Bergamascos' Babydoll Brigade

04/04/2024

New and seasoned shepherds. A suggested reference book. I read my copy cover to cover a couple of times. Keep in mind, some adjustments may need to be made due to the smaller size of our Babydolls.

06/11/2023

Have you ordered your 2024 NABSSAR calendar? Save 20% by using the code SHOPNOVEMBER

Babydoll Southdown Sheep 2024 NABSSAR Calendar. Throughout the year, the NABSSAR's (North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association & Registry) members submit photos of their Babydoll Southdown sheep to be judged by independent judges to be included in our annual calendar. Proceeds from the cale...

27/10/2023

Over the years, there's been a lot of sheep hugging going on by me and Farmboy (Tom). Did you know (Inter)National Hug A Sheep Day is observed tomorrow, Saturday, October 28th, 2023? It has been observed the last Saturday in October since 2010 and was made official in 2015. Founded by The Crazy Sheep Lady.

05/10/2023

Just a few days left to enter your Babydolls to be exhibited at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). On, or before, October 10, 2023. Late entries through October 17, 2023.

Junior Breeding Sheep Show
is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12, 2023.
South Wing A, Ring 3

Babydoll Open Sheep Show, Sunday, November 12, 2023
Scheduled to follow the selection of the Junior Supreme Champions at 9:00 p.m.
South Wing A, Ring 1

Reminder: Louisville is on Eastern Time (ET) on those dates.
Sponsored by the North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association and Registry (NABSSAR).

28/12/2022

Some good info.

21/12/2022

I've seen a few posts asking about the Babydolls and cold. "Normal" cold is typically not a problem for them. The storm, named Elliot, is not bringing "normal" cold. Make sure your Babydolls have shelter and feed them extra food. Babydolls with less wool on their ears may wind up with frostbitten ears. If they've suffered frostbite on their ears previously, those are more prone to re-freezing.

Where I'm located, in central Kentucky, weather reports are suggesting winds up to 50 MPH, wind chills of -25°, and some snow. This is a case where I would keep my sheep inside the barn and provide them extra hay. Even the barn would be cold, but they won't be near as cold if I allowed them to be outside. Make sure your shelters do still have ventilation. Closed shelters + sheep = a buildup of moisture and ammonia in the air which can lead to pneumonia. If you don't have a barn, construct shelters with whatever you can so they can get out of the wind but make sure they are sturdy so the wind will not knock them over and injure/kill your Babydolls.

In extreme temperatures, sheep require 15 to 20% more feed to help them maintain body temperature. The process of digestion raises their core temperature. If they do not receive the necessary protection and feed, they can suffer cold stress that causes wool slip. Wool slip is different than wool break. When an animal experiences cold stress, an increase in cortisol (natural steroids) occurs. The increased cortisol levels can cause the hair to fall out.

Shepherds need to be careful too. Wind chill temperatures near -25°F will freeze exposed skin in less than 30 minutes.

BE safe everyone, people and animals!

13/12/2022

06/12/2022

I promised myself before I frogged my last sweater I made to re-knit it to fix a couple of issues, I would finish two other projects I had been working on. Today (12/06/2022) I finished one of my slippers. Knitted with 100% Babydoll Southdown - of course! I also added a leather sole for durability. On to slipper number two...

05/12/2022

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/33b91f1

Import Alert: Sheep and Goat Embryos/Oocytes Now Eligible for Import from the United Kingdom, for Transfer to Eligible Recipient Female Sheep and Goats in the United States. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent this bulletin at 12/05/2022 09:26 AM EST Having trouble viewing this emai...

29/10/2022

Over the years, there's been a lot of sheep hugging going on. Did you know Hug A Sheep Day is today, Saturday, October 29th, 2022? It has been observed the last Saturday in October since 2010 and was made official in 2015. Founded by The Crazy Sheep Lady.

19/09/2022

https://www.facebook.com/babydollsouthdownsheepatbergamascosbabydollbrigade/posts/525838412874774

04/09/2022

I've been thinking a lot about Beacon today for some reason and I'm hoping she is okay. She was my oldest ewe and she's now eleven years old. Last I heard from the Mandy Slaven at Buckeye Babydolls - where my ewes went to live - she was doing fine. I took this photo on September 4th but in 2017.

18/08/2022

Information about fire on the farm.

29/07/2022

https://www.facebook.com/babydollsouthdownsheepatbergamascosbabydollbrigade/posts/pfbid0382n2PMzC8QiPuZgZbbMKNTaborrHBJVHGb7puRGoFQUZPsP3D55C6VhSieF6HeLZl

I've seen a few posts recently asking if sheep can eat Queen Anne's Lace. Yes, they can. But, make sure it is Queen Anne's Lace. They can also eat Giant Hogweed. They should NOT be eating Poison Hemlock. It is highly toxic and can cause death.

Our pastures have a lot of Queen Anne's Lace in them right now. We spent quite a bit of time making sure we knew that's what it was and the sheep would be okay eating it.

Answers: Top left: Queen Anne's lace; top right: Poison Hemlock; bottom left: Giant Hogweed; bottom right: Cow Parsley

Some articles for more information.
https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-to-Identify-Queen-Annes-Lace-Wild-Carrot

More info on Queen Anne's lace - http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/wild.html including recipes for Queen Anne's Lace Jelly, Wild Carrot Cake, and direction on using it to dye with.

Poison Hemlock Toxicity in Goats and Sheep -http://www.comstockequine.com/storage/app/media/Documents/POISON_HEMLOCK_TOXICITY_IN_GOATS_AND_SHEEP.pdf

28/07/2022

FAMACHA© training and distribution of cards updates. https://www.wormx.info/famacha

FAMACHA© is a diagnostic test to help small ruminant producers identify animals that require anthelmintic treatment and those which do not require deworming. The tool is a card that matches eyelid color to anemia levels, an indicator of clinical barber pole worm infection. Its use is limited to the parasites which cause anemia. Producers must receive training in order to receive a card. Training is now available online - https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/famacha/ - from the University of Rhode Island. For many years, the University of Georgia (Dr. Ray Kaplan's lab) was the sole distributor of FAMACHA© cards (in North America). The cards are now distributed by Louisiana State University (Dr. Adriano Vatto's lab).

07/07/2022

https://www.facebook.com/babydollsouthdownsheepatbergamascosbabydollbrigade/photos/a.327012804068405/1038350556267956

Use the link above to read a post I previously wrote with some info on keeping your Babydolls cool. One point mentioned in my write up is believe it, or not, wool protects sheep from extreme heat. This is why it is important to choose your shearing time so that the sheep have about an inch of wool growth by the time summer hits and it will be longer to keep them warm during winter. Wool fiber dissipates heat more rapidly, keeps the sheep from getting sunburned, and keeps the bugs from biting them. What you don't want to do is shear them now "because they're too hot".

It may not be on your radar but it is not too early to be locating your shearer for your spring time shearing. Many choose to shear about 6 weeks, or so, before your ewes are due to lamb. Finding a shearer willing to shear Babydolls can be tough. After you find one, actually having them show up is tough. And if your not prepared to do your part of the shearing process, you may find they won't return the next time.

Some ways to locate a shearer are:

~ Use the Babydoll membership lists found on the association websites and contact others in your area and ask them if they can provide you with contacts. http://www.nabssar.org/membership_list.php
~ Contact your local extension office.
~ Try the Shearer Directory from the American Sheep Industry Association - https://www.sheepusa.org/contacts-woolpelt-shearerdirectory
~ Do a Google search using the keywords "sheep shearer" "your state"
~ Give it a try yourself - https://www.iamcountryside.com/sheep/how-to-shear-a-sheep/ It isn't as easy as the shearers make it look. Ask me how I know.

If you have a shearer you would recommend, feel free to comment on this post.

Learning how to shear a sheep takes practice and time. Before you head out to buy sheep shearing supplies try to observe a professional sheep shearer and ask questions.

06/07/2022

https://www.farmanddairy.com/news/what-farmers-need-to-know-about-fda-guidance-ending-otc-antibiotics/710468.html

Beginning in June 2023, farmers won’t be able to buy any over-the-counter antibiotics for their animals.

02/07/2022

https://www.facebook.com/babydollsouthdownsheepatbergamascosbabydollbrigade/posts/pfbid024it43GRp2hWxjaqajo6uQ31Y6ETU9ntwSUHty9xBwKxxnF3NojoosGaJvDFPYydul

28/06/2022

Voluntary 2022 U.S. National Animal Health Reporting System (NAHRS)
Reportable Diseases, Infections, and Infestations Listhttps://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahrs/downloads/nlrad-nahrs-disease-list.pdf

Notifiable Disease - Caprine and Ovine
• Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia* (Mycoplasma capricolum capripneumoniae)
• Mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var ovis, Chorioptes bovis, Psoroptes ovis, Psoroptes cuniculi, Psoregates ovis)
• Nairobi sheep disease*
• Peste des petitis ruminants*
• Scrapie*
• Sheep pox and goat pox*

Check the Multi-species list too.

Monitored Diseases - Caprine and Ovine
• Caprine arthritis/encephalitis* (CAE)
• Contagious agalactia* (Mycoplasma agalactiae, M. Capricolum capricolum, M. putrefaciens, M.mycoides mycoides, M. mycoides mycoides LC)
• Enzootic abortion of ewes* (ovine chlamydiosis, Chlamydophila abortus)
• Maedi-visna/ovine progressive pneumonia*
• Ovine epididymitis* (Brucella ovis infection)
• Salmonellosis* (Salmonella abortusovis)

Check the Multi-species list too.

16/06/2022

Their foundation flock came from Bergamascos' Babydoll Brigade® (me). I see some nice looking ram lambs in this group.

13/06/2022

Looking for a ewe lamb?

22/04/2022

For more photos of my visit, go to my Babydoll page.

I was able to visit some Babydolls this evening. Stark Ridge Farm is just recently started their lambing and I'm told still has room on their reservation list. I tried to mindmeld some of the expecting ewe who are looking VERY ready to lamb during my visit but they didn't oblige. https://www.facebook.com/StarkRidgeFarm

This one was in the lambing jug and had had her lambs just this afternoon. She was looking at me saying, "Look at what I did!"

25/03/2022

Another photo from my local farm visit (03/14/2022). The ewes took their lambs on a wide circle around me since I'm not normally one of their flock.

23/03/2022

Another photo from my local farm visit (03/14/2022). Sheep butts!

16/03/2022

Another photo from my local farm visit (03/14/2022). What a cutie patootie!

15/03/2022

Another photo from my local farm visit. The shepherd is hoping all but the 2 youngest of these will be lambing soon.