Hay, Ewe, Get Over Here!
We’re trying to build our sheep flock as fast as is practicle without sacrificing quality and desired traits. I have come to prefer the Horned Dorset breed over the others with which I have become familiar. I used the same attitudes and desires in selecting the Horned Dorset as I did in selecting our Galloway cows. Both are breeds that have not been compromised by cross breeding. The Horned Dorset is a well built, hearty breed that grows to a decent size, takes care of their young, is reagal in appearance and conduct and best of all, tastes good.
I started my sheep venture with 3 Cheviot rams and 5 ewes. The owner had very poor health, had not been tending to his flock and needed to get rid of them. They were all registered, purebred Cheviots. Cheviots are high strung, nervous sheep that will panic in their sleep. Before long, one had killed herself running head long into a fence when she saw me. 2 died for unknown reasons (one was found in a metal hut the morning after an electrical storm, two rams died of old age. That means I still have two Cheviot ewes and one ram still around even though I am concentrating on building a Horned Dorset flock.
The 2 ewes run with my Horned Dorsets and Horned Dorset Ram. Those two ewes have given us great cross lambs, usually two at a time. Even though the Cheviot is a polled breed, these crosses will end up with horns. The Cheviot ram is another story. I keep him separated from the herd because I don’t need two rams fighting and purebred Horned Dorset ewes bred to a Cheviot. He stayed on a smaller pasture by himself. He would eat the pasture down so I found myself having to feed him hay or some grain or both. I couldn’t find a home for him so I decided, with mixed emotions, to just let him out for a while to eat all the grass we have growing around the house and buildings. He was a bit wild, but as days passed and we both acclimated to each other, he would start to follow me around to see what was going on.
We felt he probably needed a name since he lived up at the houses. Being a ram and partial to female sheep we decided to name him Hay Ewe. He knows his name now and will many times respond when we call him. Hay, Ewe, come here works much of the time.
On occason he would walk down the driveway and into a neighboring pastue north of us. They don’t have any fencing along the road so it is easy access. When I would see him over there I would drive my 4 wheeler over with Pete, our Blue Heeler, and we would run him back home. After a while, when he saw us coming his direction he would decide to come home on his own. Eventually he quit going over there. He got the message. If he walks too far down the driveway, all it takes is a Hay Ewe Come Here and he will stop and comeback.
We have a feed tote where we store our pig’s NON GMO rations. Running loose, he has access to it. When I go over to scoop some out for the pigs, he is sure to be on hand for his small portion. After his treat, he is back at keeping our yard manicured and fertilized. When the feed truck comes he goes out to greet it. He weighs close to 180 lb., so visitors are a little cautious when they see our large watch sheep approach and stand by their door. At least he’s not one of those annoying yappers that you come across some times.
Hay Ewe is a novelty. He is respectful but makes his presence known. The neighbors up the road get a kick out of him. He doesn’t just stay in one spot to over fertilize our yard in one area. He greets me every morning with a low pitched, gravely baaa. I think he likes me.