Members John81 Posted May 31, 2011 Members Share Posted May 31, 2011 Actually neither my sheep, nor my goats smell at all, except for the bucks when they are in rut. What you smelled was the accumulated scent/urine and excrement where the animals congregate. It stinks around my goat shed where they congregate at night to sleep because excrement and urine is heavily concentrated there. If your sewer/septic tank were left uncovered, your neighbors would say the same about you.... The same typically applies to most creatures. Hogs smell because they roll around in their own messes all day, not because they are hogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted May 31, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2011 Here's another article on Florida sheep.... This breed is called " Florida Cracker Sheep". Once a year, cow hunters on horseback would round up Florida Cracker sheep for shearing and harvesting of ram lambs. The strength of the breed is reflected in its ability to survive and prosper despite predation by alligators, feral pigs, panthers, bobcats, and black buzzards. Florida Cracker lambs developed a tendency to stay very close to the ewes rather than wandering away and becoming targets for predators http://www.albc-usa.org/Newsletter/newsletterNovDec2009.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members revivedbygrace Posted June 1, 2011 Members Share Posted June 1, 2011 :thumb: Cool article. If I had the land I would definately have four or five of these critters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted June 1, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2011 I hope you get some land some day soon. :icon_pray: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted June 1, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2011 Ezekiel 34 1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.16I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. I have now learned from first hand observation that sheep, contrary to popular belief, can and do show aggression. Some of my sheep are more aggressive than others as they push and shove and butt each other at feeding time. As I said before "Junior" hit my hand so hard with his horns while butting at a goat, it felt broken. He butts Rocket Man and the ewes as well. The hornless ewes butt witht heir heads too but tend more to push each other with their muzzles in compettiton for the feed. If animals are allowed to do this without restraint, the more aggressive ones will inevitably get fatter and stronger while the weaker will get skinnier and weaker. Animals look out for #1. People, much of the time, are the same way. We tend to selfishness and want to exalt ourselves. We push and shove others sometimes not meaning to, and other times not really caring. We become so absorbed in fulfilling our own needs, wants and desires, that we don't seem to care who we might be weakening in the process. Our Good Shepherd cares. He is going to feed and heal the weak and sick who got pushed and shoved......and judge the 'pushers and shovers". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted June 1, 2011 Members Share Posted June 1, 2011 Baaaaaaaaaa, Baaaaaaaaaaa (Just sayin') :icon_mrgreen: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted June 10, 2011 Members Share Posted June 10, 2011 How goes the sheep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted June 10, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 10, 2011 How goes the sheep? Due to the drought, I have had to keep my sheep in the same pasture with the goats. It is virtually impossible to hand feed them like that. Good news is; we got some rain over the last few days and the grass is growing again. Not only that, but the acre of millet and clay peas i planted two weeks ago, finally came up. I looked at it again this afternoon and it;s a good stand. You can hardly take a step without stepping on the plants! Thank the Lord! It will be good forage for the goats. Don't know if the sheep will eat them or not; they are grazers. The garden made a bumper crop of sweet corn and we have been feeding the green stalks to the goats. The sheep don't even bother to try eating them; they are content with their grass. As I was crossing the field to the forage/food plot this evening, Rocket Man made like he was going to hook me in the leg with one of his horns. I tapped him with the shepherd's crook and he retreated. But as I was walking, looking over my shoulder, he ran at me, head lifted and horns tilted forward, so I tapped him more firmly. He tried it one more time before I exited the pasture. I warned my family members of the behavior. It will interesting to see if the shepherd's crook will teach him respect. But I really should have the rams separated from the ewes anyhow. My son and I are working on fencing in 10 more acres so I hope we get done with that soon. My mom picked up the solar/powered water pump for my next experiment. Stay tuned...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quinkie Posted June 10, 2011 Members Share Posted June 10, 2011 I am so enjoying this continuing saga. This has been so interesting. Please continue to keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted June 10, 2011 Members Share Posted June 10, 2011 One of my daughters lambs is having problems with one leg. They are trying to work with the lamb so the leg will heal up and gain strength. Still not sure how this will turn out yet. The other lambs are doing well and growing quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted June 10, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 10, 2011 I'm glad that you enjoy the posts, Quinkie. Hope your daughter's lamb gets well soon, John. Can't wait to see my sheepies with some lambs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted July 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2011 I've been slightly incapacitated for about three weeks now. First, as my son and I were building fence around the 10 acre pasture, I managed to slice the palm of my left hand open with a knife. Don't ask me how. but it took 13 stiches to close and two weeks before the sutures could be removed.. The cut was very deep and I was worried that my abductor tendons had been sliced or damaged. It had to be a miracle that they weren't and I was so thankful because it probably would have ruined my stringed instrument playing for good..After that I had a bad allergic reaction to some shrimp I ate at a restaurant.and ended up in the ER again where they put me on oxygen and gave me an injection of some kind. Next I came down with fever and chills and suffered with that for about four days. Anyway, I was able to go to the auction last Thursday night where I sold some goats and brought home another sheep as well. We also just played our first music venue, since the accident, for 4th of July celebration at a church and my hand and fingers did just fine. Praise God! So maybe things can be back to normal again, for awhile at least. In the mean time, since I posted last, I have been building this contraption in my shop........ it's a "sheep table" made from plans downloaded off the websites of a couple of universities ag extension departments. This thing will safely immobilize animals for veterinary care. Lily May, the new sheep, had the honor of trying it out for the first time. The sheep or goat travels down a chute, from a holding pen, and enters the device at the right of the photo The squeeze panel is then closed firmly immobilizing the animal Safely immobilized the animal can be tilted on its side to administer dewormers, injections, care for wounds, trim hooves etc. Such a contraption can cost around $1500 new. I was able to purchase the pipe and build it for around $250. It will make handling much easier as my wife can attest; she has bruises all over her legs from the goats horns. We have also been searching for more sheep to purchase, as well as building more fence. I will keep y'all posted on the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members farouk Posted July 5, 2011 Members Share Posted July 5, 2011 hs: Sorry to read of your troubles. Hope you'll feel recovered soon. Good your son was with you when you had the accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heartstrings Posted July 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2011 hs: Sorry to read of your troubles. Hope you'll feel recovered soon. Good your son was with you when you had the accident. Thank you brother! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members farouk Posted July 5, 2011 Members Share Posted July 5, 2011 Thank you brother! YW. Your son must have been a bit shocked, anyway. Blessings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.