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RE: ❓Steemit Quiz 2025 - Weeks 15/16
But it's not Pörcy
Oh... sorry...but they have the same spots. Do they always come in pairs? and with rhyming names?
But it's not Pörcy
Oh... sorry...but they have the same spots. Do they always come in pairs? and with rhyming names?
No sorries, the animals look very similar. Not exactly the same (I can tell them all apart), but they have all inherited their father's glasses. Not the white lambs, no, they're all white (well, very dirty from the fire bowl...).
These sheep have 1 to 3 lambs (last year we had triplets twice). The fact that there were twins four times this year is a coincidence. Or Elton's genes, who knows?
And the names... No particular rhythm this year - just the way they come to me. Mostly funny... ;-)
Ahh... now I can tell. Haha. It's cute, though.
Speaking of white: are they the ones without blemishes? You don't sacrifice them, do you? ... Okay, that was a bad joke.
When their time comes, what do you do with the sheepskins? Do you tan them?
Is Elton the only one doing the repopulating, or are there others? I don't remember anyone beside Elton.
Pardon me. I seem like a child with all these questions...
Maybe I'm a ‘bad’ farmer because I don't (yet) like to think my way into the cycle of life of livestock. Well, yes, but none of that applies to MY babies, does it?
So: If a sheep dies of its own accord (illness, old age...), you are NOT allowed to use ANY of it (meat anyway, but also not the fur, horns, whatever) and must have it picked up immediately by the knacker (risk of disease).
If you take a sheep to the butcher, you can collect the skin in a cool box and take it to the tanner. Not many people practise this trade any more. Tanning is very, very expensive here. You can buy three ready-made sheepskins from Eastern Europe (the seller still makes a profit...) for the price I would pay for tanning alone...
Elton is the only one who was aloud to reproduce this year because he is the only one with "foreign blood".
I have a total of 8 bucks. Elton and five boys that were born in my herd last year. Plus two castrated bucks. Böckchen and Nücki are the first two sheep with whom the ‘drama’ began... 😉
That BIG those 'Nücker' from the post above today:
Oh no! I seem to enjoy talking a bit of business knowledge without ‘having’ to write an article. And proud of my animals, too... 😉
C'mon... that may be for the best. Those sheep are happy to have found a friend in you (especially Nücki - I read about him, his story was really touching). Just look at their faces, their smiles - you think you didn't have anything to do with it? 😉
That smile (or contented look?) again:
But traditionally, this used to be allowed, right? I looked it up and found that it's now prohibited due to safety regulations. Probably for the best.
I thought one could DIY tanning, but I guess it's too much work and, like you said, expensive. But don't you want a souvenir? (I don't mean that in a mean way).
So it's harmful if too closely related? Does that mean the five boys aren’t allowed to mate either?
So that's Böckchen and Nücki now? Boy! they're so big! and so fluffy. I envy you...
Do you also practice planned grazing?...
All sheep can smile or grimace according to their mood. Nücki is a great sceptic, he rarely smiles. But when he does... 😂
Böckchen smiles often. When he enjoys being cuddled (he offers his mighty neck by stretching his snout upwards and grunting pleasantly), he grins all over his face. Oh yes, the 120-kilogram sheep is so cute... 🥰
Of course I have a responsibility to ensure that my animals are doing very, very well. Maybe they're even doing too well, as much as I spoil them... 😉
I just think that, as a good farmer, I should also play my part in the cycle. And I can't do that (yet). I can't have my favourites slaughtered.
Yes, of course you can use everything if you have the animal officially slaughtered (you're not allowed to do that yourself in Germany anyway). If it dies on its own, you can't use anything because you don't know if it was sick. No, not even the fur that has been washed and tanned several times - that's the law.
It does not necessarily have to be harmful immediately, but inbreeding can lead to adverse effects. So I would have to be very careful that a buck does not mount his own mother or his sister. This should be planned carefully. It was easier with Elton - he couldn't do anything wrong... 😉
I learnt ‘pasture management’ (incl. grazing) in my shepherd training, yes. Not easy when you don't have that much land available, but I try.
I’ve never seen a sheep grimace. Do they even have the capability? They always seem to wear that calm, collected, sweetest smile by default.
What’s his deal? I know he’s had it rough, but c’mon... 😄 He should be more like Böckchen. And my goodness - that’s 120 kg of pure happiness!
There’s just something about guys with glasses...
What can I say...you're living my dream.
This sounds really cute... 🥰
And what is even more cute: 120 kg makes "high" jumps of joy. This happens every now and then. I'm always afraid that he might break all four legs, but Böckchen just enjoys... 😃
I like them... 😎
Sounds cool! Yes, it's a dream.
I had to march through a long, deep valley of tears before I could even realise that I was allowed to have dreams too. I realised much later that sheep are part of that. But it doesn't matter: the animals make me happy and immediately destroy all frustrating thoughts about ‘wasted decades’ in an unsatisfying job!
I guess that's 10g of anxiety every now and then haha. Funny how animals move when they cannot contain their happiness.
Have you always been keen on sheep, even when you were still teaching?
Off-topic, but seriously — how are you so slim and (I’m assuming) fit? Is it genes or some secret workout routine?
Hm, no idea. I rarely had to worry about my weight. I just move a lot - even if it's ‘only’ the 10 kilometres or so I walk with the dog every day. But it adds up to quite a bit more exercise per day. And I hardly eat any sweets (little cake, never dessert). Not because I ‘watch out’, but because I don't like it that much. Apart from that, I like to eat and I like to eat a lot!
Ha :) Fun to read this as I have the same approach. My weight is measured only once an year, by my GP during the routine yearly medical checkups :) Springs, summers, autumns, plenty of work outside in the garden and the yard. I miss walking though, I am waiting for a delivery of a bike trainer stand that I have vague plans to turn my bike into a micro power plant with a car alternator (that I already have). I have a sweet tooth though, I make our own sweet breads for Easter :) Huge fan of honey as well :)))
Hihi, yes, we are similar in that respect. I don't think there are many of ‘us’. Especially in the spoilt affluent countries, ‘we’ are probably rare. However, it can be so simple... 😉
Well, I didn't say I never eat sweets. If someone has baked something delicious, I never say no! And at invitations or generally on special days, not either. My ‘colourful plate’ (full of chocolate, gingerbread, chocolates, biscuits...) at Christmas is usually empty quite quickly... 😉
It's probably more about everyday life - and ‘we’ organise it well for our health without thinking about it...
:)))
Well, apart from some desserts exceptions, since the covid pandemic we cook 90% of the food that ends on our table so hopefully that counts in for a better health in the long run. Also trying to decrease processed food as much as possible.
In the last year for a few reasons I avoid buying chocolate but I bake cacao cakes once a month :)))
Of course, we tried Dubai chocolate, it was a bit of a disappointment though :)