Creating Pasture For Sheep

This past month we have been busy creating additional year-round pasture for our sheep. This has involved both getting irrigation to the hill pasture and creating vegetative barriers to prevent erosion of top soil when we plow and plant pasture. We completed the irrigation system yesterday We also had some help from the NRCS crew yesterday: they came our to help dibble in the plants for the vegetative barriers. It rained last weekend and the soil was just right to till the beds in preparation for the grass plugs. A native plant nursery raised California Blue Rye Grass for us. All we had to do was pop out the plugs and stick them in the holes made by the dibble. However, the soil was so soft that everyone soon abandoned the dibbles and just made a little hole with their finger for the plug. It took the eight of us about three hours to plant a plug every six inches for the whole 2,600 feet of barrier. We will have to protect the seedlings until they reach their full size of about 18" in diameter and 24" in height. After that we just have to make sure that the sheep never eat them lower than 3 inches. After the vegetative barriers are established we will till and replant the strips of pasture between the barriers. That way any runoff from tilling will be caught by the barriers and our soil will stay put.

Sheep Diseases

We have been learning about sheep diseases this year. We have expeienced the diseases of pregnancy (one the result of not enough nutrition the other the result of eating too much), a rare form of pneumonia that only on occasion has been known to affect sheep, hoof rot, and now Bluetongue of a form never before recorded.

Bluetongue is a virus vectored by nasty little gnats. As with many viruses there are a three known strains for which the sheep can be vacinated. Those strains cause the sheep to run a very high temperature, to break out in mouth sores, to cause a blue discoloration to the gums and tongue, to develop sores at the top of their hooves, to loose their appitite, and in general become lethargic and depressed.

Then there are our sheep: No temperature, normal behavior, no sores, no blueness, just ears that swell up. In June we had the first case of swollen ears. We put the ewe in the barn checked her temperature everyday--she was normal--administered a round of antibiotics, a good dose of electrolites, the best hay and a little grain. She appreciated the attention but her ears stayed swollen. We finally said, "Oh well" and sent her out to be bred. Over time the swelling abated but her ears were left deformed; she now has cauliflower ears. (See photos)

About a month later we found another ewe with a single swollen ear. We decided to ignor it and see what happened. Her ear swelling ebbed and we had another cauliflower ear. John and I decided that if there were anymore swollen ears, we would take the sheep into UC Davis Large Animal Clinic for an evlauation.

September 1st we brought home a new Tunis ram named Ranger. After holding him in isolation for 30 days, we put him to work with the all the ewes with the hopes that he would breed any ewes that the other rams had missed. About mid October we were moving the ewe band and Ranger and we noticed he had a swollen ear. We pulled him out of the flock, hooked up the old horse trailer and took him to the clinic. By the time we got there the swelling was gone! We felt embarassed but asked the vets to give him a good once over anyway. The vets gave him a clean bill of health except for a foxtail seed in his ear. They could tell that the ear had been swollen but they had no idea what the cause.

I had done some online research on various sheep ailments and had found a mention of rare cases of swollen ears under a Bluetongue description. The vets all said since he had not exhibited anyother symptoms the doubted that was the problem. They thought perhaps he had gotten his head stuck in a fence. We asked that he be tested for Bluetongue anyway.

The next day we got a phone call from the vet: Ranger had tested positive for Bluetongue. Since he was asymptomatic no treatment was recommended. The vet asked if we would meet her with Ranger and the other two affected ewes so she could draw blood for a determination of the strain of Bluetongue that hit us. They suspect the strain has heretofore been unknown. No matter, next year we will vaccinate against the three known strains that California gnats carry.

Rain, Rain

It is raining! That is something to celebrate after having been in the grips of a drought since January. However, we are still irrigating as no matter how much it does or doesn't rain today, it will not be enough to quench the thirsty ground and keep the grass green.

We advertise grass-fed, grass-finished, all-natural lamb so keeping grass green and fresh is a top priority for us. We love it when mother nature helps out. Here's hoping for an end to the drought!

Blind Girl

Hi, My name is Blind Girl. My sister and I were born on February 8th. She could see; I couldn't. Our mother took good care of us and my sister was always by my side. In fact, I fooled the shepherd for almost two months. Some days he thought I could see; but then again he wasn't quite sure. Finally, my sister got bored with my hanging around all the time and I was weaned. Then my secret was out: I was totally blind.

However, I am a very smart lamb and have learned some tricks to survive. In fact I weigh more than my twin sister. That's because I use my sense of smell to find all the best grass. I can also hear better than my sister. I have learned to go out in the pasture with the rest of the flock by listening for hoof steps, munching, and baaing. Sometimes I wander off on my own and the rest of the flock goes back to the barn or to the far side of the pasture without me. I listen for sounds and if I can't hear anything close I call out to find the direction everyone has gone. The flock seems to know I need a little guidance and someone will always answer my call so I can join them.

I also have a very good memory. The shepherd has a special place where he trims our hooves and weighs us. The path to the treatment station is long and has lots of turns. At first I got confused about which way to go, but now I am experienced and don't miss a turn. I have also figured out just how far the jump from the treatment station to the ground is. Once the shepherd removed a box that had been at the end of the station. I couldn't see the change and I fell down. The next time I remembered the step was a big one and lept gracefully to the ground.

I am very friendly most of the time. I do get frightened in strange places until I learn where the fences are. I have learned to walk close to the fence if I am in a new place. I don't like coming to a corner because I always bang my head into the fence. Sometimes the shepherd tries to help me but I like to find my own way. If he tries to catch me, I run. His feet make lots of noise and I just run away from him and try not to hit a fence. It works best if he talks quietly to me. Then I will let him help me get to a safe place.

I wonder if the shepherd is thinking about keeping me. I think I would be a very good mother, especially if bells were put on my lambs so I could find them when they don't answer my call. After all you can see what a fine ewe I will make even if I am blind.

Predators

Everyone always asks if we have trouble with predators. Our usual answer is no because we have not lost sheep to coyotes, lions or bears . Besides we have Stoney the llama to stand guard. His former owner reports that he has killed several coyotes and chased a bear straight through the fence. Here, his biggest worries have been the neighbors' cattle. He hates them and only a strong fence keeps him from chasing them into the creek. So we feel fairly safe from cattle, coyotes, bears and lions. However, we have had predator problems of the smaller sort: raccoon, possum, skunk, rats, rattlers, a great horned owl, and just this week, a vicious yellow jacket.

We were cleaning out the barn and getting ready to put up this year's hay. It is a dusty job and the jug of water ran out. We decided to open cans of soda to enjoy as we finished sorting through the stuff that accumulates in a barn over a year. While our attention was diverted, a yellow jacket decided to join us and share John's soda. John paused in his labors, reached for his soda, yelped and started spitting. The yellow jacket did not want to share the soda and stung--well maybe bit-- the inside of his upper lip.

John has been stung many times and only this summer has started showing an allergic reaction to their venom. Because of this, he didn't hesitate but ran to the house to get some Benadryl and ice. Within fifteen minutes it was obvious that this sting was something serious. As you can see in his photo his lip became enormous. I hate to say it but to me he looked like a cartoon character and I couldn't help laughing.

We finally decided to consult with his VA phone nurse. The verdict was get to the Mather VA hospital in Sacramento ASAP. We learned that when there are stings in the mouth it is likely that the tongue will swell and block the windpipe. I made the hour an a half drive with John complaining that I worried too much and that the swelling was going down. True, his lip was smaller but the right side of his face was swollen by the time we got to the hospital. They put him on IV Benadryl and monitored him through the night. His throat did swell but minimally since he was on medication. When the doctor was satisfied that the throat tissue swelling was receeding he was released.

He's ok now and back to cleaning the barn and tending our sheep.

Sheep Talk

Did you know that sheep can talk? Children's storybooks always portray sheep as saying, "Baa" or perhaps a more emphatic, "Baa-Baa". They never let you know that sheep are quite capable of varying their sounds to communicate their needs.

Our experience with sheep talk began the first morning we awoke on the ranch. We had spent the night sleeping in the back of John's plumbing work van which we parked under a She Oak tree near a paddock gate. As we parked and got set for the night we were unaware that a band of sheep lived in that paddock. As the sun pushed dawn into the sky, we were awakened by the gentle "Baas?" of about 30 sheep.

Yes, the baas had a rising inflection at the end that asked the question, "What are you?" We sleepily sat up and returned the gaze of the sheep. It took a while for the sheep to realize that we were people; people meant food and their sounds shifted first to the typical "baa" then. as we didn't seem to understand they wanted to be fed, they added emphasis by increasing the volume. We still didn't respond appropriately so they shifted to the most pleading "maas" I had ever heard.

I still don't know how they do it but the initial sound changes the more desperate they become to get our attention. If their needs are not being met, we have even heard the sheep add a "duh" to the end of their "maa". When they get "maad" we know that they will not be easy to work with.

When our first crop of lambs arrived we were even more amazed as we discovered the endless variety of sounds a ewe uses to communicate with her lambs. Each ewe has a different voice and different set of sounds to help her lambs learn how to be sheep.

When a ewe calls, her lambs come running. Well most of the time; just like kids anywhere if the lambs are having fun running and jumping there are those who prefer to play rather than obey. However, if a lamb doesn't heed its mother's voice, I have seen the mother butt the lamb away when it does come to eat. That is a big incentive to listen and obey.

As the lambs grow and are weaned the ewes return to speaking only when necessary. If their lambs call out they answer with a calm "muh." That seems to calm the lambs and everyone goes about the business of harvesting grass. That gentle "muh" is my favorite sound. It reassures me that the sheep are content and that makes a happy shepherd.

A Day In the Country

We recently spent the afternoon on the grounds of this beautiful Yolo County farm house as guests of the Yolo County Land Trust: http://www.yololandtrust.org . Each year the Trust hosts A Day In the Country at a different Yolo County farm. Restaurants from Sacramento, San Francisco, and local towns are given produce from Yolo County farms and ranches to prepare and share. Each year we donate a lamb for the event. It is always exciting to discover which restaurant prepared our lamb and what they have done with it.

This year Waterboy Restaurant http://www.waterboyrestaurant.com made sausage out of our lamb. We spoke to the chef and he informed us that the sausage was a combination of 20% Bledsoe Natural Pork of Woodland, CA and our lamb. He said the meat looked great but was leaner than he liked. Despite it's leanness it made an excellent sausage. Both John and I have to agree: it was delicious. The chef took one of our brochures and said he may contact us in the future.

We are finding events like this are great marketing opportunities. This year we were greeted with enthusiasm by two chefs who have not yet worked with out lamb. One chef greeted us by name and is planning to visit the ranch so he can describe where the lamb he plans to serve comes from. Another restaurateur introduced us to the lead chef of a culinary institute in San Francisco. He is planning to use our lamb in his 2009 season and asked permission to bring a class of 25-30 students to the ranch so they can make a better connection between the source and preparation of food.

We are excited about these future marketing opportunities.

Night Work

In our pastures we have what we call "The Tool Box." It is an eighteen-year-old GMC van that once served John as a plumbing van. It would never pass the California emissions test so now it wanders from pasture to pasture providing shade for sheep and an on-the-spot tool box.
The sheep love the shade and will even crawl under to get really cool.

Well The Tool Box tends to leak so it has to be moved whenever irrigation cyc;es to the area where it has last rested. When John went to move the van yesterday, it had a flat tire. By the time he got around to changing the tire it was dark.

I wish I had my camera and that it would take good night shots. Picture this: It is a crystal clear night with the Milky Way floating across the sky. A cool breeze is wafting in from the north and the new quarter moon is just sinking behind the hills. They are bathed in a halo of silver light. The sheep in their respective pastures are calling good night to each other and their mahs drift softly with the breeze.

At the far end of the pasture, the old Tool Box rests in the yellowing light of the quad, its driver side front lifted in the air. As John bends and swirls the tire iron, a band of sheep stand silent watch in the semi-darkness. The quad light bends around the van and touches their eyes making them glitter blue-green in the dark. It seems to me that a sprinkling of stars have come to rest in the field keeping watch over my husband as he works.

Lambing plans

Finally all the ewes and their appointed rams are seperated. However, our plans are easlily led astray when it comes to sheep. Our ramling, Nathan, was determined to have a ewe that has been assigned to Bucky; and Bucky was determined to have one of Nathan's. As long as a fence separated the groups all was well. John was out this morning with Mr T our Aussie, who is untrained but thinks it's his job to bring us a sheep for dinner. The dog saw Nathan's group and started chasing them. Before he would listen to John, who was soon yelling, "Down", Nathan's group had swept down the drive and through a gate that our renter had not shut this morning. John quickly separated the groups again but thinks that a little cross-pollination activity occurred in the minutes it took to regroup.

(The boy with Mr T is my oldest grandson.)

Breeding

Today we are sorting ewes into breeding groups. Yesterday, we spent time with ZooEasy our data management program determining relationship co-efficients. We set up breeding groups that show there is either no relationship or that the relationship is under 13%. We have three goals: 1) to prevent birth defects, 2) to preserve the gene pool of the Capay Reds (a new breed that we are working toward registering), and 3) to enlarge our stock of registered Tunis.

This is a Capay Red. Notice the upswept ears and broad nose as compared to the purebred Tunis above. The Capay's do well in temperature shifts common to the Sacraento Valley area. They have an excellent meat that one chef calls "sweet."

Weather

Today I was reading the Shepherd's Almanack that is a part of Sheep! magazine. It stated that there would be a weather front the 1st and 2nd of September and that combined with a new moon would make the days a poor choice for working with sheep. Well here we are in sunny Northern California and I didn't believe the information applied here and we scheduled a sorting and toe trimming project for Labor Day. I was wrong. The wind blew like the dickens indicating a change in barametric pressure in the valley and the sheep reacted just like the almanac said. We finally got the job done but not without having to resort the sheep at least three times. They kept inventing new ways of escaping our clutches. It helped to know that the weather and new moon were combining to create crazy ewe behavior as we were able to take all their shenagains with a sense of humor and patience that would not have been there without prior warning.

Trimming Toes

John spent the day trimming the toes of seventeen ewe lambs that we want to add to our breeding herd. Toe trimming seems to tickle even an experienced ewe and they will kick a little in protest. But toe trimming to a lamb is a fight for life and death; they have no idea that they will survived the assault to their feet. As gentle as John tries to be they still react as if their whole life is in danger. By now all the lambs have learned to walk peacefully through the sorting chute as we have checked their weight frequently. They are expecting to be stopped on the scale and then have the gate opened so they can rush through the treatment station. They are astounded that after rushing into the treatment station they can go not further. They shift restlessly back and forth looking for a way out. Much to their astonishment John reaches in and tips them onto their side. Some lay there in momentary shock; while others struggle to right themselves. Just as they start to settle down John takes a hoof into his hand and begins to trim off the excess nail from each segment of hoof. A rare lamb just lays there and lets the trimming proceed. Most kick violently in protest. John came in with hoof marks on chest, back, arms and knees. Next time will be easier and in ten years they will just stand there and say thank you.

Death Comes Quietly

Our Tunis ram, Dobbie, just died of bronchial pneumonia. One day we were celebrating his successful breeding to Etta, a beautiful purebred Tunis ewe, and it seems such a short time later we are mourning his loss. We had no idea that he was ill. One day he was leaning on the fence with the other rams and the next day he was missing. John found him laying alone near our sorting chute. He was a gentle soul even in his final hours. He had put himself where he would be not bother and quietly slipped away. I have a great sadness and miss him sorely. Dobbie was special: he was the only ram we have had who loved to have his nose and back scratched and to get a hug. It was an awsome experience to burry my face in his soft woolly back while he gently huffed hot breath on my shoulder. He will be missed.