The Dairy Calendar

By admin | August 24th, 2010

We think of our farming year beginning in October, as we prepare for breeding. We pull the sheep off pasture in mid-October. In our area, a most important consideration is Giant liver fluke. Valbazen used on our vet’s recommendation, kills the adult liver fluke. The ewes are wormed as they leave pasture, and then again, 5 to 6 weeks later. The second worming will catch flukes which were immature in mid-October. Both wormings are done before turning in the ram. read the rest of this post »

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GUARDIAN AND HERDING DOGS

By admin | August 24th, 2010

sentaThere is a vast difference between “guardian” dogs such as our Maremmas and “herding” dogs such as our Border Collies. Both do a specific job and are trained to be trusted working members of our farm operation. We are not raising show dogs or pets. Our dogs are raised and trained with livestock and bred from generations of working dogs. If you are losing livestock to predators or need herding help, please consider what these breeds can do to help you. We only breed our female when we have enough orders for pups to merit a new litter. read the rest of this post »

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The Wool Room at Groveland Farm

By admin | August 24th, 2010

woolWOOL – we love it. Nothing warms like wool or wears like wool. Even in the summer, wool breathes and keeps you cooler than a synthetic material. Wool is a natural fiber and a renewable resource. read the rest of this post »

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GROVELAND’S EST A LAINE MERINO

By admin | August 21st, 2010

eramMerino sheep originated in North Africa descended from a strain of sheep developed during the reign of Claudius, from 14 to 37 A.D. They spread via the Spanish and French royal families to northern Europe. The original Merinos were a wool sheep, who sheared a very heavy, fine fleece. They were also quite small in size. read the rest of this post »

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GROVELAND FARM LLAMAS

By admin | August 21st, 2010

ElskeLlamas have been a part of the landscape at Groveland Farm since 1988. We fell in love with these wide-eyed, woolly creatures early on, but it is only recently that our numbers have grown to the extent that we are able to offer some of them for sale. read the rest of this post »

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You Want to Milk Sheep…

By admin | August 20th, 2010

sheepBefore you spend your money getting into sheep dairying, you need to spend some time in the planning stages. You will need to put your goals on paper. By doing so, you should be able to determine if this is really what you want to do. You need to ask yourself if this will be a hobby or a business. How are you going to feed them, where are you going to house them, where and how are you going to milk them? read the rest of this post »

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Quality Sheep Milk

By admin | August 20th, 2010

Quality Sheep MilkThe dairy sheep industry in the United States is in its youth, and some producers have had no experience with milking any other animals previous to entering this industry. Even producers who have milked animals before might feel a refresher course in milk quality would be helpful. read the rest of this post »

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Pre-Milking Testing – Washing and Pre-Dipping

By admin | August 18th, 2010

As the ewes come up on the stand for the first time, they should have a CMT performed to determine their status as they are entering the parlor. You might use a color coding system to identify the ewes that have a suspicious or positive CMT test. These ewes should then be monitored more frequently than the rest of the flock. Ewes with a high CMT of mastitis should be milked last to prevent spreading mastitis through the flock. Refer to the section on CMT for further information on the test. read the rest of this post »

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The Sediment Milk

By admin | August 18th, 2010

Sediment is not covered in the co-op’s quality standards, but it is important to be aware that it does exist, and how to avoid it. Sediment in milk is known to cause or contribute to: Off flavors and odors High Bacterial Counts Poor Keeping Quality. read the rest of this post »

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Udder Health In Dairy Ewes

By admin | August 18th, 2010

It is important to every shepherd that his ewes have the ability to raise lambs. Keeping the udder in good condition will enhance the ewe’s genetic ability to wean high pounds of lamb. Thus, a discussion of udder health will not apply exclusively to the dairy shepherd. In the dairy particularly, however, the ewe is adding significant income to the farm, and strict attention must be paid to udder management or you run the risk of going teats up! read the rest of this post »

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