In Hawaii, grass can harbor larvae known as Barberpole worm all year long because there is no winter freeze to limit their reproduction cycle.
It affects young lambs and nursing mothers to the degree they will die if the internal worm load is high enough. Prevention is key, so I move sheep onto fresh grass twice a week. I am deworming with a variety of medications on a regular basis. More on this later.
Surprise! Dixie does recognize that she can herd sheep. I was rather certain her fear would keep her from understanding that. Well, it still affects her performance, but it does not rule out who she is. She at her core, from her parentage, has the needed gift I desire. How to remove her fear or…
What I wish my sheep would recognize: 1. That I’ve shown up to reset the fences so new feed is provided. 2. That their health is dependent on some unfavorable medicine poured down their throat. 3. That they don’t need to be afraid of me, but still move in the direction I indicate. From the…
The enormous belly on the third and pregnant ewe walking away makes me a bit concerned. Yes, sheep can have triplets, septuplets even, but my experience on poor pastures of Hawaii is that singles are the norm. A set of live triplets will create a hierarchy, and the weakest one will be a runt. This…
October 17, 2024 Yesterday’s shift of the sheep fences looked different this time. I normally keep the truck out of the sheep’s pasture they are occupying. However, being rushed to get everything done, I pushed down the boundary twine and rushed the truck across their field to pick up the posts and twine for the…
Today is a challenging day. I will teach for a little bit as a sheep farmer to 18 people. It’s an adventure, hands on experience to feed, move and medicate the sheep against internal parasites and tetanus. The grass greened up and it makes for a beautiful setting. I’m asking the Lord to make it…
Aug 30, 2024d Trust. Having Dixie home again is great. When I went back to the 300-acre ranch on Wednesday, I drove the truck near the unused cabin on the acreage. I whistled and to my surprise she ran full speed from behind the buildings, jumped through two gates and was at my feet with…