Author Topic: Castlemilks (Read 5436 times)

Fieldfare · « **on:** July 03, 2015, 09:38:24 pm »

As I have just finished shearing (over a week!) I thought I'd just post a photo of my Castlemilk Moorits... a really lovely easy-ish to keep breed (except for some annoying individuals during shearing!). OK it is clear that my shearing technique is not perfect but I am getting better! Last photo before I take some off to the butcher next week!

roddycm · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2015, 01:22:08 am »

Gorgeous! Good skills on the shearing too!!

nimbusllama · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2015, 08:33:07 am »

Looking good..... They look especially good in a large group like that!

Coximus · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2015, 10:16:55 pm »

Just thought I'd confirm on here, they are lovely sheep - the 5 you dropped off this eve have settled in well, will come for a digestive (but wont hang around) and are cracking animals - plus they've already impressed the neighbours with them eating the flower-tops off the thistles!

The shearing work is fine as well - a damn sight better than mine!

Fieldfare · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2015, 11:23:01 pm »

Hi Coximus- thanks. Yes some Castlemilks love thistle heads (which really helps in one of my fields). Since I have these I don't mind thistles as I see them as a decent crop generally. After a whizzing round on my tractor with scythe bar mower and left to Wilt for a few days they make a great addition to their diet. The attached- not very clear photo shows one of yours chomping one- picks them up by the stem and then carefully negotiates it into the mouth chewing it with the molars to crush the spikes. Tasty!

Fieldfare · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2015, 11:39:25 pm »

...and a picture of the other 50% of my flock- 3-year old Giovanni (aka Simon). I rooed him this year as I hurt my back- and he is a bit of a handful when you have those massive horns between your legs! The bits I couldn't get off do make him look a bit daft but I hope they will drop at some point. He has put on a load of meat this season and looks in tip-top condition. He is maturing beautifully with very good mouflon markings, and conformation- and I am particularly pleased that he has good white spectacles (some rams lose them). He is also pretty docile- which was not the case with my other one who turned out to be bit of a liability.

Coximus · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2015, 09:33:10 pm »

Well these sheep have a sense of humour at least - after 3 hours frantically thinking I'd lost them, looking round the 10 acre field they were in, the woods behind, over 22 acres behind the woods, and then back to the 10 acres i was about to phone the neighbours and put word out for missing sheep, Bricking it abit as alot of gone missing / stolen recently due to a certain big festival, thinking bugger - I heard a russle....
2 m behind me, looking interested and happy they were.... only then do I find out from my neighbour that they followed me down the hill, waited at the fence, followed me back up and around...........
Same colour as the seedheads on the grass.... Im not going blind

marka · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2015, 09:43:18 pm »

Ah bless their little cotton socks

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2015, 10:09:11 pm »

Very good. My brothers used to shear our sheep with proper handshears once upon a time many years ago. Forgive me if am wrong but I heard somewhere that they naturally shed their fleeces as they were made up with hair or a certain fibre?

Fieldfare · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2015, 10:12:55 pm »

Quote from: Coximus on July 15, 2015, 09:33:10 pm

Well these sheep have a sense of humour at least - after 3 hours frantically thinking I'd lost them, looking round the 10 acre field they were in, the woods behind, over 22 acres behind the woods, and then back to the 10 acres i was about to phone the neighbours and put word out for missing sheep, Bricking it abit as alot of gone missing / stolen recently due to a certain big festival, thinking bugger - I heard a russle....
2 m behind me, looking interested and happy they were.... only then do I find out from my neighbour that they followed me down the hill, waited at the fence, followed me back up and around...........
Same colour as the seedheads on the grass.... Im not going blind

Hahaha! Yes- been there done that! Get them trained to a bucket with a handful of feed and if you should loud enough they'll come from wherever they are.

Fieldfare · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2015, 10:17:52 pm »

Quote from: waterbuffalofarmer on July 15, 2015, 10:09:11 pm

Very good. My brothers used to shear our sheep with proper handshears once upon a time many years ago. Forgive me if am wrong but I heard somewhere that they naturally shed their fleeces as they were made up with hair or a certain fibre?

Some will drop most of their fleece if left alone- particularly if given a scratching post! Others hang onto it (would be simple to select for that trait I guess- if you want it). Having said that the fleece is pretty good and soft (although short-ish staple length).

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** July 15, 2015, 10:29:02 pm »

Quote from: Coximus on July 15, 2015, 09:33:10 pm

Well these sheep have a sense of humour at least - after 3 hours frantically thinking I'd lost them, looking round the 10 acre field they were in, the woods behind, over 22 acres behind the woods, and then back to the 10 acres i was about to phone the neighbours and put word out for missing sheep, Bricking it abit as alot of gone missing / stolen recently due to a certain big festival, thinking bugger - I heard a russle....
2 m behind me, looking interested and happy they were.... only then do I find out from my neighbour that they followed me down the hill, waited at the fence, followed me back up and around...........
Same colour as the seedheads on the grass.... Im not going blind

I read this out loud to BH

Coximus · « **Reply #12 on:** July 15, 2015, 11:36:44 pm »

why thank you, glad you had a laugh! It wasn’t funny at the time, My heart was racing and I was getting quite upset - recently 25 suff x lambs got nicked a few miles up the road, so obviously I was expecting the worst, especially seen as it was the first time in ages I didn’t lock the gate - Im expecting a neighbour to drop some hay bales off for me...

I've been giving them carrots and they bolt to me for them now, and thank GOD the Hebrideans are starting to notice..... They dont mix at all and keep at least 50 yards at all times.... but they perk up and watch when the Castlemilks get fed.... Hopefully they will cotton on!

Apparently they were following me for at least 10 mins towards the end - overlooking neighbour throught I was exercising them - whats more, they are now in a 3 ac field at the top of the hill, but I cant figure how they got in their, and they cant get out either?
They basically seem to me to be all the escapism and energy of hebrideans, the hunger for treats of a dog and the camouflage and stealth skills of the SAS.