These are the lucky lambs, even though they may not agree 🙂 In most jacob flocks they would be considered culls and they will never be used for breeding here, but they serve a very important purpose…
they are used for herding lessons.
They would normally be headed to the freezer this fall (some may still end up there) but for now they are earning their keep. Kate helped me dog break them and they are working out great for lessons. Dog broke sheep are accustomed to being worked by dogs and are a must have for teaching beginning dogs. The sheep tend to stay next to the person and your focus can be on the dog and not the sheep. Jacob sheep aren’t usually used but they have worked well for us and it gives these guys a job.
There are a lot of criteria that a jacob sheep has to meet to be registered, plus I have certain flock goals, which means we have a lot of lambs that aren’t sold as breeding stock. They have to have the right coloring, correct structure, good horns, nice fleece, and an acceptable temperament.
This guy is missing black around his one eye and his horns on the left have issues.
This girl is a little dark in color and her side horns aren’t as strong as I would like.
This boys major draw back is that he is a 2-horn. There isn’t a very big market for 2-horn jacob rams, everybody likes the impressive 4-horns. So unless there is something really special about the 2-horn boys, I wether them. This guy’s horns took a funny dip when I wethered him and it makes him look a little silly.
Here is another one with silly horns. I think she actually has 6-horns with the top ones fused together. She is also missing the black around her right eye.
This girl was originally sold as breeding stock, but her horns started tipping forward. I wasn’t sure how bad they would end up being, so I replaced her with another lamb. I’ll wait to see how she looks as a yearling.
The rest are mainly 2-horn boys. In addition to being used for herding lessons they will also provide some really nice fleeces.
This is Teia – a blue merle australian shepherd – owned by Tammy. She is just over a year old and is learning how to be a sheep dog.
She has a great sense of humor…
that I don’t think the sheep appreciate 🙂
Stories from the Farm 
The Aussies’ more upright style doesn’t make them look all that serious about their job. Of course, Jackson WOULDN’T be all that serious about herding sheep; he seems to have NO instinct for it.
Every once in awhile I consider getting a herding dog, I can see where they come in handy….but our dog population is a little high right now so that possibility is on hold!
Looks like we are both checking our flock and making decisions regarding who stays, etc. I just don’t have to make near as many decisions as you.
Do you train your own dogs, or take them somewhere? We have a pair of year old shelties, that I really need to do something with them. They both have good herding instincts, but need direction!
I didn’t realize it was so hard to get the “perfect” jacob.
Michelle – There are some dogs that just don’t have the drive. Sometimes it is a good thing! I would love to give my dogs run of the place but I can’t because they would be chasing – sheep, ducks, chickens, cats, pretty much whatever moved for them.
Kathy – Your poor labs would be harassed by a herding dog 🙂 Now that the grass is all dried up and I am starting to feed hay it is time to move some along.
Terri – Yes, I train my own dogs. I started 8 years ago when I got my Corgis. I had a border collie/aussie growing up that used to go get my horses for me. She was the best dog ever! Shelties can be very nice herding dogs. They tend to bounce and bark to get the sheep to move. It is very hard to get the ‘perfect’ jacob. I didn’t even mention the fact that they can’t have wool forward of the horns or on the legs, or freckles in the fleece, or split eyelids, or scurs. It is one of the things that I love about the breed!
I enjoyed learning about your Jacob sheep. Thanks.
My partner and I are expat American city boys who have moved to rural New Zealand. When we first moved here, we had to chase some wild sheep out of our bottom paddock, and we had no idea what we were doing. We could have used one of your dogs!