Blog #28
Easy does it
So …, I don’t know why trends go the way they do, but I
find some fascinating. Some I’ll never
understand, like Swatch watches, but others I sort of do. In the early ‘80s Levi’s 501s made a
comeback, and that seemed to be a rebound from the excessively wide leg jeans
of the ‘70s, which makes sense.
Livestock breeds can trend as well, whether as pets or as
production animals. For years, hogs were
bred to be as big as possible in time to meet market cycles, but as consumers
demanded healthier options, these same hog farmers moved toward leaner
production animals, which followed the market trend, which followed a healthier
lifestyle trend. Some trends stick
around for quite a while, while others become passe quickly—like Swatch
watches. I’m thankful the trend toward
healthier lifestyles has stuck around, though.
Both breeds have tremendous appeal from the cute factor,
but for different reasons. Babydolls
look to have the cuddliness of teddy bears and koala bears, but with the added
cuteness of having lambs. Valais
Blacknose appeal to folks because they are so visually striking -- shockingly
white wool, very defined black patches, and curling horns that stick out from
their heads.
Babydolls have an advantage for owners in that they are
smaller, which means less feed based on weight, lower dosage for medications,
again by weight, and smaller dimensions for pens, chutes, and so on. At around 125 pounds (max), they’re also less
physically intimidating than a big old Hampshire ram that can weigh-in north of
275 pounds. That doesn’t mean they can’t
be dangerous, which is why turning your back on any livestock is an unnecessary
risk. I’ve been whacked harder by a
poorly managed Babydoll than I have by larger breeds over the last several
years. When well socialized, though, Babydolls are spot-on at petting zoos
since they are more “fun-sized,’ especially when the target audience is small
children.
Valais Blacknose, as I mentioned, are the eye-catching
sheep in the pen. They’ve only been in
the United States since about 2016, so they still have a novelty factor which
adds to their appeal. Blacknose rams are
large, stout fellas, so they aren’t something to mess with, but a fully grown
ram with a flock of ewes is a very commanding image, which also has
appeal. One owner I’ve sheared for has
Blacknose sheep along with Highland cattle to use as photo backdrops in
pastures surrounding their wedding venue.
What bride wouldn’t want cute, unique sheep and cattle as scenery in
their wedding, right? That is a bit of a
mixed image though, since Valais Blacknose sheep are from Switzerland and
Highland cattle hail from the Scottish Highlands and western islands.
Both of these breeds cause shearing challenges, and both
are a bit like humans, especially right after shearing. How many haircuts look the best immediately
following a trim? Most haircuts look
better a week or two later, right?
Babydolls need to smooth out a bit to regain their teddy bear cuteness,
and Blacknose need to gain back a bit of their longwool characteristics so that
their fleece has some wave and flow in the breeze. The challenge for both is that they are
physical outliers among sheep.
Babydolls are a third to half the size of most other
breeds, so combs and handpieces are tricky to get into every place they have
wool, including the crutch, axilla, and across the top of their ears. Blacknose
have spiral horns, a long wool staple, and a tendency toward matts, which can
be difficult to get a handpiece through.
I’ve found shearing success with these breeds comes from following Ed’s
mantra: “Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast.”
Rather than trying to race through to get done, by slowing down and
working with the animal’s design features, it’s lower stress for all
involved. When the animal is more relaxed
and less kicky, there is a lower incidence of nicking them, which is key.
As I mentioned in a previous post, having livestock to
follow a trend just for the trend’s sake is not good for the animal, but for
those owners who have a heart for these unique breeds, Babydoll Southdowns and
Valais Blacknose are definitely a sight to see and enjoy in the pen or pasture,
and the folks I’ve sheared for are very pleased to have healthy, well-socialized
animals that respond positively to having their owner nearby.
For those interested in seeing these breeds, Crager Hills Farm periodically has livestock at various locations around middle Georgia, and Moreauville Farms has Valais Blacknose beauties. Check Facebook for both enterprises regarding dates, locations, and entry requirements.
C-Ya!
*** No animals were harmed in the making of this post.
Shearing is an important part of sheep farming for the wellbeing of the sheep.
***
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