In the sheep world, there are probably as many different ways of raising sheep as there are sheep farmers. Emphasis is often on number or lambs produced and the weight of lambs produced  (i.e. revenue) and often little attention is paid to ease of production  (i.e. costs). It can be easy to get caught up in the drive for more, more, more and forget about the costs of these increases. It’s also not as cut and drug as: this change= this cost/benefit. Each situation and each year are different. Not to mention that one change may lead to others which may have other costs and benefits. All this means that it can be hard to decide how to raise sheep. I have learned to approach it with a few principles which I consider important and am therefore unwilling to compromise on. Those principles have led to goals within the flock. 

This ewe is a perfect example of what I strive for. She is a moderate size, docile ewe with excellent body condition from forage only. She lambed unassisted, is a good mother with a good udder and has 2 excellent lambs. Seeing her is a good reminder of my goal of an easy keeping, low cost flock of productive pasture based ewes.