Nina McCoy

Paul,
while we do occassionally have to use a wormer on the sheep, this sheep had
no medication. We do not cull sick animals for meat... ever!!! ( that is a disgusting thing to do!!)
My family eats the meat we raise and I raise meat so that I know it is completely
clean and healthy for my family.
It was a  sausage made from a  5 yr. ram...
It is suppossed to be stronger in taste, than the patties you had here for breakfast. That ram
was 3 years old.. so would have a milder taste. Strong flavor in meats is an acquired taste, I guess.

Paul,
a few words relayed from Rodney ... He says that a humane kill is the only way to take an animal for food.
He stresses that very sharp knives are absolutely essential to insuring that the animal does not suffer.
He said that yes you should  be uncomfortable ( he is )  each and every time you take ask an animal to be food for you. Although it is a natural part of the circle of life.. it should never be  easy emotionally.

He says the punching  method is to avoid  ruining the pelts with knife holes and avoid slicing the meat up.
He says to tell you he enjoyed your company and looks forward to seeing you in the future....
now from me --- how did you like that  homemade  lamb sausage?

Ben,
what kind of rabbitt do you excuse me, your daughter  have? 
I have ( now) Rhinelander ( 8/9 lb), California and California X ( 9-11 lb)  - and a Flemish Giant X New Zealand Buck and Doe ( 11- 15 lb).
I find the Rhinelander the wildest- least handleable- , the FL G.X NZ the gentlest and the California and the Cal. cross
somewhere in the middle oin temperment.
If I was choosing a pet rabbit  the Flemish X NZ would be my choice.

Paul,
how about reporting on how this went... 

Paul,
I am really looking forward to seeing the answer you get from the staff.
You would think  the question would have been given to someone who was at least a little more familiar
with the subject...

Pat Coleby has written an excellent book on caring for sheep. She is an Australian, with a wide knowledge of
livestock. Although the sheep she writes about are  the breeds in Australia - mostly Merino lines- the information
she gives is applicable to most sheep with minor modifications per  individual breed.
The intentional planting of the dicots and monocots that sheep like in the pastures and areas where they forage
a necessary step to  long term sheep health.
Using Chlorahexidine as a shoe spray before you allow others to walk your farm/homestead/intentional community/ is an excellent way to keep your animals healthy and safer from problems brought onto your farm by others.

Paul,
on this property..
I raise sheep, goats, ducks and rabbits  in this area it is a must to have at least one LGD.
I have 5 dogs.. all expected to work..( also all beloved members of our family!!)
I have a  dog for my orchard to keep out the deer and protect the duck house situated inside the
orchard, I have an LGD for my sheep ( and home ).. she is very large and protective.
I have an Icelandic sheep dog for herding, and two rat terriers for mice ( mole and vole ) control .
However.. with all of these dogs, not one of them will protect from eagles, hawks, or owls..
and these are the predators that I fear when it comes to open runs for rabbits.
But since I want to get into the much bigger rabbit  breeds, I do need to figure out a way to house them
in a humane and comfortable and safe way.

Rachel,
have you tried dicing up the dandelions and mixing them with other greens in a curry stir fry?
mmmmgoood.
olive oil, chop  onions,  dice carrots, chop red pepper, chop assorted greens ( dandelions, nettles,miners lettuce,
spinach, bok choy etc) fish sauce, curry, coconut milk
saute onions, carrots, green peppers in olive oil - when onions start browning lightly, add greens and
cook down, add fish sauce ( at least 2 tablespoons), 2 tablespoons or more curry
stir together till curry gets aromatic ( 3-4 minutes) add coconut milk 1/2 cup at a time and stir well.
You may or maynot use all of the coconut milk. the greens should be in a small amount of liquid
at the end of cooking not floating in it.
However... this mixture can be made then used to spice up  almost any type of  bean soup...
it goes very well over any type of rice and can be stuffed inside a rabbit wrapped in foil and baked in the oven at
350 for 1 1/2 hours ( depending on rabbit size)

I have been investigating using other methods than traditional cages also,
especially for the bigger  breeds that I hope to breed up to.
Since I live in a high predator area, I have been doing research on making an indoor warren
with covered runs going out into nature.
The Permaculture Activist mag. ( winter 07/08) has a good article in it by Katherine Kirby
on the subject.
I do not like having to house animals in cages... but until I get them a building safe to
live in I will have to keep them there.
For those new to raising rabbits, this is the time to stock up on food for the winter for them.
Dandelions, Stinging Nettles,  new leaves ( not big old ones) from trees, and other wild greens can be
gathered , dryed and stored for consumption in the wintertime.

sheep care- for healthy sheep it is important to remember that they do need some copper
in their salt and minerals to be able to effectively rid themselves of assorted stomach worms.
I mix goat minerals with my sheep minerals add kelp and ground garlic. I put this
in several tube containers around the sheep shed and the sheep self medicate.
For worming I use the FAMACHA method and individually worm when the sheep show
signs of anemia... Since adding copper to the sheeps mineral mix, the fleeces are even
better, stronger and softer to spin.