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Post by littlecowfl on May 17, 2017 4:28:16 GMT -5
We love our Dexters. Perhaps some people here raise other animals on their farm, too? Do you raise a breed of goat? Poultry? Horses? Even dogs? Another breed of cattle? We are just starting out with St. Augustine Sheep. They are a new breed developed for the Southeast. Very friendly sheep. It's our 8 year old son's project. We have one ewe that has a visiting ram. He will buy a second ewe when we drop off the ram. When they lamb, they will actually be a flock.  |
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Post by emsshamrock on May 18, 2017 7:47:44 GMT -5
I have a herd of Oberhasli and Toggenburg dairy goats that near 20+ in number that started as a 4H project back in 1995 with one doe. Now we have the 2 breeds and 2 mature bucks to go along with them. We also have a small flock of egg layers, nothing crazy though. We are also slowly cutting back out Katahdin Sheep flock. We are down to 30-40 now from the 100-120 ewes we had a couple years ago. All of that along with the 30 brood cows |
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Post by littlecowfl on May 18, 2017 20:42:59 GMT -5
Wow! Sounds like a lot of work.
I do like the sound of sheep.
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Post by cddexter on May 19, 2017 8:35:08 GMT -5
Two of my favourite people, both with sheep....
I've had St. Croix for at least 20 years, direct from Utah State. I ended up getting a Katahdin ram, so now have destroyed the original white only colouration selection criteria, and have lovely interesting splotches and patches and streaks and spots. I had 60+ Dexters and about 200 St Croix. Old age now has me out of Dexters but with about 30 sheep--easier to manage. Getting both layers and meat birds once I get the coop built on the new farm here.
Keep posting, this is the best board for good info, and I'd hate to see it wither away completely.
c.
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Post by littlecowfl on May 19, 2017 15:05:46 GMT -5
cddexter- Gee, thanks!
It's funny that you have St. Croix and Katahdin. St. Augustine sheep are a new breed developed from both of those breeds, plus Dorpers. Developed by a breeder in Florida, actually, to cope with our climate. His widow is who is helping us get started. They have white sheep and ones with black or brown (or both) patches. A few of the good rams are black.
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Post by emsshamrock on May 19, 2017 15:21:25 GMT -5
Thanks cddexter!  It's work yep but its my favorite kind of work! We sell live lambs direct to African/Eastern European market that is thriving about 20mins from the farm. We'll sell everything we can get our hands on after we sell all of our own lambs, even when we would have nearly 200! Crazy. My goal is to build our Dexter herd, my dad my have to build up that bank account... haha. I plan on buying a new bull this summer though! Eventually my brother and I want to sell our meat by the cut and someday have a meat shop of our own. I mean part of my degree was in meat processing Dreaming big here in W. Michigan! |
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Post by cddexter on May 19, 2017 15:49:30 GMT -5
Hi Em: Not just because he's my breeding, but because I think he's one of the top ten bulls I've ever seen...what about talking to Dave Morgan? I think he was looking for a new home for Calum??? Fantastic meat yield qualities, and a temperament to die for, everything else pretty good, too. Just a thought...
c.
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Post by emsshamrock on May 19, 2017 16:17:59 GMT -5
Hi Em: Not just because he's my breeding, but because I think he's one of the top ten bulls I've ever seen...what about talking to Dave Morgan? I think he was looking for a new home for Calum??? Fantastic meat yield qualities, and a temperament to die for, everything else pretty good, too. Just a thought... c. He's SO far away and polled! He's gorgeous though... I am currently looking at a bull of out of ESF Zo's Magic Minit X SMD Mac Ceti Cor. We're still running strictly horned/dehorned at home. |
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Post by cddexter on May 20, 2017 8:32:07 GMT -5
 well, there's always donal instead, then. 
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well, there's always donal instead, then. 