Our entire adult flock of Shetlands AND Bluefaced Leicesters have tested negative for OPP ('08,'09), CL ('08), Blue Tongue ('09) and Johne's ('08,'09).
Please check out our blog for updated information! www.ramsayfarms.blogspot.com
We are anticipating another LAI this year, at our own farm, November 7th! 15-18 ewes will be AI'ed this fall. Contact me for more information :)
Please email to be put on our waiting list for lambs or available adults! or check out what is currently for sale on our "animals available" page. We are VERY excited about this upcoming lambing season! Stay tuned!
The Shetland is a small, fine boned sheep belonging to the Northern Short-tailed group that has evolved in
relative isolation in Shetland since the late 8th century. The high quality wool - the finest of any British
breed, averaging 23 microns in diameter - is noted for fineness of crimp and resilience, forming the basis of
the world renowned Shetland woolen industry.
Rams are usually horned and ewes horn-less, though polled rams and ewes
with short horns can occur. A highly characteristic feature is a short
fluke-shaped tail.
Classified as a primitive breed, the Shetland retains the hardiness,
ease of parturition, longevity and ability to thrive on a low intake of
feed common among such groups.
Ewes usually weighing up to 90 pounds, while rams can get up to 110 pounds.
As a pure breed the sheep produces very high quality lean meat with outstanding flavor and fine texture.
When crossed with a suitable terminal sire the heavier, faster maturing lamb is readily acceptable at markets.
Purebred Shetlands:
- Hardy & thrifty
- Hill ewes will live and thrive outside
- Lively lambs with a strong will to live, get up quickly and feed
- Milky mothers - yearlings will rear twins and mature ewes can rear triplets
- Versatile - ewes have a large pelvis and will successfully cross with a terminal sire
- Shetland meat - lean with superb flavor and is low in lipid fat - excellent for low cholesterol diets
There
are eleven main whole colors in Shetland sheep, with many shades
and variants in between. The breed has more colors and patterns than
any other breed with eleven whole colors and more than 30 recognized
markings have been identified. My
personal goals with the Shetland Sheep are to have the classic, single
coated, FINELY fleeced animals that are 25 microns or less as a mature animal. I prefer to
have solid colors on the bodies of the sheep, but don't mind having
white on the face or legs. I myself am not a spinner but breeding these
animals true to what they were intended for in their home land is
important to me.
This past fall (2008) we did our first Laproscopic Artificial Insemination with several friends. We did ground breedings with a select group of ewes to several proven yearling rams and several promising ram lambs. The ewes that were used in AI are those that exhibited outstanding fleece and structure qualities as well as possessed a pedigree that will compliment the rams we put them to.
The rams we used were:
Greenholme Holly
Willowcroft Jamie
Campaign Timothy
Heights Orion
Shirehill Minder
The lambs from this LAI will more than likely NOT be available for purchase. However there is always the circumstance where should any of these animals be available, we could contact you. Please email us to be put on our waiting list.
We also have straws still remaining that we did not use. Those rams are:
Heights Orion (the last straws available publicly)
Greenholme Holly (the last straws available publicly)
Willowcroft Jamie (the last straws available publicly)
Drum Jings (the last straws available publicly)
Campaign Timothy - some of the last straws
Todhill Jericho (the last straws available publicly)
Heatheram Lightning
Shirehill Minder
We plan on using these last straws of AI in the future, perhaps in two years or down the road some, when we feel we have outstanding ewes to put back to these older imported rams. Stay tuned!
