci on the 
gene. They can't explain why an anomalous trait suddenly shows up. 
But that can be true of traits other than the presence or absence of 
horns. It applies to color as well. One breeder I know had a 
long-pedigreed Barbados Blackbelly throw a lamb with a completely 
white rear leg. Genes happen.


Carol

At 05:03 PM 3/3/2014, you wrote:
I guess I am confused. Why would he have horns or scurs or anything 
if he is a Barbados?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Actual Barbados Ram and ewes for sale in California?

[Carol Elkins]

It isn't uncommon for horned American Blackbelly stock to 
occasionally throw a polled ram. (Nor is it uncommon for polled 
Barbados Blackbelly sheep to plop out a ram lamb that grows scurs or 
horns.) But that doesn't make the polled ram a Barbados Blackbelly. 
Progeny testing using registered Barbados Blackbelly ewes will 
determine if that ram reliably produces polled ram lambs. In my 
experience, they do not.


Also, the BBSAI's American Blackbelly registry and Barbados 
Blackbelly registry are both closed registries, meaning that in order 
to register sheep, their parents must both be registered. So whomever 
buys this lovely blackbelly family would be unable to register them. 
Judging from the white crown and tail on the lamb on the right, there 
is some evidence of cross-breeding already present. But for someone 
who simply wants to enjoy the benefits of raising the most beautiful 
sheep in the world with superb meat quality, this group would be a 
steal. I regularly sell my freezer lamb for $350 for a 90-lb ram 
lamb. $200 for four sheep is a good bargain.


Carol


At 11:18 AM 2/28/2014, you wrote:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/grd/4352954708.html

Here, appears to be actual, polled Barbado blackbelly sheep. Cannot
vouch for the purity of their breeding. Just passing it along in case


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] bottle feeding newborn

[Carol Elkins]

I wrote an article about raising bummer lambs on a bottle and it 
includes a formula for newborns. Download it at

http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/bummer_lamb.htm

But be aware that it is absolutely critical that the newborn have 
sheep colostrum. Substituting cow colostrum reduces the chances of 
the lamb's survival. You can collect colostrum from a lactating ewe 
within 24-36 hours after birth and freeze it in ice cube trays to 
ensure that you have an emergency source on hand.


Carol

At 01:40 AM 2/4/2014, you wrote:
can anyone recommend some type of formula that has the necessary 
nutrients that will be sufficient to give a newborn what it needs to 
survive the first 24 hours.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Woman in U.K. needs help with American Blackbelly lamb deaths

[Carol Elkins]

Hi everyone,

I've been communicating with a woman in the U.K. who has a flock of 
American Blackbelly sheep. She is having a lot of unexpected lamb 
deaths (older lambs) and is down to only one ram and two ewes. I'm 
copying her email below. Please email her directly, but also copy the 
group if you can suggest anything she might try. I've mentioned a 
relationship between vitamin E and selenium for her to research.


Carol


Subject: American Blackbelly sheep in the uk
From: Sally Bartlett sally.bartlet...@btinternet.com
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 21:02:49 +

Hi, I contacted you earlier this year with regard to my sheep in 
Cornwall. Unfortunately this year we lost all are lambs and three 
ewes and are only left with one ram and two ewes. I really love this 
breed and am trying to keep them going in the uk. We have had 
several post-mortems done and the only thing that flagged up was low 
vitamin E and a high worm burden. However they have been wormed the 
same as my wool sheep which worm count has come back as low! They 
are also having minerals licks, vitamin E drench, lamb finisher and 
hay. However we lost another on Saturday!


I was wondering if you could give me some advice as I am very sad 
over what is happening. I think the ewes are in lamb and due around 
March. Is there a specific feed I should give them? Are they better 
on oats and barley rather than the sheep feed? Can I treat the lambs 
with anything as they seen to die at around six months.


Thank in advance

Sally Bartlett


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Re: [Blackbelly] breeder map

[Carol Elkins]

Rick, it seems to be working fine on my end (I'm the person who 
provides this map). Try again and if you continue to have problems, 
email me off list and describe the symptoms..


Carol Elkins
celk...@critterhaven.biz
Listserv Owner

At 10:31 PM 12/23/2013, you wrote:

Anyone know why this page no longer works? :

Blackbelly Listserv Breeder Map People who subscribe to the free 
email list are invited to post their contact information on this 
easy-to-use map of the United State (links to Canadian and other 
International breeders are also provided).



Rick Krach
in Auburn, CA
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Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Breeding Comedy Show

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Mike,

I can't help with the chute question but I suggest for accidental 
breeding, use Lutalyse, which causes the ewe to expel the fertilized 
egg. Use 3cc of Lutalyse at least 11 days after breeding. Less than 8 
days doesn't work.


I had a similar breakout when I first started in sheep and this was a 
very good option. I didn't waste a year of the ewes' lives creating 
lambs that I could not register because I didn't know their sire.


Carol

At 03:36 PM 12/4/2013, you wrote:

 what sort of chute can one
use for rams with large horn racks?  I imagine if you measured Marley,
the largest rack-ed ram, he's have 35-40 inches or so.

-Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Direct On-Farm Marketing of Slaughter Lambs and Goats

[Carol Elkins]

Here is a really useful article about direct on-farm marketing of 
slaughter lambs:


http://sheepgoatmarketing.info/education/onfarmmarketing.php?source=newslettersheeputm_source=newsletterutm_medium=emailutm_campaign=November-07-Sheep

There is good information in it even if you would rather not offer 
on-farm slaughter.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Correct link to rotational grazing video

[Carol Elkins]

I can be such a ditz sometimes. Here is the correct link:
http://groworganic.com/organic-gardening/videos/pasture-management


Here is a quick 5-minute video that gives some good tips about how to 
set up a rotational grazing system on your pasture. It is not 
specific to sheep, but explains the nuts and bolts of rotational grazing.



Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Free webinar series on selling sheep to ethnic markets

[Carol Elkins]

This looks like a really valuable opportunity to learn how to target 
ethnic markets. To register, click the link at the bottom of the 
email and then click the Register link on the page that displays. 
There are four sessions, and session times are 7:00-8:30PM Eastern on 
November 19, 26, December 3, 10. I'm not sure yet how they plan to 
provide login information, but I assume they will email attendees in advance.




Ethnic Marketing of Lamb and Mutton -- An Educational Program for 
U.S. Sheep Producers


Sheep producers across the country are invited to participate in a 
four-session webinar series designed to explore the feasibility of 
marketing lamb and mutton to ethnic consumers.


This educational outreach has been jointly designed by Richard 
Brzozowski, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Susan 
Schoenian, University of Maryland Extension, and Roger High, Ohio 
State University. It is being made available through a grant from the 
American Sheep Industry Association's (ASI) Let's Grow initiative to 
the state sheep associations of Maine, Maryland and Ohio. The series 
is free to anyone who wishes to participate.


The purpose of this multi-state effort is to equip sheep producers 
with skills and knowledge for effective marketing of sheep/lamb meat 
to ethnic communities in their respective market areas.


This outreach will be accomplished via a webinar series and will be 
supplemented by readings, self-driven activities, assignments and 
group discussions. Producers are encouraged to participate in each of 
the four sessions for a complete educational experience.


By the end of the series, webinar participants will be expected to:
~Identify lamb consuming ethic populations in their area by 
performing a demographic analysis of specific ethnicities using 
census data and other sources.
~Learn about the ethnic consumers as well as the specific holy days 
and holidays when lamb is customarily preferred and the demand for 
lamb/mutton or specific value-added products is typically high.
~Evaluate their production system to determine needed changes in 
breed(s), carcass size, lambing time and or management to meet this 
market if deemed feasible.
~Adapt or create a marketing plan as a part of a business plan for 
their sheep operation to include an ethnic component (if appropriate).
~Successfully answer an ethnic lamb marketing quiz with a score of at 
least 80 percent.


Each session will begin at 7 p.m. EST and is scheduled to last 60-90 
minutes. The schedule is as follows:


Tuesday, Nov. 19 -- Ethnic Market Background
Tuesday, Nov. 26 -- Understanding the Ethnic Consumer
Tuesday, Dec. 3 -- Understanding and Evaluating Your Market Options
Tuesday, Dec. 10 -- Your Marketing Plan

To register for this free series and for more information about 
specific sessions, instructors and other related information go to 
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z3-em_ByfxkQPTLKta2fkMYv4JuNE6tNSMnMrWg5KsntdYtnE26YFBB1YuooJ9aioLPpOaJOeZxfk7FV3rc7GtheW0HwQ4WEQx0pOVfjVpnhihXxCJPhfWEJSL4pHeA3RMFM7AJlwWDuT8ffL6lu0Q3-2wkwx4po57GstA-NYwbS0h5nP8jwGg==http://umaine.edu/livestock/sheep/ethnic-marketing-of-lamb-and-mutton. 



Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] rotational grazing video

[Carol Elkins]

Here is a quick 5-minute video that gives some good tips about how to 
set up a rotational grazing system on your pasture. It is not 
specific to sheep, but explains the nuts and bolts of rotational grazing.


http://www.adobe.com/mena_en/products/server/adobedesigner/

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Deworming sheep (was previously Blackbelly Digest, Vol 9, Issue 48)

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Arnold,

The Blackbelly listserv archives has a Locator Map 
(http://www.blackbellysheep.info/map.html) with many subscribers' 
contact information. (If a Listserv subscriber is not on the map and 
wants to be, please email me privately and I will add you.)


The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association has a Breeders Directory 
(http://www.blackbellysheep.org/directory.html) that lists all of its 
members by State.


Carol

At 10:48 AM 10/10/2013, you wrote:
Thanks Carol  William. That is what I was hoping to here, My name 
is Arnold. Ellen is my wife, We got our ABBs a year ago and are 
really enjoying them. Is there a way to find other ABBs in our aria? 
We have 63 acres near Plains Montana.Arnold


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Deworming sheep (was previously Blackbelly Digest, Vol 9, Issue 48)

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Ellen,

Great question, and you will probably receive several different 
viewpoints. In almost 16 years of raising Barbados Blackbelly, I have 
never dewormed or vaccinated my sheep. Although I haven't had any 
sheep losses from worm overload, I was prepared to lose some in order 
to cull any that were not genetically worm resistant. I am of the 
school that believes that keeping sheep alive chemically just enables 
them to breed more lambs that are genetically not resistant to worms. 
That doesn't help the overall breed. I live in a climate that has 
cold winters which helps keep the worm load down, but several BB 
breeders live in humid, warmer areas and have not found it necessary to deworm.


Also, by rotating my sheep through smaller paddocks during summer 
grazing, I help break the worm cycle. I allow them to graze a paddock 
for one week and I don't put them back in that paddock for a month.


If you do decide to deworm, I urge you to only deworm the sheep that 
show signs of being debilitated by worms. Deworming sheep that don't 
require it just increases the worm tolerance to dewormers and 
minimizes the effectiveness of dewormers when you really need them.


BTW, when you respond to an email, don't forget to change the subject 
line. Replace the Digest subject line by copying and pasting the 
subject line of the email you are replying to. If you are starting a 
new subject, create a new subject line. That helps the messages 
archive correctly and enables people to search for them.


Carol

At 07:57 PM 10/8/2013, you wrote:
One of the resons I got into ABB sheep is that I understood 
they  have a natural ability to resist parisites and dasieses,  In 
the arcives I read  how some are worming there sheep, Can we get by 
whithout worming and vaccinating?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Loose Mineral Feeder

[Carol Elkins]

Curtis has sent me photos of his mineral feeder and I've uploaded 
them to the Blackbelly Listserv's Scrapebook page at 
http://www.blackbellysheep.info/scrapbook.html  Choose the Gates, 
Pens, Chutes and Feeders group and you'll see Curtis' photos of his 
mineral feeder.


Thanks Curtis!

Carol

At 05:12 PM 10/5/2013, you wrote:

Could you post a picture of your mineral feeder?


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Re: [Blackbelly] (no subject)

[Carol Elkins]

I use a loose sheep mineral, one that has no copper in it. Yes it is 
outrageously expensive, but my sheep don't eat much of it very fast 
so it lasts a long time (a bag every year or so). In contrast, when I 
used a mineral block, they ate it like candy because of the molasses 
that glued everything together to form the block.


You can view an easy-to-make loose mineral feeder at 
https://picasaweb.google.com/Carol.Elkins/GatesPensChutesAndFeeders?feat=embedwebsite


I also keep a salt block available.

Carol

At 08:07 PM 10/1/2013, you wrote:
any recomdations for a mineral supplement. Do blackbelly sheep need 
it? What I have been using seems expencive.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Bleeding

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Lucinda,

I read the following somewhere that may help:

If she is well in herself otherwise, you might consider collecting a 
urine sample for your vet to analyze. The vet will be able to analyze 
it and determine if there is anything abnormal. They will be able to 
tell you if this is frank bleeding or if it is a hemorrhagic 
discharge which might be more suggestive of uterine infection. The 
vet will also be able to appreciate changes to the urine's white 
blood cell content (a marker of bladder and kidney infection) and the 
vet will be able to analyze this urine under the microscope to rule 
out bacteria (another sign of an infection) renal casts (which is 
seen with kidney infection), crystals (a sign of urine crystalluria 
or bladder stones), and they will have an eye out for any obvious 
cancer type cells. Overall, this is quite a non-invasive means of 
checking if there are any of the these differentials could be affecting Daisy.


Depending on the findings, you may have the vet check her at that 
stage. They will be able to have a feel within vulva to rule out 
disease based at that location and a general feel (or perhaps 
ultrasound) to tell you which of our other concerns are lurking and 
causing this abnormal and potentially sinister bleeding.


So, since bleeding is quite abnormal in this situation and likely a 
sign of something that might lead to future illness, we do want to 
get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. Therefore, it would be 
prudent to collect a urine sample for testing and even having feel in 
the vulva for abnormal masses or wounds. Depending on the findings 
from these, you will be in a better position to narrow down our 
concerns and address her condition effectively for her. 


Carol

At 01:45 PM 9/22/2013, you wrote:
Has any one experienced a was middle age sheep vaginal bleeding 
about every 2 weeks, approx few teaspoon to 1/8 th cp.  no other 
behavior issues at all.. I  the vet are stumped .. Thank you


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Milk replacer

[Carol Elkins]

Cecil, there is a discussion about Dumor milk replacer (not Dunmore) 
at 
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/goats/439923-whats-best-milk-replacer.html


They are reporting slow growth in kids as a result of incorrect fat 
levels. That may be what is causing underdeveloped hearts in your lambs.


Dumor milk supply is manufactured by Tractor Supply (at least they 
hold the trademark; see http://www.trademarkia.com/dumor-85250247.html).


Carol

At 05:32 AM 9/5/2013, you wrote:
I am waiting on my 4th bottle fed ewe to die.  We raised 5 lambs on 
a bottle 2 years ago.  Of the 5, 4 have not made it to 2 yrs old.  2 
were autopsied and found to have under developed hearts.  1 was not 
autopsied.  Besides being in my flock, the one common factor was 
that we used Dumore milk replacer from Tractor Supply.  I was having 
a difficult time getting replacer.  I started using the Dumore brand 
and continued in order to not distress the lambs from changing milk 
replacer. I have raised other bottle lambs on Land o Lakes and 
Merrick and the only one of these that died was from a coyote 
attack.   I would like to know the country of origin of Dumore milk 
replacer.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Webinar on Parasite Management

[Carol Elkins]

FYI, especially if you subscribe to the I deworm my sheep every X 
months whether they need it or not school of thought.


The http://www.sheepusa.org/American Sheep Industry Association 
(ASI) and it's http://www.growourflock.org/Rebuild the Sheep 
Industry Committee is sponsoring a webinar on parasites. The webinar 
will take place on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at 7 p.m. EST. 
Pre-registration is required.


The webinar, entitled A New Approach to Parasite Management will 
be conducted by Drs. Tom Terrill and Will Getz from Fort Valley 
State University (in Georgia). Dr. Terrill is the coordinator of the 
http://www.acsrpc.org/American Consortium for Small Ruminant 
Parasite Control (ACSRPC). Dr. Getz is also a member of the consortium.


According to Drs. Terrill and Getz, We will discuss the current 
state of thinking on best management practices for control of 
internal parasites in sheep. This will include reducing dependence 
upon anthelmintic de-wormers through the use of diagnostic tools 
that allow targeted selective treatment of only the animals in the 
flock that actually need it, as well as use of alternative 
(non-chemical) control technologies in an integrated parasite 
management (IPM) system.


https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1380605426180728576Register 
online



--
Posted By Susan Schoenian to 
http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2013/08/webinar-on-parasite-management.htmlShepherd's 
Notebook at 8/14/2013 10:49:00 AM


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Re: [Blackbelly] Dead ewe, coyotes? or something else

[Carol Elkins]

Michael, in 2008 I had a cougar AND a pack of coyotes kill and eat 
five 90-lb ram lambs in one night. All that was left when I found 
them the next morning were rib cages, five stomachs (drug away from 
the carcasses), and a few testicles. The cat had gone over the fence; 
the coyotes dug under. During the two months that I waited to get a 
couple of guardian dogs (Great Pyrenees/Anatolian crosses), I lived 
under siege and patrolled the pastures a couple of times every night 
with a shotgun.


The cat came back two weeks later (apparently that is their regular 
revisiting interval) and killed one of my ewe lambs. I interrupted 
her at 2AM and watched her jump a 6-ft chainlink fence. She didn't 
climb up it; she jumped it. I had 4-ft field fencing around all of my 
paddocks. It stopped nothing until I ran a strand of electric wire 
along the top. I also put railroad ties along the bottom, inside the 
fence to discourage digging. And during that time, I also locked the 
sheep behind bars at night; every opening to their sheds had hog 
panel wired across it.


The minute the guardian dogs arrived, the terror stopped. I've slept 
well every night since them. Because you live in a populated 
neighborhood, LGDs can create problems with their barking, so that 
may not be an option for you, although you mentioned a dog sleeping 
with the sheep. Perhaps get another dog or a better dog? If the dog 
makes its presence known, generally the predators will stay away 
because the risk of their being injured is too great.


 I know how if feels to discover the remains of your flock without 
having heard a peep in the night. I'm sorry that happened to you.


Carol

At 11:17 PM 6/4/2013, you wrote:

Or, was it the contents of her stomach after being killed, and then she was
dragged? It was a rather large amount, and difficult for me to imagine
any of the animals having that much come out at once, normally. Again,
there appeared to be no blood on it at all.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] video on humane slaughter of cattle

[Carol Elkins]

I know it has nothing to do with sheep, but I thought some of you 
would be interested in a 10-minute video I watched today. Dr. Temple 
Grandin, who some of you know is widely considered to be the world's 
leading expert on humane animal handling--and who is 
austistic--guides a tour through a beef slaughter facility. The video 
was produced by the American Meat Industry in an effort to improve 
transparency of the workings in meat packing facilities--often the 
target of animal rights groups.


The 2012 beef-processing video is available at 
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0011Lj3yqOVGnKVjo6pRc4c_KseJ3wQ5pnm7bAeKABAf1-UsqxuKmzJkHzjwtqDGS4FkWJwHK_FoVlOzGxd5L0HtJIFqGuB7pUar2Y_DIAZI9lemiJZRhyE6B-LCjN1Iu9q31AVabS7k_kbG0iMCe31fJAv5xeRVo2dP58FeOwvQb4REvXw1k7z3Q==www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMqYYXswonofeature=player_embedded. 



Next week, AMI will release another video tour, this time of pork slaughter.

Dr. Temple Grandin's website is at http://www.grandin.com. There is a 
wealth of information there, and I have read and can recommend 
several of her books, including Animals Make Us Human and Animals 
in Translation. Her autism gives her a unique perspective on how 
animals think. I've found the information I've learned from her books 
useful in helping me design handling systems for my sheep and how to 
ensure their humane slaughter.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Hydroponic Fodder--It is a viable option for beeding sheep?

[Carol Elkins]

Hi everyone,

There has been a lot of interest in growing barley fodder for sheep. 
There still needs to be a lot of research done on its suitability as 
a feedstuff and how much of a sheep's diet can be replaced with 
fodder. I've been skeptical about the claims from fodder system 
manufacturers and I'm still waiting for the science to be done. Susan 
Shoenian published a good article today that also suggests caution 
when experimenting with fodder for your sheep. You can read her full 
article at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/hydrofodder.html


Susan is an Extension Sheep  Goat Specialist at the University of 
Maryland's Western Maryland Research  Education Center in 
Keedysville. She is an avid supporter of hair sheep and does more to 
educate the public via her Web sites and newsletters than anyone else I know.


Carol


Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 14:32:07 +
From: Susan Schoenian ssch...@umd.edu
Subject: [SHEPHERDSNOTEBOOK] [Shepherd's Notebook] Hydroponic Fodder For Feed
To:   shepherdsnoteb...@listserv.umd.edu

Although the methods of hydroponic fodder production date back to 
the 1930's, there is renewed interest in hydroponic fodder as a 
feedstuff for sheep, goats, and other livestock.


Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Fodder 
(livestock feed) can be grown hydroponically much the same as 
vegetables, flowers, and other plants. Barley is the most commonly 
grown forage, because it usually gives the best yield of nutrients.


A hydroponic fodder system usually consists of a framework of 
shelves on which metal or plastic trays are stacked. In 5 to 8 days 
time, seeds produce a 6 to 8 inch high grass mat that can be fed to 
livestock. While there is a 6 to 10-fold increase in feed weight 
from the original one pound of grain, the increase is almost all water.


Hydroponic fodder is a palatable and highly nutritious feed for all 
classes of livestock, but its high moisture content (10-15%), makes 
it a very expensive feed supplement.


Proponents of hydroponic fodder systems make all sorts of claims 
about hydroponic fodder as a feed for livestock, but few of these 
claims have been substantiated or proven to be repeatable in experiments.


While hydroponic fodder is not likely to become a major source of 
feed for commercial livestock, it may be feasible under certain circumstances.


http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/hydrofodder.htmlRead full article


--
Posted By Susan Schoenian to 
http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2013/04/hydroponic-fodder-for-feed.htmlShepherd's 
Notebook at 4/04/2013 10:32:00 AM


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Cameroon sheep?

[Carol Elkins]

Good point, Michael, although with a world population of fewer than 
650 I doubt it would have been practical or possible to import 
Cameroon sheep into the U.S. back in the 1970s when the American 
Blackbelly first got started. It would be interesting to try to track 
down the history of the Cameroon to learn how it developed. I wonder 
what the Barbados Blackbelly was crossed with to create the Cameroon.


Also, the Wiki site mentions something about dwarf Cameroon sheep. 
I wonder if the Cameroon isn't full-sized. That would have been 
another reason for the U.S. breeders to not use Cameroon bloodstock. 
They bred Barbados Blackbelly with Rambouillet to put more size on 
the carcass. It didn't work out the way they intended, though.


Carol

At 03:06 PM 3/26/2013, you wrote:

someone commented on one of my YouTube videos and asked if my American
Blackbellies were also called Cameroon Sheep.

Of course, they are not, but, I looked them up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameroon_(sheep)

seems to be the same African origination as for the Barbado
Blackbelly, except not polled.

curious, since if the original US breeders of American Blackbellies
had wanted horned Barbado Blackbelly-looking sheep, they could have
bred Cameroons.

-Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] WTB or Trade Registered Ram in Ohio or any adjacent state.

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Mike,

Which breed of ram are you looking for? American Blackbelly (horned) 
or Barbados Blackbelly (polled)?


Carol

At 12:08 PM 3/20/2013, you wrote:

Hello Folks,

It is time for us to bring in some new blood lines into our flock 
here at Soggy Top Farm 
cid:part1.03020606.09020101@soggytopfarm.com.  I am interested in 
purchasing a good registered ram or trading rams if ours would meet 
your needs. You can contact me at this address or if you would 
rather phone my number is 330-763-3533.


Mike


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Re: [Blackbelly] Lamb prices

[Carol Elkins]

Eldon,

I sell live lambs and facilitate on-farm slaughter for my customers. 
Last year they paid $3.50/lb live weight for my lamb (not sure what 
it will be this year; depends on hay and grain prices). They pay the 
slaughter/dressing fee and the custom cutting and packaging fees 
directly to those providers. Blackbelly lamb is gourmet quality meat 
and can be marketed directly to health-conscience people. My 
customers are physicians and health-food consumers and are willing to 
pay top price for grass-fed, chemical-free lamb that is custom raised 
for them. You can attract those kind of customers when you distance 
yourself from the mutton-flavored wool sheep that everyone dislikes. 
Those sheep are currently selling for about $2.00/lb and downward. 
You can view the current USDA weekly lamb prices at 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswlamb.pdf  (check the carcass 
lamb prices on the lower right side of that page) and regional 
reports by searching Google for current slaughter lamb prices.


Carol

At 08:55 AM 1/21/2013, you wrote:
I recently sent some culls to the USDA approved processor near here 
to sell as whole lambs.  I have no point of reference for pricing to 
the customer.   Wooly raiser that sold pieces at the Farmer's Market 
has retired.  Previously we sold a few pieces here and there based 
on his prices.  Two BB breeders I asked about this sell on the 
hoof.  Any price per pound suggestions based on hanging weight?  Or 
on finished, packaged weight?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] If you've been wanting your own farm Web site...

[Carol Elkins]

Consortium members,

If you've been wanting your own farm Web site but either didn't know 
where to start or were concerned that you didn't have the skills to 
make one, here is a pretty good deal. Godaddy.com (the company that I 
use to buy the various domain names that I use) has a Web site 
builder that you can use without having any technical skills or 
coding experience. You choose a template and then drag and drop 
photos and write the text for your site using their user-friendly 
interface. You can link to Facebook and Twitter or display a map to 
your farm. And they give you a free domain name with whatever annual 
plan you choose.


They are running a promotion right now that will give you a small 
(5-page) site for 12 months for $1/month; a bigger 10-page site will 
cost $3.99/month for a year. If you sign up for 2 or 3 year plans, 
then it gets even cheaper.


And I just received a code for an additional 20% off that I'll share 
with you: Place source code fbwsbn20 in your cart or mention the code 
when you call! Expires 2/3/2013.


So you could have a small Web site for $9.60 the first year that 
includes your own domain name and email address.


DON'T let GoDaddy sucker you into purchasing anything else. You don't 
need it. They are a good company, but they bury you in ads for extra 
stuff as you try to finalize your purchases.


I have no affiliation with GoDaddy other than using them for my and 
BBSAI's domain names. Their customer service is good and based in the 
U.S. If you get a Web site up and running, let us know!


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] P.S. on Web site

[Carol Elkins]

Even though I accidentally forgot to remove the Consortium members 
greeting in the email I just posted about building your own farm Web 
site, the email really was meant for the Blackbelly Listserv. I just 
clicked the Send button too soon.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Blackbelly in Germany

[Carol Elkins]

Remi, thanks for sharing. I can imagine the sudden braking and 
swerving when you glimpsed these beautiful sheep in the pasture. 
Anyone having trouble finding the photos on Remi's Web site can use 
this link: http://blackbellyfarm.us/modules/tadgallery/index.php?csn=9


Carol

At 08:59 PM 11/28/2012, you wrote:

Hello Folks

It was a big surprise for us to encounter Barbados Blackbelly sheep,
as far north as Dresden, Germany last September. The owner was not to
be seen, so I was not able to get information about his flock. But I
did take some pictures to share. They are posted on my website
http://blackbellyfarm.us  in the Gallery
Enjoy
Remi


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[Blackbelly] sheep transport resources

[Carol Elkins]

Since it has been so quiet on the list recently, I thought I'd 
mention a couple of sheep hauling outfits that you might want to know 
about if you need to transport those spring lambs pretty soon.


Many of us have been using Ron Keener for years. His Web site is at 
http://travelwithronk.com/index.html but you also need to get on his 
Yahoo group to be part of the group commication effort of his 
schedule and whereabouts. He links to it right on his home page. Ron 
makes several coast-to-coast trips per year with door-to-door pickup 
and delivery. He is a goat breeder himself and cares for all 
livestock in his trailer as if it were his own.


I also received a recommendation Worley's Hauling 
http://www.worleyshauling.com/ They have mostly horses posted on 
their site, but they don't mind at all hauling sheep and have smaller 
stalls in their trailer for them and do care for all of their animals 
well. Valerie Wright of the United Horned Hair Sheep Association says 
that this is one transporter she would recommend from personal experience.


Be prepared for sticker shock when you get an estimate from these 
guys. They are not gouging but their price is high. Fuel costs, food 
and board, equipment costs, all of those things make sheep transport 
seriously expensive. But I know many people who say that they could 
not make the same journey that the professionals do at any lower 
cost. So it is an option to consider,


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Links of interest to nutrition webinars and to pasture lease options

[Carol Elkins]

I gleaned this information from the OSU Sheep Team Newsletter 
(http://sheep.osu.edu/) and thought it worth sharing.



Sheep Nutrition Sessions Available

Dried Distillers Grains and Sheep Nutrition by Dr. Steve Loerch 
(http://go.osu.edu/DDGSandSheepNutritionhttp://go.osu.edu/DDGSandSheepNutrition 
)


Storing Forages by Dr. Bill Weiss ( 
http://go.osu.edu/storingforageshttp://go.osu.edu/storingforages )


Clicking on the links will take you to the presentation. Each 
presenter does an excellent job of covering their respective topics. 
We hope these recordings are useful.


Pasture Rental Resources

Recently Extension Farm Management specialists in the North Central 
Region updated resources on farm leasing. Ag Lease 101 
http://aglease101.org/http://aglease101.org is the website where 
you can find the information. It contains publications discussing 
various lease arrangements and sample leases. One publication is 
devoted to pasture rental agreements.



Enjoy!

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Humor: Champis the sheep-herding bunny?

[Carol Elkins]

Those of you who can't afford a pricey herding dog might consider a 
herding rabbit. Don't believe me? Watch this great video (at the 
bottom of the following site):


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093886/Meet-rabbit-resident-sheep-dog-farm.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] sheep scratching post

[Carol Elkins]

I'd like to give my sheep something to scratch on besides my fence 
(they are really hard on fences). Come spring when they want to help 
their shedding along, it would be nice if they had something prickly 
or scratchy to rub up against. Have any of you made something for 
your sheep to scratch on?


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] I'm looking for sheep

[Carol Elkins]

Preston, what breed are you looking for, American Blackbelly (horned 
rams) or Barbados Blackbelly (polled rams)?


Carol

At 05:15 PM 12/31/2011, you wrote:

So, I'm looking for some breeding ewes in the DFW or North Texas 
area. If you've got some you'd like to sell, please email me offlist.


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Re: [Blackbelly] Alfalfa pellets/cubes

[Carol Elkins]

Nancy, do you happen to know if the pellets were for rabbits? Also, 
what quantity of pellets were you giving each sheep and was it their 
only feed at the time? Sheep need approximately 4% of their body 
weight in hay each day, so a 100 lb ewe will need about 4 lb of hay. 
I can't imagine giving a ewe 4 lb of pellets, but maybe that's not as 
unreasonable as I think it is. I like the idea of no waste; it makes 
the cost of the pellets more bearable. I'm also going to contact a 
feed mill about 60 miles away that does custom pelleting and see if 
they can make a pellet somewhere inbetween the size of a rabbit 
pellet and a horse cube.


Liz, I tried chaffhay many years ago and it was okay but the sheep 
wasted even more of it than they do hay. Also, I don't know of a 
chaffhay distributor close to my town any longer. But I may have to 
start searching a little harder!


Carol

At 08:26 AM 10/23/2011, you wrote:
We have used the pellets here in MIssouri. They have been running 
anywarhere from $10 to 12.50 a bag. They are guarenteed to have 17% 
protein. The sheep love them and they seem to stay with them.  And 
there is no mess to clean up. We also feed hay alflafa /orchard mix 
but are haveing to use some lesser hay since there is such a 
shortage due to drought and everything else going to Texas. We have 
50 to 55 lb mixed bales for $5 . But there is always left overs that 
need to be cleaned up. Big bales are non existant now. Farmers are 
keeping everything for their cows., Nancy


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] what I feed for minerals

[Carol Elkins]

At 07:42 PM 10/17/2011, you wrote:
What is DE.  I've heard this on the listserve a couple of times, but 
I have no idea what it is.


DE is diatomaceous earth. A lot of people swear by it as a dewormer, 
as well as use of Shaklee's Basic H detergent in the drinking water, 
and garlic. However, there are no scientific studies that suggest 
that any of these products have any substantial effect as an 
anthelmintic. I suspect that blackbelly sheep's natural tolerance to 
worms is the main reason that these substances appear to work.


Carol



Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Pipestone Vet's ad about not feeding sheep mineral

[Carol Elkins]

Pipestone carried the following advertisement for their 
Selenium/Iodine Premix in this month's Pipestone Veterinary Clinic 
Sheep Newsletter and I am curious about what the rest of you think. 
I've never had a sheep die from sheep mineral, so the ad's leading 
sentence caught my eye.

__

How many lambs and rams have to die before we quit using sheep mineral?

*There is no justification for feeding phosphorus to sheep.
*Consumption of sheep mineral is controlled by salt and flavoring 
agents, not by need.
*Sheep generally need salt, iodine and selenium in addition to their 
ordinary diet intake.
*Feedlot lambs need 20 lbs. of salt and 30 lbs. of limestone per ton 
of concentrate ration. Ammonium chloride can be added to further 
control urinary calculi.


Selenium/Iodine Premix (#8770) now contains trace minerals and iodine 
as well as selenium. Sodium molybdate is included to help ward off 
excess copper. We have added iodine and trace mineral to our sister 
product Vitamin E-Se-Iodine Premix (#6249). This should be fed 
win-ter and spring as Vitamin E content of feed stuffs declines.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Mix 1 lb. of either premix with 50 lbs. of salt.
Offer salt free choice.
#8770Selenium/Iodine Premix 5#  10.00
#6249Vit E/Se/Iodine 5# - $27.50
_


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Need help with identifying a ewe

[Carol Elkins]

Let's make sure we are using the correct breed names, especially when 
trying to help someone not familiar with either breed.


Barbados Blackbelly are polled (neither ram nor ewe has horns). They 
are not called barbado or anything other than Barbados Blackbelly. 
There are fewer than 500 of these sheep in the U.S. The registry for 
Barbados Blackbelly is closed, meaning that only sheep whose parents 
are registered can be registered themselves. This helps ensure that 
crossbreeds don't slip into the common gene pool.


American Blackbelly rams have horns, and often the ewes have horns or 
scurs. They should not be called barbado, but they often are in 
Texas because it is a common nickname. American Blackbelly breeders 
have worked hard to develop their breed so that it consistently and 
predictably reproduces true to type. White, other than in the tip of 
the tail, is a disqualifying trait.


Barbado is not a breed. Barbado sheep meet no breed standard. They 
often do not have black bellies or facial barbs. They often are 
cross-bred sheep and may display various degrees of wooliness and 
off-type markings, but generally are a hair sheep.


Carol

At 07:16 PM 9/25/2011, you wrote:
Definitely Barbado or American Blackbelly- mix with something else. 
My AB girls mostly have horn scurs, I would think a true barbado would not.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Fwd: RE: Barbados Blackbelly sheep

[Carol Elkins]

Folks, here is a link about a fire in southern California 
yesterday.  Look closely at the pictures of 35 American Blackbelly 
sheep that survived the fire, although some are scorched from the 
tremendous heat of the fire.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cajon-fire-20110904,0,5879720.story

More photos are here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cajon-pass-fire-pictures,0,6280404.photogallery

If you follow the link to pictures taken of the fire you will see 
more pictures of the sheep and desperate circumstances the owner now 
faces with his tremendous loss.  Although his home was fully paid 
for, he didn't have insurance.  Hopefully he will be able to feed the 
survivors of the fire but what about medical help for them?


He lost everything he owned, everything was burned to the ground but 
somehow the sheep survived, shielded from the flames by their 
protector, a Lama, shown in photographs to be very badly burned. I'm 
hoping that one of you or someone you know could offer to temporarily 
provide pasture for them to graze or help him decide what to do for 
the survivors.


Although I do not know this gentleman, I do know that in times like 
this you just don't think clearly, and sometimes it's through the 
help of outsiders that can make a huge difference.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] fenced area needed in Guymon Oklahoma for sheep transfer

[Carol Elkins]

I will be swapping some sheep with a person and we plan to meet 
halfway in Guymon, Oklahoma. I get nervous thinking about 
transferring blackbelly sheep from one vehicle/trailer to another 
without the security of a fenced enclosure to prevent an accidental 
runaway. Do any of you happen to live in or near Guymon and have a 
fenced area or know of one? Guymon has a fairground, but I can't see 
from the map if there are any barns. If someone familiar with the 
area could email me privately, I would greatly appreciate it.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz
celk...@critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Blackbelly Sheep Record for sale on Amazon

[Carol Elkins]

I ran across this record on Amazon featuring a seriously decked-out 
blackbelly ewe. Judging from the songs on the album, I doubt the 
artists have a great deal of appreciation for the kind of music our 
sheep might like. Playing one of these songs would definitely cause 
my flock to bolt for the river. But the cover is cool!


http://www.amazon.com/Black-Belly-Sheep/dp/B001EJWXOM%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIGASBUYVEB7MTLPA%26tag%3Dthefoodrecipe-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EJWXOM

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Parasite deaths/Worming

[Carol Elkins]

Have a look at

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/grants/1997/1995-34_Alternative_Parasite_Control_for_Sheep_%5B_Organic_%5D.pdf 
and



http://ofrf.org/funded/summaries/allen_98-03_lamb-parasiticides_summary.pdf

For a critique of both of these articles, see
http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/critique_of_DE_studies.pdf


Also of interest is http://eap.mcgill.ca/agrobio/ab370-04e.htm, which 
is an article entitled The Control of Internal Parasites in 
Ruminants. It is a good article (albeit sort of dated) that explains 
the life cycle of worms, dewormers to use, and alternative deworming 
methods. Easy to understand and a good primer on parasite management.



Carol

At 04:05 PM 7/20/2011, you wrote:

I recall an article, and perhaps someone on this list remembers where,
that presented worm loads in sheep pre and post chemical worming vs
sheep maintained on an alternative, DE I believe.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] barn fan

[Carol Elkins]

Summer heat is here and this year I'd like to either stir or cool the 
air a bit in the sheep shed (30' x 16' pole shed) to help the 
pregnant ewes. I've thought of a ceiling fan or maybe just a box fan 
suspended from a rafter. Does anyone have an affordable (cheap) fan 
set-up that they like and would care to share?


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] blackfaced ABB ram

[Carol Elkins]

American Blackbelly and Black Hawaiian are both offshoots from the 
crossings done with Barbados Blackbelly sheep in the 1970's.  You can 
read a history of AB sheep at 
http://blackbellysheep.org/articles/history.pdf  Careful breeding of 
the Corsican coloration has yielded a very strong genetic 
expression, and the the BBSAI acknowledged the American Blackbelly 
sheep as a distinct breed in 2004. Sheep meeting the breed standard 
at http://blackbellysheep.org/abstandards.html can be registered as 
American Blackbelly.


I would think that a sheep showing AB markings and a black face is 
simply a mutt sheep coming from genetics that have not been selected 
for AB coloration. Or perhaps it is a random mutation. If the black 
stripes on the sheep's face cannot be distinguished from an otherwise 
black face, then the sheep can't be registered as an American 
Blackbelly. The person selling it wasn't being accurate about the 
sheep's breeding.


Carol

At 06:11 PM 5/1/2011, you wrote:
Someone had an American Blackbelly ram for sale or trade on Craig's 
list. Are ABB with black faces considered part of the breed?  He 
looks like an ABB accept for the black face.  Could he be part Black Hawaiian?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Horse-blanket for a ram?

[Carol Elkins]

Michael, have you considered a heat lamp? If you have power out to 
the ram shed, it would be my first option.


Alternatively, you might see what you could do for him using an old 
size XXX sweatshirt. You would need to keep it tucked up out of the 
way of his urine stream. I tried it with my dog and he hated it.


Carol

At 10:47 AM 2/26/2011, you wrote:

Has anyone ever successfully made a horse-blanket kind of poncho thing
for a blackbelly before?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Barbados Blackbelly starter flock for sale

[Carol Elkins]

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

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Re: [Blackbelly] Ram pix for Fall, 2010

[Carol Elkins]

Michael, absolutely stunning rams. I really enjoy your photos. Thanks 
for posting.


Carol

At 12:41 PM 9/30/2010, you wrote:

Have not seen many posts. Thought I would share some pix of The Boys a
few weeks ago.

http://mwsmith.smugmug.com/Animals/RamsSept2010/13988192_MQs45#1028603433_Jp6cf

_Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies
___


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] good movie about sheep

[Carol Elkins]

Glad you liked the movie, Michael. You'll be glad to listen to the 
commentary; it helped a lot. That cussing scene was followed by that 
whining A'hole phoning his MOTHER, not his friend! And at the end he 
said I really like to torment her like that. I really hated that jerk.


My favorite scene was in the beginning where we see just a few sheep 
lolling around the paddock. Then the REST of the flock comes in, all 
3000 of them. And I particularly liked the magesty of spending months 
herding those sheep through the mountains. You probably didn't 
realize that they weren't shooting to kill those grizzly bears (which 
would be a federal offense) but were shooting near them to scare them off.


To answer your other questions:

1. I thought it was unnecessary to toss that lamb on top the other 
lambs, but at that age, they are made of rubber and I suppose it 
didn't hurt the lamb. They get much worse treatment from being butted 
by other sheep. It's just hard to watch a human being so rough.


2. The point of pushing the orphan lamb up next to the lamb being 
born was to mingle the birth fluids that were  pooling underneath 
across both lambs so as to cause the ewe to think that both of them 
were hers. Some ewes can't count past 1.


3. The lady dragging the lamb into the pen to coax the ewe in with it 
was simply saving her back from having to carry the lamb. Again, you 
probably thought it was a little rougher than necessary, but wool 
lambs are a lot heavier than blackbelly lambs and it is probably 
easier to drag them than carry them. With small blackbelly lambs, I 
just hold the lamb in from of me and back into the pen, making sure 
the ewe sees and smells the lamb the entire way. I've had no luck 
putting the lamb into the pen and trying to get the ewe to go in 
afterwards. If I don't keep that lamb right in front of her nose, she 
loses interest or goes off in a different direction to search for her 
lost lamb elsewhere. It's less of a problem with experienced mothers 
than first-timers. And most blackbely moms need no help at all. 
Woolie sheep need constant attention at lambing. That's why those 
farmers were taking the lambing duties in shifts--24 hours around the clock.


4. Yes, the lamb pelt was skinned from a lamb that had died earlier. 
They were dressing an orphan lamb into the pelt to trick the ewe into 
thinking the orphan was the lamb she had given birth to.


I hope that some others on this list are now intrigued enough by this 
discussion to rent the movie. You won't regret it.


Carol

At 03:03 PM 8/24/2010, you wrote:

Carol. I watched this movie using streaming on my iPad. Fantastic!
Thanks for the suggestion. Had to show some of the good parts to my
wife.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] good movie about sheep

[Carol Elkins]

I watched a good movie called Sweetgrass, available from Netflix at 
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Sweetgrass/70128353?trkid=226870


Actually, I watched it twice, once without the audio commentary and 
then again with the audio commentary turned on. The movie is a 
documentary about a family of Montana sheepherders as they drive 
their flock of 3000 sheep up into the mountain range and then back 
down when the 2002 grazing season is over. I think everyone who 
raises sheep will be captivated by the movie. It documents the last 
sheep trailing done in this area of Montana, the end of a 104-year 
ranching tradition. People with herding dogs will enjoy watching the 
dogs on the trail. People with LGDs will enjoy watching the LGDs 
protect the sheep against grizzly bear. There is very little dialog, 
and what there is is often streams of profanity by one of the men 
herding the sheep. But the sheep noises are really important to the 
film, and you miss all of this with the commentary turned on. That's 
why it is worth watching twice. The commentary explains a lot of what 
is going on. If you subscribe to Netflix, I highly recommend this movie.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding

[Carol Elkins]

Tom, do everything you possibly can to milk colostrum from the ewe. 
Put her in a stanchion to hold her still. You may not get a lot, but 
every bit is important. Measure what you do get and divide it into 
two parts, one for each lamb. Do this as often as you can to get as 
much colostrum as you can from her. If she has any milk in her bag, 
you might try letting the lambs nurse. I stanchioned a ewe three 
times a day for 3 weeks and she finally accepted the lamb. (I bottle 
fed him to supplement what he was getting from the ewe.)


Read the article I wrote about Raising Bummer Lambs on a Bottle at 
http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/bummer_lamb.htm It contains a 
recipe for a newborn milk formula to use if you have no colostrum. It 
also provides a schedule and a formula for feeding amounts. Cecil 
will caution you to not feed as much as the article recommends per 
feeding and I agree; but it is a place to start.


Carol

At 09:58 PM 8/2/2010, you wrote:

I dont have any colostrum.  All of this happened after the feed stores were
closed.
I can probably find some tomowrrow-- or is that too late?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] treats for taming

[Carol Elkins]

I have found that my popularity with my sheep has increased 
significantly now that I occasionally carry a handful of dog kibble. 
Several of the sheep now mob me, begging for treats. I dispense the 
kibble piece by piece into upturned, open mouths. Not all of my sheep 
are willing to swap their inherent distrust of humans for such a 
tasty reward, but several have. It makes my evening zen time more 
pleasurable for me, and for them. I DO NOT recommend doing this if 
you feed guardian dogs in the same pen with the sheep. The poor dogs 
would never get a chance at their food.



Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Our Blackbelly's guard dog

[Carol Elkins]

I have two Pyrenees/Anatolian LGDs with very long hair. Our summers 
are VERY hot but not humid. Every spring, I shave off their 
pantaloons because they are too matted to groom. This year the male 
dog had accumulated great boluses of fecal material in his pantaloons 
that smelled terrible and were getting bigger by the day. I also 
closely trim the hair behind their ears because it gets very matted. 
Other than that, I spend several hours on each dog brushing out the 
shedding hair (removing enough hair to build a brand-new dog). So the 
grooming I do is for health and hygiene reasons as well as for the 
dogs' comfort. I suggest you do whatever your dogs require. But I 
think close-cropping any of the other hair could cause a bad sunburn 
situation, especially with these pink-skinned dogs.


Carol

At 06:20 AM 5/24/2010, you wrote:
But her coat is thick and heavy and we live in South Mississippi 
where it is very hot and humid.   I have a friend here who raises 
Pyrenees and never cuts their hair. He advises not to trim her coat, 
saying she will shed all she needs.  My question is:  Is there a 
downside to a very close cropping?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] wooden milk bar pattern?

[Carol Elkins]

I have been asked if  there is a pattern or even a picture available 
of a feeder to hold bummer lambs' bottles.  The gentleman doesn't 
want to build one of the common lamb milk bars using a bucket and 
teats. He wants to build something out of wood. I remember seeing 
such a thing many years ago. It was basically a 2 x 6 with suitably 
sized holes to hold a series of baby bottles at a correct angle for 
nursing. The trick would be the design of what holds the bottle. Do 
any of you have any experience or knowledge of such a contraption? 
I'd like to be able to help him. He's trying to locate a pattern so 
that his son can build the feeder.


Thanks,

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Sierra Luna Blackbellies

[Carol Elkins]

You take exceptional photos, Beth. Your making them available on a 
Facebook page will give your breed good exposure. The more times you 
can include the breed name American Blackbelly in each photo's 
caption, the better the search engines will be at finding them.


Carol


At 03:17 PM 3/23/2010, you wrote:
I wanted to see of this would work.  This is a link to my Facebook 
sheep album.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] Weanling wether in AZ

[Carol Elkins]

This gal needs to find a home for a lamb she just inherited.

Laurie Gengler
swanda...@yahoo.com
New River, AZ
phone: 623-451-6971
Weanling American Blackbelly wether, must go today not registered Make an offer!

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Re: [Blackbelly] putting young rams in with adult rams

[Carol Elkins]

Cathy, when I wean my ram lambs , they go straight into the ram pen 
with the adult rams. I think they learn at a young age who the 
dominant ram is and it reduces fighting in the long run. The adult 
rams don't consider the ram lambs as any threat and thus don't harm them.


I know that doesn't help you much right now. I think your bottle ram 
will be in for a rude shock when he meets your adult rams. One wrong 
butt could seriously harm him. When you first introduce him in with 
the adults, put them in the smallest area you can create so that 
there is little room for anyone to back up far enough to get a head 
of steam going. After a day or two, enlarge the area and monitor them 
carefully. Once they sort out who's top ram, things will calm down a 
bit. But rams constantly test the water. It's their job.


Carol


At 06:06 PM 2/16/2010, you wrote:
What age or weight  is recommended for putting young ABB rams in 
with the adult ABB rams?


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] The USDA has announced that it is dropping NAIS!

[Carol Elkins]

Good news, everyone,

USDA has stated that it is refocusing its efforts on a new, flexible 
framework that will apply only to animals moved in interstate 
commerce and encourage the use of lower-cost technology.  When 
asked whether the agency would continue using federal funding to 
pressure states to adopt the program through cooperative agreements, 
Secretary Vilsack stated that USDA has gotten a failing grade on 
NAIS and that he does NOT intend to try to implement it through the back door.


You can read more details from USDA at: 
http://et.ratepoint.com/1b55c6940a7071e38a07e004eeb8b336/e7d49c414e59655280f9def47e659853http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_traceability.pdf 



Your voice was heard. Stay alert. Stay active.

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] what to do about an aggressive ram?

[Carol Elkins]

At 04:16 PM 1/12/2010, you wrote:
Dave asks..
Is it a good better idea to keep more than one ram (or wether) 
together rather than keeping only one ram segregated and alone? Will 
rams fight if they are together with another ram or wether?


A lone sheep of either sex will be very stressed. I think that even a 
goat companion is better than no companion (assuming they get along). 
But a wether is useful in lots of situations--keeping lone rams 
company; babysitting weanling lambs; providing a comforting male 
presence in a ewe flock with none of the hormonal tension.


Dave asks...

In your experience what percentage of rams would you estimate are aggressive


I've raised about a dozen ram to their 2-year mark and only one, my 
foundation ram (who was an only ram during his formative years) was 
aggressive. His sole mission in life was to kill me. He'd take a 
cattle prod on the nose to get to me. Because Barbados Blackbelly 
genetics were so scarce in those days, I had to keep him around much 
longer than he deserved. I can't speak to any more generalized 
percentage that that.



Dave asks...
Does this mean the more reliable way to get a gentile ram is to use 
the above  as a technique?
I would assume the aggressive rams are the ones people want to get 
rid of or eat.


I'm not sure yet if my theory holds that a ram raised under a 
dominant ram will be less aggressive to humans. But it is worth 
considering, I think. I don't think there is a reliable way to get 
a nonaggressive ram.



Dave asks...
Could the ram lambs being the friendliest just be a lambs 
manifestation of being more aggressive and only being interpreted by 
humans as friendliest?


No, I think that rams in general are friendlier to humans because, 
unlike ewes, they don't have lambs to protect. I don't think that 
lamb friendliness is a prediction of eventual ram aggression. And the 
lambs I was referring to were more the 6-8 month age. I find them 
more curious and more willing to come up to sniff me. A ewe of that 
age (in my flock) is much less trusting.


You are asking great questions, Dave, and I appreciate everyone's 
contribution to these really good discussions.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] band saw for meat

[Carol Elkins]

Of course the ram lamb had to get himself killed Saturday evening of 
the three-day Memorial Day weekend. My custom slaughter guy wasn't 
home. The meat packer was closed. It's 6PM and I'm looking at the 
60-lb lamb lying bloated in the pasture, soon to be a siren call to 
every coyote in the county. The other ram lambs are looking the other 
way, unwilling to fess up to who delivered the fatal blow. So I'm 
stuck with the job of skinning, dressing, and cutting up about 30 lb 
of meat for the dogs. I didn't mind the skinning and dressing because 
I'd not done it before, so there was a certain novelty to the chore. 
But I've had to cut up carcasses for dog food before and it is a 
long, not fun job. Nevertheless, I plugged my MP3 player with its 
Clive Cussler audiobook into my ears and got that carcass skinned and 
the legs and rib cage bagged in two hours. I stashed everything into 
the spare fridge in the garage, too pooped to deal with cutting up the meat.


So today was meat cutting day. Because it's dog food, I got away with 
cutting everything into 2-lb chunks, bone and all. Even so, that's a 
lot of legbone and rib cutting to do with a small handheld meat 
hacksaw. Now that everything is packaged and in the freezer, the idea 
of buying a bandsaw is looking really good. I don't have many 
unexpected sheep deaths, so a bandsaw won't get a lot of use. Perhaps 
I could get good at cutting my own steaks and save on the $35 butcher fee.


I Googled and it seems there are sportsman models available for $250 
to $330. Do any of you know of less expensive options? I'm not really 
too familiar with shop tools, but I was wondering if  there is a kind 
of bandsaw that I could look for in a farm auction that would work. 
Do any of you have experience using such a tool in lieu of an actual 
meat bandsaw?


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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[Blackbelly] sheep video will keep you laughing

[Carol Elkins]

Oh, you guys have to watch this. I'm still rolling on the floor. 8-)

Combine a bunch of sheep (the BAA-STUDS--say that fast three times), 
some seriously talented sheep herders, a bucket full of LED lights, 
and some cell phones , mix and stir.


http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/sheep-leds-art-awesome

Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Google and privacy

[Carol Elkins]

The Blackbelly Listserv is not a Yahoo group. It is a privately 
hosted listserv that I pay for and maintain on my domain host's 
server. Although I am often criticized for not hosting this group on 
Yahoo (which allows HTML text and this listserv does not), I believe 
Yahoo is unsafe and leaves its members vulnerable to spammers, not to 
mention Yahoo's blatant abuse of its members' privacy. My 
subscribers' privacy has always been of utmost concern to me.


Messages sent to the Blackbelly Listserv are archived at 
http://www.mail-archive.com/blackbelly%40lists.blackbellysheep.info/ 
These messages can indeed be Googled. However, posters' email 
addresses are not viewable. I believe this provides the most secure 
privacy possible for Blackbelly Listserv subscribers while ensuring 
that the information in this list is readily available to people who 
can benefit by it. There is no  way to prevent messages sent to this 
listserv or, for that matter to any Yahoo group, to escape search engines.


If anyone has concerns or comments regarding this list, please email 
me privately at celk...@critterhaven.biz .


Carol Elkins
Listserv Owner

On 3/6/2009 7:14:35 PM, Bonnie Chandler (jbchand...@verizon.net) wrote:
 I just discovered that messages in the Blackbelly yahoolist come up on
 Google, which is not good for privacy concerns.

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[Blackbelly] alternative method for weaning a bottle baby

[Carol Elkins]

I've always weaned bottle lambs by diluting the milk replacer down to 
the point where they are simply drinking water. I read a recent 
message in another sheep group that said diluted milk can't be 
digested by the lamb. The message said that a lamb's stomach contains 
a naturally occurring enzyme called rennet. (This is the same rennet 
used in making cheese.) The enzyme curdles the milk in the stomach so 
that the lamb can digest it. If the milk is too dilute, the rennet 
can't curdle it and thus the lamb doesn't get the nutrition from the 
milk. The article said it is better to reduce the quantity of  milk 
than it is to dilute it.


This made sense to me, so I took this alternative approach with the 
bottle lamb I've been feeding for the past 2 months. It worked very 
well and I weaned him over a period of 7 days. Just thought I'd share.


Carol

Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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Re: [Blackbelly] Are Blackbellies easy to sell?

[Carol Elkins]

Hi Shawna,

The Barbados Blackbelly Consortium of Breeders is always a good place 
to sell your ewes, but now that we have a more plentiful supply of 
good polled rams, there is less demand. This is good news in a way 
because in 2004 there were fewer than a half dozen breeding BB rams 
in the entire U.S. The Consortium is dedicated to the conservation of 
the BB breed, and getting new breeders interested and excited about 
the breed and selling them starter flocks of top-quality sheep is the 
best way to do that.


Most blackbelly breeders, regardless of American or Barbados 
Blackbelly breed, develop a niche market for their rams. Because the 
flavor and texture of blackbelly lamb is so marvelous, they are an 
easy sell once you develop the initial customer base. Depending on 
where you live and how reliably you can provide a steady supply of 
lamb, you can market to ethnic groups, restaurants, neighbors, etc.


Marketing your lamb is no different than marketing any other product. 
It takes time, patience, and work. A couple weeks ago, I mentioned 
Ellie Winslow's free marketing newsletter for farm products available 
at http://beyondthesidewalk.com/index.shtmla . It would be great if 
folks on this list would share their marketing strategies with everyone.


And don't forget that I'd be happy to add your contact information to 
the Blackbelly Listserv Breeders Map at 
http://www.blackbellysheep.info/  Please understand that it takes me 
time to do this and I'm delighted to add people who contribute to the 
group. But I've spent countless hours adding new people only to have 
them unsubscribe from the list a week or two later. It takes time to 
remove the information as well.


Carol

At 10:24 AM 3/2/2009, you wrote:
  My husband is wondering how easy are these sheep to sell?  I 
believed going into this, that through the consortium, I wouldn't 
have a hard time selling my lamb crops?  What can you folks share 
with us about this topic?  We would love to hear from you.


Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz

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