Yeah man! Thank you for sharing this video. Extremely helpful. Wife and I have 4 acres of agricultural zoned land in tropical rainforest. We are considering all possibilities now as we are not there yet…however…we are learning quite a bit about all aspects of homesteading…the St.Croix seem to be a good starting point as far as how they would fit the aspects of our land, what goals we have, etc.
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
I will say, St. Croix sheep have been the best/most profitable animal on the farm so far for us. Best of luck to you both!
@thomasreto2997
Жыл бұрын
@@birchfieldfarming we will be at HOA Conference in Frontroyal Virginia in October
@greggmcclelland8430
Жыл бұрын
I agree with getting two rams. 2 is one and 1 is none. I learned a lot...marking the rams is pretty cool. If the ewe does not breed back or the ram doesn't breed his share, then you have your cull candidates.
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
You got it…and homestead meat is a great thing!
@xxfaction6xx
2 жыл бұрын
enjoying the channel. Thanks
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for following all the shenanigans!😀
@tedbastwock3810
Жыл бұрын
Neat video, thanks for sharing
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
Thanks, Ted!
@hollyking9523
Жыл бұрын
I love seeing other St. Croix flocks, yours look really nice! I'll have to look up another video and see how Sonny's results turned out at lambing time. We are still on our original flock (1 ram and two ewes) with the addition of one of our ewe lambs. We bred her back to her sire this year for the first time, so I am hoping for "linebreeding" results, and not "inbreeding" results.
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
Thanks, Holly! Sonny sired multiple sets of triplets for our best lambing yet last Spring. We’ve since sold Fritz, our original herdsire from 2018, keeping back the best of his rams for future breeding. I’ve definitely become convinced of the benefits of running that 2nd bloodline ram when a flock expands to that point. It’s quite an art to know what to do when in regards to linebreeding, but it sounds like you are well on your way! St. Croix are a fantastic breed. Best of luck with your flock!
@calvary1808farm
Жыл бұрын
Everything you need to know you can learn on the farm! 😉 Get the kids involved and raise them right!
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
You got it!🤠
@kangdadangputratasik
2 жыл бұрын
Very good
@crlynmrls
2 жыл бұрын
Can you only breed them 1 time a year? Does it vary by location when? What if you were in Florida?
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
They say 3 lambings every 2 years is achievable, though we have not done this. It is also said St. Croix can breed and lamb any time of the year, so with grass all year long in Florida, I would bet you could really do well with them there! In Ohio, I like to lamb when the grass is best in Spring. Thanks for commenting!
@indianaoutdoors4379
2 жыл бұрын
Will you have any Ewes for sale this year? I am looking at starting a flock?
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
I’m booked out into year 3. The market is crazy right now.
@brianmcdaniel9537
2 жыл бұрын
Do you leave them in that area until they are all breed? or do you let them in the pasture?
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
Good question- No, I’ve discovered it really doesn’t matter where you have them or if they are moving to other pasture during breeding season - he’ll breed them if everybody’s healthy. I’ve noticed it’s easier for the shepherd to see blue marks and corresponding ear tag numbers if they’re in a smaller space, but other than that, no real advantage.
@elizabethkernohan2263
2 жыл бұрын
Notice the ram has a dirty butt which is indicative of parasite/worms. Thought this breed properly managed does not have this problem .
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
Diarrhea in livestock is called scours, which may or may not be indicative of parasites like Barber Pole worm. There are several reasons for scours in sheep: bacterial, viral, parasites, and diet. Many of our sheep will scour for a time when put on fresh Spring grass. No wormers, still thriving. This ram came to us from another farm and had a selenium/vitamin E deficiency. Thanks for your question.
@ronmetz9172
2 жыл бұрын
What breed of cattle do you have?
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
We run Red Devon.
@brich2929
Ай бұрын
whats your opinion on shelter for the sheep? We got reported to Dep Ag because a neighbor claimed we didn't provide "adequate shelter"
@birchfieldfarming
Ай бұрын
Oh man, this makes me red faced, and it’s not even my farm! Let me take a couple deep breaths here…..Thank you, Walt Disney, for our current unrealistic personification of all things farm animals. My sheep and cattle have zero shelter, end of story. If they can’t do that, we make meat. The disconnect between this current culture and real food and farming is at an all-time high and moves inversely proportional to common sense and one of the reasons I made sure I was zoned agricultural before I purchased our property. Even so, we had a neighbor call the cops one year after weaning cattle…for mooing cows. Seriously, no joke. We reminded everyone we’re zoned agricultural, and the issue magically disappeared and never returned.
@brich2929
Ай бұрын
@@birchfieldfarming agree with everything you said.
@pharvalleyaussies6215
2 жыл бұрын
Do you worm your sheep?
@birchfieldfarming
2 жыл бұрын
I do not. Now, if I get into a pinch with a young one and vet recommends, then I will. Happened for the first time last summer. I’ve discovered here once they (St. Croix) turn about a year old, they are good. It’s those young ones right around weaning (60 to 75 days old) that I really have to watch.
@dawnboudreau9575
Жыл бұрын
Are they from st. Croix virgin islands?
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
Originally and in short, yes, though now considered a landrace breed in North America.
@dawnboudreau9575
Жыл бұрын
@@birchfieldfarming I lived there for 40 years that's why I'm asking. Very cool!
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
@@dawnboudreau9575 Oh wow, that must have been great to live in such a beautiful place! I’ve been there once, many years ago.
@dawnboudreau9575
Жыл бұрын
@@birchfieldfarming cool ! Great videos.! Dr ken berry in Nashville has them to. You got it right farm to table. Love it. He's on KZitem also..
@kenjiro2676
Жыл бұрын
8:34, he starts breeding with his daughters, and he starts breeding his his daughter’s grand daughters, etc. This is why you switch rams to bring in new blood.
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
Line breeding is perfectly acceptable in sheep.
@bobfortune8411
Жыл бұрын
does the ram have loose stools for a reason? dont they poop loike a goat thank you
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
Many factors can contribute. Stools loosen up at different times of the year here, largely dependent on lushness of forage and diet. The important thing is no wormer.
@bobfortune8411
Жыл бұрын
@@birchfieldfarming thank you so much......my uncle gives his hogs a 3% hydrogen peroxide mix in their water for health.......works a wonder for them...also plants herbs for them to graze......parsley sage rosemary thyme mint oregano and many others as well as the edible flowers.....he says that beetles are available to handle the manure issues....not sure about them in america...they have those ones that clean up after the elephants..thanks again
@birchfieldfarming
Жыл бұрын
@@bobfortune8411 Yes, the dung beetles! We have identified 2 different species on our farm to date, which is another reason we do NOT use chemical de-wormers, as they will eliminate the dung beetle population. Let’s let the bugs do the work of burying the manure! Take care, Bob.
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