[Jacob-list] Check out Predator FAQ

[iseespots]

Hi all,

Thanks for the site link!  That was so informative for me that I have
bookmarked it.  The discussion on how each of us faces the problems that are
pretty much part of raising livestock has been quite interesting.

Donna----I don't know if over time it will become easier for you, but I
started out determined BEFORE I purchased my first sheep that these were
first and foremost LIVESTOCK.  People eat livestock.  There will be animals
that are not breeding stock quality and not all "pet" homes are to the
benefit of the animal----sometimes those homes are quite harmful to the
animals.  In short, sometimes it is better to eat some animals.  It took a
couple years before I could ship my first ones off to the livestock
slaughterhouse---I picked a small one, short wait period for the animal,
etc.  I came home sick and feeling terrible.

The next time was Kermit.  This was a young 4-horned ram who at 4 months of
age had left a bruise about 6 inches long on the back of my leg as I had
just not gotten out of the way fast enough when he came for food.  His name
changed from Kermit to "Freezer" for a month until I was ready to take
Freezer to the freezer.  Kermit even tasted really good to me (as I drowned
it in barbecue sauce to cover the real taste).

The hardest was 3 ewes last summer.  They were really bad choices in my
opinion for breeding stock.  One had large split eyelid (hadn't passed it on
to first set of offspring though), another had masculine muzzle and funky
horns, and the third had a horrendous fleece coupled with notch in one eye
and had passed notch on to her lamb that year (that also had bad fleece).
It took a good week for my husband and I to get over those, but I am so
thankful for making that decision.  I know I am not breeding those traits on
in to the population, and they were not good qualities for the breed and I
didn't want my farm name on their offspring.

Mary Ellen
ISeeSpots Farm www.iseespots.com
Home of Jacob Sheep, Shetland Sheep,
and German Angora Rabbits, colored German Angora crosses.
Renewable fleeces, loving personalities, friends.