Saturday, June 25, 2011
Livestock Camp
Last weekend the family attended the Wisconsin Livestock Camp in Milwaukee on the State Fair Grounds. We learned how to brace, wash and clip sheep, and also some tips on feeding and keeping them healthy. Here are a couple of pictures:
Here's the setup we made to bring the sheep to the camp. When we bought them, we put them in dog kennels, but now they're twice the size, we had to do something different. We arced a piece of cattle panel in the trailer, and put the canvas on top. The gates were made out of 2 by 4s.
"Hullo!"
"Now we've stopped again, what's going on!?" On the road, we blew a tire on the trailer, so we had to stop into Walmart to get another spare.
Here are the sheep in the pen that they supplied.
Bracing the sheep. The point is to get the sheep to push up against your leg and tense up its muscles. However, at the same time, their backs have to stay straight, preferably at a downhill angle. That way, when the judge feels the sheep, he/she feels more muscle than if the sheep was relaxed.
Here we're doing the same thing. Our sheep had never been through this before, so it was more difficult for both the sheep and us.
I'm showing this ewe as an ewe lamb, so she doesn't need to be braced as much like the market lambs. However, it will still be preferable to brace her when the judge comes by.
Cool sheep.
Here's the setup we made to bring the sheep to the camp. When we bought them, we put them in dog kennels, but now they're twice the size, we had to do something different. We arced a piece of cattle panel in the trailer, and put the canvas on top. The gates were made out of 2 by 4s.
"Hullo!"
"Now we've stopped again, what's going on!?" On the road, we blew a tire on the trailer, so we had to stop into Walmart to get another spare.
Here are the sheep in the pen that they supplied.
Bracing the sheep. The point is to get the sheep to push up against your leg and tense up its muscles. However, at the same time, their backs have to stay straight, preferably at a downhill angle. That way, when the judge feels the sheep, he/she feels more muscle than if the sheep was relaxed.
Here we're doing the same thing. Our sheep had never been through this before, so it was more difficult for both the sheep and us.
I'm showing this ewe as an ewe lamb, so she doesn't need to be braced as much like the market lambs. However, it will still be preferable to brace her when the judge comes by.
Cool sheep.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Animals - 6-12-11
Here are the ducks and broilers!
Our broiler chicks are growing fast! We have 10 of them for the Jackpot Broiler show in early July. Last year we got 20 through this program, but this year we also ordered 20 through 4-H, which will arrive in early July. We did less for the Jackpot show this year because there would be too many to butcher. 40 chickens are a lot to butcher, but they could be eaten no problem. Out of 18 last year, we finished them in early spring. So now we are back to store chicken, but not for long!
Another view.
Here are the ducks. They are meat ducks, but they also will lay eggs next year, so we are thinking of keeping them.
Our broiler chicks are growing fast! We have 10 of them for the Jackpot Broiler show in early July. Last year we got 20 through this program, but this year we also ordered 20 through 4-H, which will arrive in early July. We did less for the Jackpot show this year because there would be too many to butcher. 40 chickens are a lot to butcher, but they could be eaten no problem. Out of 18 last year, we finished them in early spring. So now we are back to store chicken, but not for long!
Another view.
Here are the ducks. They are meat ducks, but they also will lay eggs next year, so we are thinking of keeping them.
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