Breeding season is underway
It’s that exciting time of year on the farm: breeding season! This is when we move our rams (the boys) and ewes (the girls) into their specific breeding groups. While it sounds simple, the actual logistics are anything but!
Our breeding rams
Keeping Our Lines Pure
We’re focused on maintaining the integrity of our four distinct sheep breeds: Navajo Churro, Dorset, Corriedale, and Corriedale Moorit. To keep these lines separate, we need four different pastures, one for each breeding group.
This separation is critical, and not just because of genetics. Rams are notoriously determined. If they can see or even just smell another group of sheep—especially a pasture with ewes or a rival ram—they will try everything to get through a fence. The drive to breed or dominate can lead to some serious boundary-breaking!
Mating by Design: Choosing the Pairs
Assigning the ewes to their rams is a careful process. It’s all based on lineage to ensure we don't breed any relatives, and on our desired outcome for the lamb crop. We might be aiming for specific wool characteristics, better confirmation (the physical structure of the sheep), or overall soundness. If a certain ram-ewe combination has produced exceptional lambs in the past, we’ll definitely try to repeat that successful pairing.
The Precision of the Move
Here’s where the farm’s limited space becomes the biggest challenge. Once we’ve assigned the groups, we have to meticulously match them to their respective pastures.
The moves themselves must be mapped out with precise detail. Why? Because a ram, if he sees or smells any sheep along the way, will get distracted and refuse to move easily. He can’t pass by another pasture—he'll either want to dominate the ram or breed the female.
To handle this, we always move the ewes into the pasture first. The rams won’t just walk into an empty field alone! Only once the ewes are settled do we attempt to introduce the ram(s). We have to think through every turn to avoid any close calls or "nose-to-nose" encounters that might incite a breakout or a standoff.
The Ram Who Waited
Chester Nez
One year, we had a ram who absolutely refused to leave his buddies. No amount of pushing, pulling, or tempting with food would convince him to move. We were at a standstill.
Then, at a quiet moment, I glanced out my kitchen window. I saw him standing alone at the corner of the pasture, right by the gate, staring intently at the ewes he was meant to join. It was the perfect window of opportunity. I ran out, quietly opened the gate, and he slowly but surely sauntered right into his new field, his mind clearly focused on the prize.
It finally worked, proving that sometimes, you just have to wait for the ram to be ready!
What do you think is the trickiest part of handling livestock on the farm?