You may note that some have tails and some don't. This is due to whether we intended to sell the ewes or keep them. It is a popular belief that tails are messy on sheep. It's not true. The only time they might become that way is when the sheep are unhealthy. These sheep have fairly short tails by birth and frankly they do just fine with them. But you can't sell them to anybody with a tail; so...
The other thing is, cute as they are, the lambs are mostly raised for food. This is not a hobby farm but a business, which is what ranching has to be if you want to keep doing it. They get a good life. We sell the lambs to someone who kills mercifully and for a market that appreciates grassfed meat (same with our cattle).
Obviously, raising livestock is a mixed blessing to do. Enjoy them but also know their purpose is for a human to live healthier. Sad but life is a lot that way-- the rose with the thorn.
The day they go is both what must be but one that I always feel sad about. I can only do it with the Native Americans claim when killing for food-- thank you, brother, for your sacrifice.
Eat meat but eat less of it and never forget from where it came-- even if you bought it packaged in a grocery store. And whenever possible, buy from a local grower, not through the meat factories. It's better for the land and the animals-- us included.
7 comments:
I don't think I ever knew about sheep's tails. They look like different animals after they're sheared.
Susan Says
They do, Susan. They are kind of goat-like anyway.
I do believe if people are going to eat meat, they should absolutely come to terms with the slaughter. So much of food and its processing is out of sight. Your sheep are really quite beautiful.
I guess they are probably happy to get rid of all that coat they were carrying around! Much easier to be clean now.
Yes, they do like it especially when the shearer is as gentle as ours. It's hard to find good shearers for small flocks. In past years, the lambs sometimes refused to recognize their mothers and even went to the wool pile. This year though we had none of that.
Love their faces! When youngest son raised Heritage Black hogs we all learned a lot about pasture to plate. They had pasture and loving care. At first he just called them all "bacon" but in no time they all had names. They were such characters. Now I buy my meat from a local farm and appreciate the healthy way the animals are raised and butchered. It's more expensive but I eat much less meat now and that makes it affordable. Good thoughts for you and your critters.
Good for you, Celia. I wish more would do that as small growers are a healthy way to get meat of any sort. Better for the animals and us.
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