Copyright © 2000-2019 by Carol Gomes. All rights reserved.
Last Updated June 25, 2019.

Update February 25, 2019. The Katahdin ewe pictured above far left is now 14 1/2 yrs old in bottom left-center-standing among some of her Herd Sire Misteree ewe daughters 4-5 yrs. We're at our 14th generation this year. Mist still asserts her dominance with lambs. Bertha birthed into old age also, her last 2018 ewe lambs with one 9 month old at her side on the right...an exceptional ewe still milking. She's Herd sire Peatee's mom. Retired now, some stiffness in her rear legs, which I believe is from such large lambs over her long career (all natural birthing in my old ewes). These ewes all lambed as yearlings with twins clear into retirement age. Much has to do with their management and how clean and well kept their surroundings are. Avoiding mastitis, they still have good bags that mik well.

14 1/2 years in a CLOSED HERD, NO diseases, with NO shots, NO wormers, NO meds ever used in their lifetime, we are still breeding, using ALL of our OWN stock with all of our OWN genetics...we have continued to add heavier bone and muscle with more weight increase in our lambs. Mist and her sisters are from Canadian lines, ALL registered Katahdin stock, NOT FROM HERE IN OREGON. Which I will never regret searching for over 2 yrs for the healthiest 2 month old registered Katahdin ewe lambs. Mist is still living now at 14 1/2 yrs, her older sisters (8 years with aged Herd Sire I) sold to startup another foundation flock. Their lines have proven valuable in continuing for this long using all our own genetics. We are still producing healthy lambs with good growth. The ewes pictured with Mist are all related to her and our N4-N2 foundation ewes, while depicting heavier bone and muscle. All expecting lambs in the photo except Mist who retired at 11. All easy maintenance and all natural, NO wormers, NO shots, NO meds and thrive with good hay, fair pasture/lose mineral, with no other supplements or special feeds needed.

We are coming to an end now with our aged flock and all our research, compiled and completed, that now PROVES best of health and longevity in our closed herd. With our aged foundation ewes still lambing with good bags at 10, this PROVES OUR lines and genetics as well from all our research for 14 1/2 years...while still producing healthy hair lambs with top growth.

Honey Gen II at 10 1/2 yrs, lambed triplets after this writing March 2019. Good bag, still an excellent mother, while slowing down some with age, she has managed her triplets with one qualifying for the 2nd fastest growing ram triplet weighing in at 93.5 pounds at only 3 months! While sharing milk with two other ram triplets. Go Gen. Fastest growing lamb went to Foursome, foundation ewe N4's daugther, N4 birthed at 10 last year with a good bag. He weighed in at 103 pounds at only 3 months. He's the total package. HT's triplet ram was early weaned a 2 months for mock breeding and he still hit 90.2 pounds at 3 months weaned off early at 2 months while sharing milk with two ewe sisters for the first 2 months! All exceptional stock still producing fast growth with top weight. This is our genetic pool after 14 1/2 years with our CLOSED herd status strictly enforced..

We are farming out our sheep pasture this year (fall 2019). It will no longer be available for graze. All our sheep are confined to their barn pastures now with much less space and far less graze. Only fair pature now while we have NEVER had bloat, there is a plus to having natural pastures with more native growth while our sheep have always thrived on poorer pastures with good management while using good hay to bring up the nutrients needed for proper growth and maintenance. I feed accordingly to the year and what volunteer grasses are lush in the spring. With good management they have already adjusted and doing well with the smaller space and far less pasture for graze. We downsized 3 times over the last 3 years preparing for this change in our setup. Good management is key.

Our older ewes and rams will carry on with our younger generations mixed in...while we will remain closed all the rest of our days. We are pleased and thankful for such incredibly strong and fertile stock while we will continue breeding with healthy lambs born. Last year we started off with 5 sets of triplets. With 8 sets of triplets born this year, it was again, overwhelming with so many lambs, while they were all born very close together, our natural herd kept their strong bond and carried the heavy load. Fertility is up and our lambs continue to suckle within minutes after birth...All's well...Carol Gomes/2019