They've done really well. I've sold lots of them and they continue to populate and thrive in different places so I'd say it was a success! There were a lot to cull in the beginning but after we got through the initial culling, it got a lot better.
Sale barn, dog food, let the wild things take care of em. Don't have very many die anymore due to parasites. Had lots in the beginning. Now, the flock is pretty solid and each lamb crop gets better and better. Last year only had a few lambs die from parasites out of the whole crop.
Mostly Bermuda and bahia. They don't love it. They mostly go through and eat the broadleaf weeds but they do eat the grass just have to have them in tight enough.
@@counterculturefarms mine would rather eat ragweed and dog fennel then any of the Bahia or Bermuda I have, but eat the bermuda hay just fine. Make it make sense. I guess I will keep crossing my fingers they finally get accustomed to it
@@quailjailss yeah they love those 2 for sure which is a good thing! Let the weeds pay you. They will clean up a field quick. Just run cows with them or on the same field in rotation and there you go. Everything gets eaten.
Getting ready to retire. I've got 40 acres in Mt pleasant TX. Trying to decide between dorper and St. Croix? But I also plan on running Spanish and or Kiko goats.
Breed matters but the type of animal is a lot more important. Short, fat, masculine rams and short fat feminine females. Our sheep are damn near bulletproof.
For retirement, it seems like you should not run goats at your location. Just a quick search and that's too much rain. Spanish goats may be more parasite, but they're wilder than most goat. May still not bullet proof enough against parasite, so that looks like a lot of work even if you work all day. Sheep generally are much more tame, and St.Croix gene is parasite resistant. After looking at breed (St.Croix gene), you need to look at the pedigree of the sheep: getting the better one from the breed you choose. Can't randomly pick those from auction and expect them to perform like the top percentile. They may highly likely be the cull, bottom percentile from people's ranches. Austin's sheep is even selectively bred to be more economic: well build (more meat), respect electric fence, move well and breed well. That's a lot of work cut out for you. Stay away from full blood Dorper. Too expensive, but since they're bred for dry land with low annual rainfall, they're a work in progress breed for more experienced ranchers.
Love your Texas attitude young man. I'm over here in Bosque County. Researching for my spring flock
Thanks glad to hear it! Holler if you get ready for some ewes! Quality hardy sheep here at CCF.
Almost a year. How is the development of Dorper coming along? Please give us some update. Thanks
They've done really well. I've sold lots of them and they continue to populate and thrive in different places so I'd say it was a success! There were a lot to cull in the beginning but after we got through the initial culling, it got a lot better.
Can you discuss how you manage your rams and breeding strategy?
Yes will make a video on that
What do you do with your sheep that die from parasites? Eat them? Dog food? Bury them?
Sale barn, dog food, let the wild things take care of em. Don't have very many die anymore due to parasites. Had lots in the beginning. Now, the flock is pretty solid and each lamb crop gets better and better. Last year only had a few lambs die from parasites out of the whole crop.
What varieties of grass are you grazing your sheep on?
I am trying to find some warm season perennials that my sheep will actually eat!
Mostly Bermuda and bahia. They don't love it. They mostly go through and eat the broadleaf weeds but they do eat the grass just have to have them in tight enough.
@@counterculturefarms mine would rather eat ragweed and dog fennel then any of the Bahia or Bermuda I have, but eat the bermuda hay just fine. Make it make sense.
I guess I will keep crossing my fingers they finally get accustomed to it
@@quailjailss yeah they love those 2 for sure which is a good thing! Let the weeds pay you. They will clean up a field quick. Just run cows with them or on the same field in rotation and there you go. Everything gets eaten.
That's funny, mine won't eat the dog fennel. I really with they would though lol
@@mr.o5501 I’m sure you have better forage available.
How often are you rotating them?
Typically, every few days. Sometimes quicker sometimes slower depending on what's going on at the time.
Where in East Texas are you located
Nacogdoches
Getting ready to retire. I've got 40 acres in Mt pleasant TX. Trying to decide between dorper and St. Croix? But I also plan on running Spanish and or Kiko goats.
Breed matters but the type of animal is a lot more important. Short, fat, masculine rams and short fat feminine females. Our sheep are damn near bulletproof.
For retirement, it seems like you should not run goats at your location. Just a quick search and that's too much rain. Spanish goats may be more parasite, but they're wilder than most goat. May still not bullet proof enough against parasite, so that looks like a lot of work even if you work all day.
Sheep generally are much more tame, and St.Croix gene is parasite resistant. After looking at breed (St.Croix gene), you need to look at the pedigree of the sheep: getting the better one from the breed you choose. Can't randomly pick those from auction and expect them to perform like the top percentile. They may highly likely be the cull, bottom percentile from people's ranches. Austin's sheep is even selectively bred to be more economic: well build (more meat), respect electric fence, move well and breed well. That's a lot of work cut out for you.
Stay away from full blood Dorper. Too expensive, but since they're bred for dry land with low annual rainfall, they're a work in progress breed for more experienced ranchers.