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Breeding Rams As the saying goes, when it comes to raising sheep “the ram is half the flock.” Keeping this piece of wisdom in mind I am very picky when it comes to my boys, who must meet several exacting criteria before they achieve breeder status: |
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1. Broad and meaty conformation is a must, and I tend to lean towards fellows with heavy AI backgrounds 2. A Ledgewood ram must be long throughout the body, have a good deep chest and respectable muscle cover. Gangly and/ or lanky boys do NOT pass the test 3. Soft and lustrous fleece… Of course! 4. I will not knowingly use a ram whose mother had a below average lambing rate or milk supply or who did not absolutely shine in the role of mother. Her X chromosome is what he will be passing on to his daughters, and I do not want to risk producing ewes who may be inclined to less than average production, nor do I want to perpetuate poor mothering traits. 5. An even temperament and resistance to parasitism are other key traits that I value. |
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Ledgewood Farm Breeding Rams
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Rams from Previous Breeding Seasons with Descendants in the Flock |
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As a fall ram lamb |
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As a lamb, with his mother in August |
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Pictured as a 3 year old. |
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Photos |
Description |
Price |
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“Ace” WDBF 06S Born in 2006 Polled, moorit mouflon gray, twin. May carry spotting Dam’s Lambing Record: (nb,2,2,2,3) AI: 44% AI (Flekkur, Hnykill, Heli, Hunn, Noi) Very parasite resistant line (this ram has NEVER needed a worming under FAMACHA management), and very closely related to the ram Sirius used in Fall ‘08 (Ace and Sirius have the same father, and their mothers are full sisters). Nice body length and chest width. Very heavy and stocky, and still clear polled at 3 years old. Great in the shoulder, too, and has a long level topline. I also love that this guy is double patterned -all of his lambs will either be gray or mouflan! He is uncle to Romeo, below. Bred to Penelope, Calliope & April for 2010 Lambs |
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“Romeo” LWF 500W Born in 2009 Polled black gray spotted twin Carries solid and moorit. Dam’s lambing record: (1,2,2) AI: 35% AI; Dalur, Flekkur, Hnykill, Hunn, Heli, Noi Romeo inherited great size and presence from his sire Sirius. And his fleece is gorgeous… Thel dense and full. He had a remarkable growth rate despite all the wet weather summer ‘09 which had us contending with higher parasite numbers than normal. I also love this maternal line. Not only is Greytl a great, doting mother, but she has a very relaxed temperament and has been one of my dependable milkers. |
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“Blaze” BLW 303W Born in 2009 Polled (with one tiny scur), black twin. Carries moorit, maybe spotting. Dam’s Lambing record: (1,2,3,2) AI: 75%AI (Mori, Flekkur, Dalur) Son of AI ram Mori and out of Jager’s “Silky” 821R. Incredible fleece line, prolific dam and growing into a nice build. Straight back legs and generally finer boned than most other AI lambs. He has my favorite temperament of the rams, a particularly good rear and the best fleece in the ram pen this year. I LOVE his luxurious, thel packed fleece. Bred to Jasmine, Geneva & Firefly for 2010 lambs.
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Shown here with contaminated fleece (Burdock, I curse thee!)
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“Entwhistle” HWF W Born in 2009 Polled, solid black, spotted twin. Carries moorit Dam’s Lambing record: (?,?,2,3,2) AI: 25%AI Dalur, Heli, Faldur, One of the top rams in his year at HeartsEase Farm, Entwhistle boasts those tough-as-nails Tongue River genetics on top of a very tall & sturdy frame. I especially love his wide and straight back legs and his soft, full fleece. Nice level topline, too. Looking forward to having his genes in the flock. He’s a very smart, active boy. Bred to Zippity, Daytona, Nebula & Chacha for 2010 lambs. |
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ID |
Photos |
Description |
Years Used |
Close Relatives & Descendants in the Flock |
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WDBF 01U Pedigree |
Pictured as a lamb |
“Sirius” WDBF 01U Born in 2008 Polled moorit spotted twin Dam’s lambing record: (1,2,2) 44% AI; Flekkur, Hnykill, Hunn, Heli, Noi Sirius is the largest ram lamb I’ve seen… In full fleece he appears equal in size to some of our mature ewes! Neither of his parents has needed worming in 3 years under FAMACHA management (Looking forward to saturating the gene pool here in some of that!) Sirius has lots to bring to the table: great size, nice muscling and a soft, very full and heavy fleece– a testament to his Noi and Heli ancestry! |
Fall 2008 |
Son: 500W “Romeo” Brother: WDBF 06S “Ace” |
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MVI 707T |
Pictured as a lamb (top) and a yearling (bottom) |
“Felix” MVI 707T Born in 2007 Polled, solid black ram, triplet. Carries moorit Dam’s lambing record: (1,2,3,3,2,2) AI Background: 63% AI; 1/4 Arfi, 1/8 Dalur, 1/8 Flekkur, 1/8 Heli. An excellent build on this ram, a stocky, long-bodied Arfi grandson. Fabulous prolificacy on both sides of his pedigree and very growthy, milky genetics. He has a gorgeous, thel-rich fleece with reddish highlights and a gentlemanly temperament to boot. Well rounded guy!
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Fall 2007 |
Daughters: 1. Zippity LWF 400U 2. April LWF 401U 3. Geneva LWF 402U Half Sister: “Calliope” MVI 907W
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