K Bar K Farm

The Ewe Flock

We started with 14 foundation ewes in 1997.  Many of these ewes were aged ewes that retained a lot of the "old style" Dorset characteristics-stout, meaty, productive  animals.  We are striving to maintain these characteristics in our flock as well as the excellent mothering and out of season lambing characteristics. Many of the older ewes have exhibited out of season breeding for the prior owner, or were fall born themselves. In addition, all sires are from accelerated flocks. 

     Our early spring lambing typically occurs in late January/early February for 55-60 lb. Easter market lambs. In addition, this early lambing will allow time for rebreeding for fall lambing. We creep feed the early spring lambs in order to meet these market goals, but our ewes are excellent milkers, as the 30 day weights prove, where the lambs average over 1 lb. of body weight per day of age. Lambs that are born in fall (late Sept./early Oct.) or late spring (April/May) are not creep fed. Our lush pastures typically provides adequate nutrition for these ewes and lambs to thrive.  

We pride ourselves on our biosecurity measures. Our ewe flock is closed (since 2002), and we only occasionally bring in a new ram from a carefully chosen flock, however, aritificial insemination has even replaced ram imports to a great extent. 

Our ewes first lamb at one year of age. These yearlings typically produce a 150% lambing rate, and raise all lambs unassisted.  Our mature ewes typically have a 180-190% lambing rate, with very few lambs orphaned or grafted.  

      Our ewes are very low maintenance. They lamb unassisted (or else 'grow wheels') and require minimal supplemental feed.  We feed the February lambing ewes grass hay in mid pregnancy (once the pasture runs out in the fall), then mixed alfalfa/grass hay in late pregnancy, sometimes with 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of whole corn during the last 3 weeks of pregnancy. Soybean meal is occasionally added to the corn if protein is lacking in the hay. May and fall lambing ewes are pastured, with no corn supplement prior to lambing unless forage quality is very poor.

      We keep track of the flock with the Ewebyte Sheep Management software, and are enrolled in LAMBPLAN. We have been scanning loin eyes on our flock (for input into LAMBPLAN) since 2003. We have been enrolled in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program since November 2003. We will become a certified flock at our next inspection (due Jan. 2009). 

     We usually have Dorset rams and ewes for sale, contact us if you are interested.