[daveh]

In my first venture into sheepkeeping, today I bought 4 Castlemilk Moorits ewes from Cotswold Farm Park. I paid a deposit some weeks ago but the ewes stayed at CFP to run with the ram. So I'm hoping for 4 happy events towards the end of April.


The sheep are being kept on a friend's farm where he runs about 500 ewes, mainly commercial cross breeds . He looks at sheep with very different eyes to me. I like coloured, pretty sheep; he likes fat lambs on the trailer on Mondays (market day). Though to be fair to him he did have around 30 greyfaced dartmoors earlier this year but he has not kept them as he didn't like the size of the lambs. And the GFD ram vaulted a fence and serviced a few ewes he shouldn't have. My pal also has a few Dorsets , about 30 Jacob ewes and a solitary Zwartble. 


No doubt I will be on here in the future with a few questions and comments as I attempt to become a shepherd.


Regards, David

[sabrina]

Looking forward to seeing lamb pictures in the Spring.

[Mammyshaz]

An exciting time ahead. Will be watching to ooooh over piccies as I cannot help with any other aspect of shepherding 

[colliewoman]

It is against forum policy to mention Castlemilk Moorits and NOT include a photo

[Brucklay]

Hi Dave - hope you love. your Castlemilks as much as I love mine. They are a great. hardy breed - and as CW says pics please

[SallyintNorth]

Congratulations on picking such a lovely breed    And good tactic, too, to get them tupped for you.

Colliewoman is correct, pictures are required    Now and of course of the lambies when they come 

[daveh]

Thanks for all the good wishes. A picture of the girls at the moment could be problematic as they are very shy. I have just returned from my first foray into getting them bucket trained. The Other Half and I were spotted when we were 200 yards away and watched intently as we approached. The sheep scarpered as we got closer to them so I rattled my bucket of pellets and dumped a few in a small trough. We then retreated and when we got back to the farm buildings and retrieved a pair of binoculars from the car were able to see them approach the trough with suspicion. We think they were eating but will know for sure tomorrow when we go through the same procedure.


Regards, David   

[kumquat]

Hi David


Two of our soays were the same when we got them, they'd be in the opposite corner of the field....within a week we were within a few feet. Now they are the first to come running and regularly eat out of our hands.
Keep persevering and they'll come good.

[in the hills]

Second that kumquat. When our Soay arrived we did worry for the first week that we'd never get near them but they were coming running to the sound of our voices within a few weeks and now a couple of them jump up and are real pests  .


Have fun with them.




Oh Kumquat, this Soay tup is just like a wee lamb.   

[kumquat]

One of ours could be due an ASBO anytime soon....little so and so


Glad tup is a little lamb (hopefully with a libido of a porn star ) 

[daveh]

The girls aren't so timid today. They actually came towards a rattling bucket before remembering they are shy and making a bolt for it. But they only went 20 yards away and then waited until we were 30 yards away before tucking in. So it seems a picture of them may be possible in a few days without having to use a massive telephoto lens.


Regards, David

[Mammyshaz]

  piccies by the new year then 

[goosepimple]

Good luck with them daveh.  We have 2 in our grouping with soays and n. ronaldsays (the ronnies are by far the friendliest).  The moorits are the most beautiful but still the most jumpy in our group.   They are particularly lovely when you shear them, you can see the proportions - like roe deer, very nice.  The shepherd who came to shear our girls last year was really impressed with them - just a bit too jumpy for showing unfortunately!  Good luck with them, you picked a lovely breed.

[landhallow]

  Look forward to seeing photos and hearing all about them!

I have x3 Castlemilk Moorit ewe lambs. I have had them a few months and they were very wary at first and can run sooooooo fast!!
They are waiting for me at the fence every morning now and 'baaa' at me!
It made my day when I got my first 'baaaaaaaaa' from them! 

[SallyintNorth]

While we're waiting for the pics of David's newcomers, here's a one of my two young ladies.  Yup, wild as cats