Breeding Sheep - 104

[@deniseengel1451]

This was a very interesting look into how you breed your sheep for the fleeces you desire. Thank you. Being a non-farm person I had no idea how much goes into a breeding plan even down to the step by step of moving the sheep.

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! I really appreciate your feedback

[@amylamphere7232]

I just got my first roving from your beautiful sheep ! It is hands down the softest springiest and most delightfully long shetland wool I have ever worked with a joy to spin!!!just ordered more and You now have a customer for life ❤

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Aww thanks Amy! That is so nice to hear!

[@christinesisak2015]

Super glad to see Lecretia and Hermione made the groups this year. Both fleeces have been reaaaallly nice to spin and your rams have beautiful fleeces! Love the new format of your videos. The drone work is nicely done. And Rich as Big Foot... LOL!

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Haha thanks Chris! Andrew ran the drone for me, he is a video gamer so running controls comes pretty natural to him. And Rich is a big goofball, that's all there is to it!

[@mywoolmitten]

Good job! I know a lot of effort went into making this episode ❤

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks Cary! I have been inspired by the BBC farming life videos - thinking about doing a quick wool cave video next...

[@mywoolmitten]

@@SoftShetlandWool that's always fun, to see those "behind the scenes" 😊

[@sunriseeyes0]

Thank you for sharing so much information about how you breed your sheep! I’m hoping to get some sheep in the next few years and I’m absorbing all the knowledge I can before then so I am prepared to care for them properly. Your videos are immensely helpful. Thank you so much! 🙏🏽💗🐑🧶

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thank you for the nice comment! I am so glad you find the videos helpful

[@rivetting77]

Learned so much, Jenn! Loved the lamb races! ❤

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! Glad you found it informative!

[@CriaAndKiddFW]

Love this information! Very in-depth. I'm starting renovations on my 16 acre property and would love to purchase some pet wethers from you in late spring or early summer for my personal fiber pets! I'm over by Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain. You're the only shetland shepherdess I've found focused on fleece quality and micron. ❤❤❤ happy holidays, and I look forward to more videos!

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! I am so glad you found the information helpful! Let me know if you would like to arrange a visit to the farm to meet our lovely flock.

[@lostnationfarm1613]

Correcting Cat!! 😄😆😅🤣😂 Watching/Listening to this while making batts - great stuff! What lab do you use for Micron testing? What kind of coats are those? Thanks for sharing your world with us, & for the inspiration!

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! Yes, our Trixie is just so very clever! We use Texas A&M for micron testing and Rocky Sheep Coats. I think I put links to videos on both of those topics in the description if you want more info. Thanks again, I appreciate your comment!

[@mandyb6088]

Hi There. I just found your channel. I live in New Zealand have just started keeping fibre sheep myself. I have some experience of sheep as I was a qualified vet nurse some 30 years ago, and helped my parents with their small flock. It would appear the ideas I have had about breeding and keeping sheep are very very similar to yours in this video. My ideas go against the grain of conventional sheep keeping and breeding in New Zealand, so it is reassuring to hear that I am not that 'crazy' after all. I have only put a small number of my ewes to my ram this year, and I want them lambing later in the season when our weather is not so severe. I am very interested to learn more about your sheep coats. Something that is NOT used here in New Zealand but would help with keeping their fleece free of VM.

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Hi Mandy - thanks for the comment. Yes, sometimes I think we aren't "real farmers" because we like to pamper our ewes a little, and they've become more like pets for me. But I do have a profitable farm, thanks mostly to the wheel business, but you have to be creative if you want the farm to support the family! Here is a link to a blog post I wrote about the sheep coats you might find helpful whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/2020/06/everything-i-can-think-of-to-tell-you.html

[@manicspinner1959]

This is a great, educational video, Jen. I assume you have a "playlist" targeted at other Shetland farmers. Question: you tell us that you narrowed your breeding rams down to three. Does that mean you no longer have the others? What happened to John Snow?

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Hi Jillaine - Thanks - we sent all the rams but these three to our local auction. Sadly Jon Snow passed last winter - he was the victim of some pretty rough ram assaults and never really recovered.

[@manicspinner1959]

@@SoftShetlandWool Oh Jen! That's so sad (about Jon -- not John -- Snow). This just points out that there is a lot about the biz that we don't always learn about (or I somehow missed that video). I hope you know that we support you through it all!

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks Jillaine - that is really nice to hear. I guess the thing with Jon that makes it easier to handle is we have a lot of daughters and grandaughters out of him. He made a really great impact on our wool quality.

[@jennystroh4343]

I like your ram Sébastien

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! He is also featured as a newborn in one of the clips of lambs ->kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJykZYCFeMeAaK8si=-NVe5pwr8Zt-gQEa&t=1855 He is a really nice ram

[@therealtomkreider]

Thanks for another great video! May I ask the brand of coveralls you’re wearing while working?

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Thanks! Those are my Carhart coveralls and jacket. Highly recommend, I refer to them as my suit of armor - warm, and rugged but you are really mobile and unrestricted. Here is a link to the video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/onOvqXyse7Ganqssi=WqLrngVDdV-InJXO&t=366 Links to the retailers are in the description of the video.

[@pathowes32]

Hi Jenn, just wondering is there a preference in rooed wool versus sheared wool for hand spinners and the yield of the wool that you get per sheep❤️

[@SoftShetlandWool]

Hi Pat - I am not sure - I think right now people are curious about roo'd as a novelty, vs. actually preferring it over sheared so I can't say for sure. I like them both for different reasons. Yield is certainly better on a roo'd sheep, especially if she has a nice dense fleece with a long staple length!