Lilith

[StellaG]

One of my favorite, and most photogenic ;-) ewes. She's always posing for me ;-)




Nell, a Karakul ewe.



and Nell and Belle



And this isn't all that great a pic, but gives you an idea of the drought conditions we're in ;-( it is DRY here. You also get a view of my Karakul's trademark 'fat tail'. Karakuls are a desert breed of sheep, and have a fat, broad tail, where they can store moisture and fat, much like a camel. The Karakuls are bringing up the rear, the other sheep are Dorpers from South Africa (Lilith is a Dorper as well) they are a hair sheep, and shed their wool/hair, eliminating the need to be shorn. Hey, nobody said photography couldn't be educational as well ;-) So there is your sheep lesson for today LOL

Betty

[Fred flyfisher]

Don't you just love those eyelashes? Great capture Stella.

[StellaG]

Thanks Fred, yep she's got some on her eh? I think thats why she's so popular with the boys ;-)

[beachcomber]

Photogenic sheep, whatever next...... but I swear Lilith, Nell and Belle were actually smiling
Great set Stella
beach

[sheltiesmama]

Ahhh! Lillith (and the rest) looks like such a sweetheart. Love those lashes.

[StellaG]

Ha ha Beach ;-) maybe tomorrow I'll post some pics of sheep guffawing ;-) I have some! LOL

[shmelly]

So Betty a question. If the sheep just shed their wool, and that is their purpose for being, how do you collect it?

[StellaG]

Thanks Sheltiesmama, yep they are sweet ;-)


shmelly, the hair sheep are what we call, Meat sheep. Their wool/hair is not really good for anything...but their meat is wonderful. They were brought to the states in '97, so they haven't been here that long. They've adapted well to our hot,dry,sometimes humid climate. We use them mostly for sheepdog trialing, as they hold up well. I only have a small flock, and I don't eat mine, as I'm a softy ;-) I just use them for training my dogs. The wool sheep, the Karakuls I bought, just to have something different. Their wool is quite nice, and they are actually a rare breed, with only some 2000 head in the US. Sadly, in other countries, they are 'harvested' as persian wool, and the lambs are taken invitro or no more than 3 days old and skinned for their new born curly wool ;-( You've seen Russian hats? That's Karakul lamb wool ;-( My sheep have the life of Riley though ;-) I make sure my dogs treat them kindly, and they don't ever have to worry about being a holiday dinner LOL Our Trial season starts up here soon, and I hope to get some good shots (with all that I have learned on this site ;-) ) and I'll post a bit of what we do ;-)

Betty