We like to have the ram in the pasture with the ewes by Michaelmas, (Sept 29). This means that with a heat cycle on average about 17 days, they should hit their first breeding window of the autumn by October 17. This means we should start lambing no earlier than February 22, with first week of March a strong contender.
We are going for the early lambing season mainly for the butchering window. If they are born in March 2027 then we have January and February as the 11 month butchering window for lamb, which gives us a higher likelihood of having a run of cool weather where we can hang them in the shop for several days between slaughter and butchering. This saves us butcher fees, and until we get around to building a cold room is the best we are going to be able to do.
Accordingly last Saturday, the 26th, we drove up to Enumclaw and bought a registerable katahdin ram from a lady who breeds them up there.
His name is “Paintbrush” because he is all white except for the tip of his tail which has a tiny brown streak, like it got dipped in paint.
As you can see, he comes fully equipped for his role. In fact he was bleating and acting the fool as soon as he heard the ewes bleating from the pen, before he could even see them. They all have high pitched bleats, but he bleats with a deep, throaty voice. Or maybe he was just putting that on to impress the ladies.
He’s a big ol’ boy, 90Lbs if he’s an ounce, I should think.
And he tried to take off like a shot the second I got him in the gate. Had to do the ol’ Brandon Sheard hind leg sweep to get him down so I could get the halter off him.
The ewes were, shall we say, politely interested in the newcomer.
And chased him across the paddock as soon as he was released.
They all seem to approve of him, in a general way.
And he very definitely approves of them.
And let the lamb-making commence.
