There are probably as many different lambing systems as there are shepherds. Some lamb on pasture, some put laboring ewes in pens, and some shepherds choose to put their bred ewes in group pens to labor and deliver. Each farm must evaluate their own situation and what works best for them to give them the optimal outcome. Shepherds need to … Read More
Gotland wool comes in a variety of shades of gray from a pale silver to a dark charcoal. Gotland sheep produce a true gray as their fiber does not discolor due to sun exposure. Gotland lambs are born solid black. They keep this lamb fleece for 2 to 3 months when their true gray coat begins to come in underneath … Read More
Join Anastasia Williams from Garden Wool & Dye Company as she interviews me for the second episode of her new podcast, Local Wool. Listen while I share how Gotland sheep came to Grand View Farm and hear a historical perspective of the Gotland upbreeding program in the United States. Learn about the lovely wool characteristics of this special breed and … Read More
A skilled shepherd knows when to assist ewes at lambing. Most of the time, ewes lamb completely on their own. Their bodies are created to give birth naturally without intervention. As a shepherd, you must learn to resist helping until a ewe really needs assistance. It is usually obvious when a ewe needs help with a birth. Typically, it can … Read More
Hypothermia is a condition that shepherds need to watch for in young lambs. It occurs when a lamb’s body temperature drops below a normal temperature. This can be life threatening to a lamb and immediate detection and treatment increase the lamb’s survival rate. Several factors put lambs at a higher risk for getting hypothermia such as: small lambs triplets or … Read More
