An apocolypse herd/flock

[Lifesong Farm]

Dawnwinds I have gotten to the point where I just say for fiber, pets and show and leave out the meat factor. So many people are don't know where their food comes from.
I was at a meat counter talking to the butcher about rasing my own food and this lady got all upset asking how could I kill the poor animal. I said easy at least I know my food was well cared for and raised properly. My jaw about hit the floor when she said I should buy my food from the store like she does. Then she proceeded to buy $40 in steak.

Parasite resistance needs to start with owners not changing meds as often and culling animals that are affected badly by parasites. Stop this medice rotation crap and only medicate after fecals. Use a med till it doesn't work anymoreTHEN switch meds. We have about 15 to 20 years before any new parasite medications hit the market. If people don't get smart we are in trouble.

 

[pardygwyn]

Quote:
Dawnwinds58 hinted at it already, but I've had the best luck in terms of not needing to worm with purebred Blackbellies and (in the NW, anyway) the Katahdin lines that are more compact/beefier and have wool like a bristle-brush mat. The willowy ones with the curly coats don't seem to fare quite so well during the damp, warm springtime. It's rough for close-grazing critters in a wet environment.

I don't know how much you folks do in terms of field rotation and making sure everything's well-drained, but that definitely helps keep the worm population down to where they can fight it on their own, too.

When it comes to hooves, the Blackbellies can't be beat in my experience. The strongest hooves in my flock are on the two Blackbellies and the Blackbelly mix.

As to the original topic: my farm will always have a free-range, motley crew of Australorps, Ameraucanas, and mixes of the two. I don't know why I have the best luck with that flock mix, but I do. Ducks, too, since it's wet here and they do well in it. A bare minimum of goats to keep the brush down (not too fond of goats), plenty of sheep, meat rabbits, maybe some turkeys... those are more of a luxury, though. Turkeys are hard to keep alive with all the wildlife around here!

 

[dawnwinds58]

Quote:
Dawnwinds58 hinted at it already, but I've had the best luck in terms of not needing to worm with purebred Blackbellies and (in the NW, anyway) the Katahdin lines that are more compact/beefier and have wool like a bristle-brush mat. The willowy ones with the curly coats don't seem to fare quite so well during the damp, warm springtime. It's rough for close-grazing critters in a wet environment.

I don't know how much you folks do in terms of field rotation and making sure everything's well-drained, but that definitely helps keep the worm population down to where they can fight it on their own, too.

When it comes to hooves, the Blackbellies can't be beat in my experience. The strongest hooves in my flock are on the two Blackbellies and the Blackbelly mix.

As to the original topic: my farm will always have a free-range, motley crew of Australorps, Ameraucanas, and mixes of the two. I don't know why I have the best luck with that flock mix, but I do. Ducks, too, since it's wet here and they do well in it. A bare minimum of goats to keep the brush down (not too fond of goats), plenty of sheep, meat rabbits, maybe some turkeys... those are more of a luxury, though. Turkeys are hard to keep alive with all the wildlife around here!

If you know any sensible breeders of Blackbellies somewhere closer to Kentucky I sure would love the contacts to them? They're good solid sheep, vigorous and have the added fiber. It doesn't hurt that they're darn goodlookin' too. I think multispecies pasture rotation works the best if you have good pasture. Most parasites are species-selective. You run what is not sensitive to what was previously in the field. Dry pasture is better for any hooved animal.

Not from your post but another I just remembered, if you are going to keep a horse, be careful of the bloodlines of any breed you choose. There are good keepers and bad keepers of them all. I have Tennessee Walking Horses for smoothness, tractibility, and even gait, but two are Midnight Sun blood and get fat looking at feed sacks stacked by the tack room. The Pusher-bred mare always looked like an abuse victim taking in all the hay I can push into her and grain twice a day. I hear *itchin' from the other two everytime I feed her 'cause they would look like hippos on steroids if I fed them the same way. She just isn't a good keeper. Everybody gets wormed and vaccinated and all the vet says is "It's a thing in the Pusher bloodlines." I'm stuck because she's my grandaughter's horse, been hers since my granddaughter was 5 years old. She's 8 now. The mare is only 10.

I don't raise turkeys as I never had any luck with them, but I raise Black Jersey Giants. They have a great trait, well, great to me but others may not think so. They grow slow and get tall and gangly first, growing bone before body. It gives them time to have the bone to support their larger weight. They get pretty darn big, enough for one roaster to feed my family. We'll hatch out what we need, give them the year to grow, and butcher in the fall on a hog-type schedule. We only keep our breeders through the winter. For fryers and eggs we keep Buff Orpingtons. We have 3 odd Australorps, a pair of Cherry Eggers, and a single lonely barred black hen with no clue to which breed she is. No pic of any breed has as much black as she does on her. I was told she was a Wyandotte but all the pics I find have a heavier mix of white in their feathers. She's a good one though. She'll eat grass out of my littlest grandson's hand which earned her a 'to keep' spot.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I started this no meds thing years ago with my animalss. I have had my mare ten years now and finally had a fecal done on her because we had moved from being at home with no exposure to a boarding facility that had ninety horses in there. I just wanted a baseline. They said her worm count was almost non existant. Same goes for my goats. These are pets just like my horse I will have them the rest of their lives. I only use a couple of types of wormers and am very cautious about using anything ""new"" and ""wonderful"" on the market.

 

[mame1616]

Quote:
Dawnwinds58 hinted at it already, but I've had the best luck in terms of not needing to worm with purebred Blackbellies and (in the NW, anyway) the Katahdin lines that are more compact/beefier and have wool like a bristle-brush mat. The willowy ones with the curly coats don't seem to fare quite so well during the damp, warm springtime. It's rough for close-grazing critters in a wet environment.

I don't know how much you folks do in terms of field rotation and making sure everything's well-drained, but that definitely helps keep the worm population down to where they can fight it on their own, too.

When it comes to hooves, the Blackbellies can't be beat in my experience. The strongest hooves in my flock are on the two Blackbellies and the Blackbelly mix.

As to the original topic: my farm will always have a free-range, motley crew of Australorps, Ameraucanas, and mixes of the two. I don't know why I have the best luck with that flock mix, but I do. Ducks, too, since it's wet here and they do well in it. A bare minimum of goats to keep the brush down (not too fond of goats), plenty of sheep, meat rabbits, maybe some turkeys... those are more of a luxury, though. Turkeys are hard to keep alive with all the wildlife around here!

If you know any sensible breeders of Blackbellies somewhere closer to Kentucky I sure would love the contacts to them? They're good solid sheep, vigorous and have the added fiber. It doesn't hurt that they're darn goodlookin' too. I think multispecies pasture rotation works the best if you have good pasture. Most parasites are species-selective. You run what is not sensitive to what was previously in the field. Dry pasture is better for any hooved animal.

Not from your post but another I just remembered, if you are going to keep a horse, be careful of the bloodlines of any breed you choose. There are good keepers and bad keepers of them all. I have Tennessee Walking Horses for smoothness, tractibility, and even gait, but two are Midnight Sun blood and get fat looking at feed sacks stacked by the tack room. The Pusher-bred mare always looked like an abuse victim taking in all the hay I can push into her and grain twice a day. I hear *itchin' from the other two everytime I feed her 'cause they would look like hippos on steroids if I fed them the same way. She just isn't a good keeper. Everybody gets wormed and vaccinated and all the vet says is "It's a thing in the Pusher bloodlines." I'm stuck because she's my grandaughter's horse, been hers since my granddaughter was 5 years old. She's 8 now. The mare is only 10.

I don't raise turkeys as I never had any luck with them, but I raise Black Jersey Giants. They have a great trait, well, great to me but others may not think so. They grow slow and get tall and gangly first, growing bone before body. It gives them time to have the bone to support their larger weight. They get pretty darn big, enough for one roaster to feed my family. We'll hatch out what we need, give them the year to grow, and butcher in the fall on a hog-type schedule. We only keep our breeders through the winter. For fryers and eggs we keep Buff Orpingtons. We have 3 odd Australorps, a pair of Cherry Eggers, and a single lonely barred black hen with no clue to which breed she is. No pic of any breed has as much black as she does on her. I was told she was a Wyandotte but all the pics I find have a heavier mix of white in their feathers. She's a good one though. She'll eat grass out of my littlest grandson's hand which earned her a 'to keep' spot.

Are these the sheep you're looking for?

http://www.blackbellysheep.org/directory.html

 

[BarredBuff]

Since I havent been on here in a month let me add my two cents to the OPs originial question:

Animals
Dual purpose chickens are a definite. I would have Buff Orpingtons (Broody, Meaty and Good winter layers), Dominiques (Good all around breed), and Australorps (all around good breed). In an apocalyptic situation sustainability is the goal. I raise my birds this way. They are turned out on range from an early age. This teaches them to forage better. Good forage can keep a chicken maintained fairly well in the spring, summer and fall. I make sure I have broody hens in the flock, this is essential (Never turn down a broody hen). Cull. Cull. Cull. No slackers! Keep good genes in the flock so when they do reproduce they make good birds. I am also going to say Muscovy ducks are essential as well. They are huge! Forage excellenty, they require very little. They lay good when they lay in the house. They are good mommas. Im going to let my hens raise there spring batches for my use. I will be keeping a dozen breasts to roast. Then make sausage out of one batch. Then on all of the batches I will be using the legs and wings as ingredients in wet dog and cat food. Which I will freeze and heat when needed. The fall batches will be to sell. They make good money. Plus eggs from them. Im also getting into meat rabbits 5 does and a buck. French lops. They are really good mommas, and are huge. This is my latest project but they are easy to feed rabbits are. I also raise honey bees and earthworms. Honey bees are a sustainable source of sugar. Worms are good for fishing bait and winter poultry feed. Plus worms, ducks, chickens, rabbits make excellent fertilizer.
Feeding the Animals Sustainably
This goal is pending. Its a tad more complicated and requires more thought. In the near, near future the Ducks and Chickens will be fed only on a simple homegrown grain mix, sprouts and worms in the winter, and free range all seasons. The rabbits will be fed lawn hay/clippings, some grain, and apple/pear/peach bark/limbs.
Garden/Orchard
Chickens and ducks should be allowed to range through the orchards all season taking care of most insects and weeds. The bees help increase yields. Then in the fall you can harvest your fruit. The garden should be based on all heirloom seeds. Only thing that we have that is hybrid now is the sweet corn but next year Im gonna experement with hritage seed sweet corn. Chickens and ducks should range in garden after/before garden season. Herbs should be grown as well for medical and for tasting of food.

The homestead should work as an ecosystem. Each little project should aid all other projects.

 

[dawnwinds58]

Yes mame1616, the American Blackbelly is what I'm looking for. No one near enough to Kentucky seems to raise farm meat animals. They raise blooded, champion bloodline, show stock and could not possibly sell me lambs for less than $200 to $600 a piece considering their papers and all. I can't eat papers.

I want a good breed that produces good carcass weights, is thrivable and strong, and will produce lamb and mutton dependably for 7 adults and 6 grandchildren. None that requires 16 champions in their papers.

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:

......I hear ya on this one its a rediculous idea that a sheep could cost so much, for crying out loud what do ya do with em when they can no longer be shown......? just give them an expensive barial and cry?? Good grief. If I hear of the black bellies closer to you I will let you know I'm also looking for them.Kim

 

[caspernc]

Some breeders will sell off marked or not good in conformation to you well under the papered animals. They will keep the papers or say the animal died and you will not be able to have it papered, but if you don't want papers you're good to go.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Quote:
none of the Barbados Blackbelly breeders can offer you papers with champion pedigees because these sheep are not shown. I don't know a single breeder that sells their stock for more than $200 each. I just bought 4 registered ewe lambs for $50 each! This is a very rare breed that is making a comeback from near extinction. The breeders are working hard to make that happen. Keeping track of the pedigree is important....not so you can brag about it, but so you can know whick bloodkines youThe American Blackbelly are a mixed breed, created by crossing Barbados Blackbelly sheep with several other breeds, including one wild one. The american blackbelly have huge horns (making the rams much more dangerous) and a more wild temperment. I chose the Barbados blackbelly because of it's history, the fact that it is naturally polled and the hardiness of it. Look through the breeders list and see if someone in your area has some lambs for sale. Give them a call....you may be plesantly surprised. http://www.blackbellysheep.org/directory.html