Our Shetland lambs are due in June this year. I spread out the timing on the breeding groups this year due to space constrictions in the barnyard. I won’t do that again! By the time it is all over, our lambing season will be spread over three months. That is too long! We have three or four ewes left to lamb.
On Monday, June 8th, we had our first Shetland lambs of 2009. The sire of our 2009 Shetland rams is Roundabout Acres Costello, Musket bersugget. I still haven’t registered him so if any of you Shetland folks have suggestions on his markings, I will take them. Below are two pics, the first of Costello, the second of Costello and his white twin Abbott. Costello has part UK genetics, wonderful fleece which rooed easily, and a sweet personality. Just what I want in a sire.
The dam of these twins is Twin Brooks Nugget, a five year old musket ewe with modified genetics in her background. Nugget has wonderfully soft fleece and a calm, steady personality. Her lambs this year are the friendliest we have had. They already love chin scratches and cuddles. They both are curious and spent their few days in the jug trying to get out! They were either leaping around or trying to squeeze out of the jug (aka jail.) We’ve decided to name them Bonnie and Clyde. The first picture is of Clyde, 6 lb. 11 oz. He looks to be musket (oatmeal colored,) modified. He will probably fade to nearly white as he ages.
These pictures were taken immediately after they were born so they are still wet. Clyde’s horn buds are set nicely toward the sides of his head and his fleece is curly throughout. His belly, mouth and “package” are white.
Below is Bonnie, moorit (brown) with about 10 white hairs on top of her head. Does that qualify as krunet? Her coloring is a gorgeous brown with a definite reddish cast. I will watch her to see if she also carries modified genetics. Her fleece is dense and curly. She is our first moorit born on the farm.
And finally here is a picture of both of the lambs. They both gained two pounds over the four days they were in the jug. I kept them in an extra day because I forgot to worm Nugget earlier. I like to worm in the jug before releasing them.
A Sustainable Life at Roundabout Acres 
Posted by becky utecht on 06/13/2009 at 11:02 AM
Congratulations on some very nice lambs Terri!
FOUR whole days in the jug? I can understand why they were so anxious to get out! We normally jug our ewes/lambs for about 24 hours. The June lamb we had last week was only in the jug 6 hours while I was at work.
It might be easier to tell Costello’s markings and color from a lamb photo and an adult photo (taken after shearing). He looks like a very nice ram.
No, ten white hairs doesn’t constitute krunet. :-))
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Posted by Terri on 06/13/2009 at 11:26 AM
I will post a pic of Costello after rooing. Actually there is a pic in an older post. I usually leave them in the jug for 72 hours. It seems to give the llamas and the lambs time to adjust to each other. The little lambs are pretty surprised by those large llama noses when they come out of the jug! And I found Clyde out of the jug within a few minutes of being born. He was lying in the jug next door. 🙂
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Posted by Gail V on 06/13/2009 at 12:30 PM
Terri,
Nugget’s lambs are beautiful. That boy’s fleece looks really nice and curly, and he is SO light for a musket, I would guess he is modified. His half-sister, here at Little Red Oak, is Copper– and she went from regular brown as a lamb to a nice, modified fawn as an adult. Nugget definitely carries the modifier.
The ram-dad, Costello is so very pretty.
Congratulations!
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Posted by Nancy K on 06/14/2009 at 10:30 AM
Congratulations on two, very nice lambs, Terri! Clyde looks like a very handsome ram lamb. I always have a soft spot for moorit (and white) ewe lambs. They are just so precious…
I thought I had linked your blog to mine before, but I don’t see it so I have added it to my blog roll now. I really like your blog and now won’t miss any of your posts!
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Posted by The Shepherdess on 06/14/2009 at 6:03 PM
Thank you all for your comments! Bonnie, Clyde and Nugget are doing well. And thank you Gail and Nancy for placing a link for Roundabout Acres on your blogs!! And I will probably let the lambs out of the jug sooner from now on. Somewhere along the way, this newbie shepherdess got the idea that they were supposed to be in there two to three days….
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