Category: Sheep

  • New Feeders

    New Feeders

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    We got the new ram lamb feeders installed today. Here are the boys before we moved them back into their normal pen. The new feeder uses two pieces that connect to make one large feeder. Continue reading

  • The Rams Are Out!

    The Rams Are Out!

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    We got the backup rams out of the ewe pens today. The two backups, Desert Weyr Kevyn and Desert Weyr Kirk, plus the live cover ram, Desert Weyr Kai, are now in a tiny pen getting used to each other. We’ve found that by cramming the boys in together until they smell the same, we… Continue reading

  • Right Angle Jail

    Right Angle Jail

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    Caridwen is behind bars. There aren’t many right angles on our farm that are not fences, so I just picked a good fence to use. Prompt: Right (90-degree) angles can help define a composition. Make a photograph involving intersecting lines. Continue reading

  • Winnie and the Rams

    Winnie and the Rams

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    Winnie is in with the adult rams right now. She stays nice and warm among the woolly sheep. Continue reading

  • The Backup Rams Are In

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    Yesterday, we got the two backup rams in with the ewes. Desert Weyr Kevyn is in with the live cover ewes. He immediately started sniffing and chasing them, and even tried to mount a few, but none of the ewes were in heat. Desert Weyr Kirk is the backup for the AI ewes. He went… Continue reading

  • Agent 90: Secret Agent Sheep

    Agent 90: Secret Agent Sheep

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    A rare breed indeed. Prompt: Glasses help many folks bring the world into focus each day. Make a photo of a pair of any kind of glasses today. Continue reading

  • The Primary Ram Is Out

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    We got the primary ram, Desert Weyr Kai, out from the ewe pen late today. He’s the first ram for the control group of ewes. There will be no rams with them for the next two weeks, then we’ll put two backup rams in – one with the control group, and one with the AI… Continue reading

  • The Winter Solstice

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    Farms mark the year by the solar calendar. The solstice is the traditional mid-winter festival that marks the return of the sun. For us, too, the solstice is turnaround time. The days when the sun seems to stand still are our time to reflect on the past year. We evaluate our accomplished goals and plan… Continue reading

  • Big Snowstorm

    Big Snowstorm

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    We woke up to a lot of snow today. The ram lambs are covered in snow! A couple were just resting in their sheep nests. Cwningwn, AKA Bunny, was staying in her private house. She’s getting alfalfa pellets because she doesn’t have many teeth left. She’s by herself so the other sheep don’t steal her… Continue reading

  • Sheep AI Experiment, 2009, Part Four: Inseminating the Ewe

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    It’s ewe insemination day. This is the insemination pipette. It’s a modified pig insemination device. It is carefully threaded into the ewe. Ken had to hold all of the ewes in the chute. Without a squeeze, this was the only way to control them. It worked fairly well, all things considered. Insemination is simple. We… Continue reading