Shadow Ridge Acres Farm

01/28/2025

Dr Rex Crawford has been a huge resource to many farmers over the years, this will be very interesting. You don’t have to be in Ontario to register, it’s open to anyone.

OSF District 1 is hosting an online event "Lamb Survivability" Featuring Dr. Rex Crawford this coming Tuesday. 💻

Register here: https://bit.ly/3PQYOhI

12/24/2024

So proud of Crackerjack and Magnum!

12/21/2024

Yesterday we pulled Goliath out of the final breeding group. He went into a pen by himself and proceeded to eat and eat all day. By evening he hadn’t laid down all day, his stomach was distended. Dry hay buddy? Really you bloated on dry hay. After fighting with over 30 ewes for hay for a few months and no competition he definitely over indulged. I had to put him in another barn for the night to cause him as much stress as possible and antigaz and pain meds. He finally walked off his gas enough to lie down and chew his cud. Ruminants can go sideways at literally any change, even at my own farm. Same food , but apparently gluttony is indeed a sin! Valentino went in with Goliath today to keep him moving. He is eating and drinking fine but we will be keeping an eye on him that’s for sure.

11/25/2024

Ironman Rams are officially pulled. Matrix had a couple big ewes in his group that he possibly couldn’t reach. Lanie and Cherie🤦🏻‍♀️So they are in with Goliath now to make sure they are caught. Goliath is loving his new role and takes it very serious. Lambing 2025 is going to be very exciting with all our new genetics. I do have a wait list started already so if you need a specific blood line from these rams, let me know.

11/16/2024

If your not already following Lone Valley Farm, you should as lamb races are on.

11/07/2024

Nice guideline. My ewe lambs tend to be older for lambing as I’m on annual lambing and they are almost turning 2 years old their first lambing. Most have twins and raise them pretty well on their own.

Checklist for breeding ewe lambs

11/05/2024

That’s Bonny, she was in Matrix’s breeding group. I even put up higher fences because I know Bonny is my jumper. There was a foot gap between two extra panels on top of a four foot fence, and she managed to jump into Goliath breeding group. It’s fine, Goliath is my embryo and unrelated to the whole flock. Bonny mom was Maryber Esther. She could jump 6 foot fences as an 8 year old ewe. If I have sold anyone Maryber Esther jumper skills, I’m apologizing now! I have two ewes that are sisters to Bonny and they aren’t jumpers so go figure🤷🏻‍♀️I have Bonny daughters and they aren’t jumpers. I love this ewes form and conformation are perfect, her lambs are perfect every friggen time. But she has hunter jumper skills and smarter than any ewe I’ve ever had. When she decides she wants a certain ram……I’m just going to say “ok Bonny, you choose” When a lady makes up her mind, her mind is set, Go Bonny😂

11/01/2024

Good luck Casanova! I’m sure you will be a big hit with the ladies! Thank you Amadore Acres for giving this ram a perfect home!

Casanova is harnessed and told me to bring on the ladies!! He’s a rather friendly fellow and was quite content to stand to get his harness on.

10/30/2024

Today Ironman Cowboy was delivered to his new home in Powassan. I was so glad to get to visit Shadow Ridge Acres Gus. The couple that bought Gus last year are in their 70’s. They run a huge market garden and had 15 ewes just to keep them busy. Gus gave them so many nice ewes they increased their flock and needed a new ram. So glad they are taking a chance on Cowboy, he had some slow gains but after being separated from the big rams, he gained 30lbs in two months💪🏻So sometimes we are hard on ourselves for having small flocks but being in your 70’s and still running a nice flock is also something to proud of. Thanks again Anne and David🥰Be good Cowboy!

10/23/2024

Hoof trimming ✅ I get my barefoot farrier Jessica to help me trim everyone. It’s a big job and I’m very thankful she does this every fall. I trim the ewes after they lamb but I’m definitely not as good as her. Having their hooves trimmed and having the proper angles really helps the longevity of the ewes feet and less chance of any bacteria being trapped and causing any issues.

10/15/2024

I took a parasite management course last month. I had tried to figure out how to do it by watching YouTube videos. I was still unsure if I was doing it correctly. I’ve been practicing and taking in my McMaster slides to confirm and identify different type of eggs and coccidia with my local vet. They are very glad I’m testing my own fecals now and only treating animals that actually need it. I’m amazed at how the numbers are different in the flock. Lambs definitely carry higher eggs that’s for sure. So many people are trying to have parasite resistant flocks and organic. If you’re not testing, you really don’t know. At the course we discussed natural dewormers and people not using medications. If you are using natural wormers and not testing, you are wasting your time as you have no idea how effective those natural dewormers are. The key is building your flock with ewes that rarely carry a parasite load or carry a moderate load and are able to handle it. But if a ewe becomes ill or under conditioned that worm load can bloom and then compromise that ewe fast. I’m testing so that I can identify any ewes that may need wormed before breeding season. I have a small flock so I collect so many samples at a time. I will be done testing everyone this week.

10/12/2024

I FORGOT FLUFFY in my yearling post! Aka Morgan🩷

10/06/2024

Huge congrats to Elizabeth and Vivian with their 4H market lambs at the Metcalfe Fair🩷🩷these girls picked up their bottle lambs at a few days old and made them their 4H project, Bravo👏🏻 🍀

09/30/2024

Big thank you for welcoming Imax and Izak to your farm. These two rams have such big personalities and I know you will love them.

09/27/2024

It took me a few days to clean up the Ironman boys after their scuffle with Goliath. I had to clip them and wash them to get the blood off of them. They do clean up good but I barely recognize them🤣They definitely missed being in the big barn and lounging on the cement ledge. Goliath is still in his time out pen🤣

09/26/2024

Maybe Goliath just wanted a spa day. Good thing he is handsome and cleans up like this💪🏻He is still in his own pen, as I think his mind is just on other things now. Soon you will have some ladies buddy.