[john and helen]

As I read many threads about this and that, i can sort of work out many things, but a few things still puzzle me with the animal side....

for instance, sheep...Tups ? what is a Tup
& pigs gilts ?

[ferretkeeper]

Good news guys, WHEN you move here  all us smallholders have extensive collections of books on all sorts of livestock, I always get more than one book on any subject and the shelves are full so you are very welcome to borrow and have a read, or of course pick the brain!

A Tup is a male sheep used for breeding, AKA a Ram.

A Gilt is a female pig, intended for breeding so older than a finished pig, but she hasn't had a litter yet.

To make it more confusing there are vast regional differences in what everyone calls the same thing which I've noticed from reading forums like this...can't think of anything off the top of my head...anyway you'll get it eventually! I relied heavily on Google to start with, still do at times 

[john and helen]

thankyou helen... 

[Lesley Silvester]

This is the beginning of the learning curve. Probably steep but that's what makes it worth doing.

[shygirl]

and ewes can be pronouced yows depending on where you live 

[john and helen]

I have been so lucky so far... i have some great offers that i need to get sorted....
one of the members on here has offered me to go over and learn about goats.....

I'm ok on my chooks and ducks... always had them around.... but the  will be totally new to us

[Mammyshaz]

Take up the offer!

I offered to help a TASer last year if they were stuck, for payment of experience learning about livestock.
Result was somebody much closer offering me experience for helping them out. Started learning a bit in February and still visiting regularly to help and learn.
Just been learning about haymaking, stooking and mewing  yesterday with the rest of my family. Exhausted but learned lots.
Didnt ever dream of being able to do some of the things I've been shown to do at the farm 

So my advice is to help out were you can, great friendships can come out of it as well as great experience in preparation for your own place.

[ferretkeeper]

You're welcome!

I'm happy to help you get hands on with the learning curve too when you're ready.

I also have goats, Anglo Nubians, some kids, some breeding females (nanny/does) and a breeding male (buck/billy)

I have 4 alpacas and a small flock of Shetland sheep.

Also have chickens, ducks and geese.

My main thing is pigs, I have lots of them, several breeds and a range of ages.

Anything I can do let me know!

[Dan]

As I read many threads about this and that, i can sort of work out many things, but a few things still puzzle me with the animal side....

for instance, sheep...Tups ? what is a Tup
& pigs gilts ?

We've got a website full of info about smallholding, attached to this wee forum. 

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/sheep-terminology/

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/pigs/pig-terminology/

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/wool-terminology/   (apparently we're still waiting for the definition of 'rise'!  )

[doganjo]

As I read many threads about this and that, i can sort of work out many things, but a few things still puzzle me with the animal side....

for instance, sheep...Tups ? what is a Tup
& pigs gilts ?

We've got a website full of info about smallholding, attached to this wee forum. 

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/sheep-terminology/

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/pigs/pig-terminology/

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/wool-terminology/   (apparently we're still waiting for the definition of 'rise'!  )

Isn't it strange the way things turn out?  it was the other way round at first - the Forum was attached to the website 

[SallyintNorth]

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/wool-terminology/   (apparently we're still waiting for the definition of 'rise'!  )

Oooh, sorry - ya should'a' asked! 

Rise is the grease rising up the wool fibres from the sheep's back as the new growth comes through, displacing the old.  When the wool is risen, the clippers move easily through the fleece, parting the old wool from the new growth.  If the wool has not risen, then it makes hard work of shearing and a raggedy fleece.

And while I was there...

'raw' wool to a handspinner means wool still containing the grease.  It may have had dirt removed by cold soaking but has not been 'scoured' (washed.)

hand-carding creates rolags
drum-carding creates batts
hand-combing and dizzing creates slivers

diz is a curved surface with a hole in it, through which combed fibres are pulled to create a sliver

Some people call a longitudinally separated batt a sliver, and some may call a dizzed combed prep a roving.   

[Dan]

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/wool-terminology/   (apparently we're still waiting for the definition of 'rise'!  )

Oooh, sorry - ya should'a' asked! 

I'll PM you.