The rams were put in with their breeding groups on October 21st and ultrasounds taken 1/9 indicate the girls are all bred but one. My white Babydoll ram, Kerry, got a little too carried away and started jumping fences so his escapades were truncated and I’m savoring the consequences. I didn’t expect a 23″ stocky dude to scale 48″ fences (or perhaps the pack is deeper than I thought). Anyway – some of the later lambs will need to be paternity tested, depending on timing of their births and if any definitive Babydoll traits show up in Finn cross lambs. I’m listing the rams with their girls below. Any uncertainties will be noted. First the Babydolls and then the Finn X Babydolls.
For information on reserving lambs, click here. Reservations are now being taken for the 2024 season.
Purebred Babydoll Southdowns
Kerry
Kerry is/was the son of Georgia, one of my black ewes, so can throw black offspring in the right combination. He had real nice conformation and a very solid build. He produced some choice lambs last spring, his first completed mission. For those of you interested – he had a very high hanging weight to live weight ratio.
Nina
Nina has very nice conformation and good fleece genetics, too. I’m excited to see the results of this pairing. She’s expecting twins around March 27th. Since she is also capable of producing black lambs, we have a 3:1 chance of white vs. black lambs. Lead ewe, pretty, open face & quite the character.
Jane
Jane is more laid back than Nina, long-bodied and fuzzy faced. She’s expecting twins again and so far always produces white ones. She’s a very good mother and delivers well on her own with good milk. She’s due to lamb around March 17th. Take a look at her daughter, Ivy, below for what she’s capable of.
Bashful
This lady does her own thing. Two years ago she lambed in July. This season it will be mid February. When ultrasounded we didn’t get a count, but I’m guessing twins if she’s sticking with tradition. We’ll have 50/50 chance of any one lamb being black. She’s definitely fuzzy-faced and has a beautiful fading fleece.
Dixie
Dixie is intermediate in many ways – not big or small, fuzzy or clear faced and in the middle of the pecking order. She’s near the head of the pack in birthing this year, though, expecting twins around March 19th. She’s been known to produce black lambs.
Ivy
Ivy is a big girl with a fuzzy face and lots of wool. She got bred almost immediately and is expecting twins around the 16th of March. She was a great momma to her twin daughters last spring.
Lancelot
He was born a bit late and I was worried he may not be up to the task right at the start of the breeding season, but he proved me wrong (see below). He’s a frisky little dude, curious and friendly. He bred all his assigned ewes but one – and it could be her fault. Looking forward to his offspring. He is fuzzy faced.
Dayna
This is Nina’s daughter and is similarly food motivated. . . especially by apples. Also resembles her mom with her open face and beautiful fleeces. She’s expected to lamb early with Bashful – around Valentines Day. A single is expected.
Doris
This lady has been very unfriendly to poor little Lance. Nothing showing up on the ultrasounds yet. Doris has a great fleece and, when she has them, is wonderful mom to her lambs – usually twins. Stay tuned!
Georgia
This pretty girl is Nina’s niece and strong competitor for best fleece. She’s expecting twins around March 22nd. Open face and almost slick ears.
Isabelle
“Baby Belle” did beautifully with her first lamb in 2023. This year she is expecting another single in mid to late April.
Kenzie
Kenzie is Dixie’s daughter and this is her first pregnancy. She helped Lance figure things out and was less intimidating than the larger ewes. They are expecting a single around March 18th.
Lindsey
She is Nina’s daughter and, like her, became a teenage mother. Not really her fault as the ram scaled fences to reach her. Just one baby expected in mid-March. Paternity test may be required.
Libby
Libby is an independent little girl – daughter to Dixie. She was a twin and has darker face and legs than many, but fully acceptable by NABSSAR. She got into trouble same time as Lindsey so they can raise their singles together. Her mom could birth black lambs – we’ll have to see if Libby inherited that trait.
*** I’ve experienced serious difficulties adding content to this page. For pictures of the Finn X moms, check out last year’s as many are the same. I’ll keep trying to get images of the first-timers especially.
Maxwell
Max is of my preferred Finn percentage 62.5% (5/8) and has very nice conformation. He is son to Becka, one of my very first cross bred ewes, who was quite the character. He’s been a very avid breeder and I’m excited to see his offspring. Both of his parents carried the brown gene(allele) so he has a 75% chance of doing so, too. Gorgeous wool!
Fortuosity
Expecting triplets – or more – around 3/14/24. Lambs will be 66% Finn/34% Babydoll. 75% chance of any one lamb being white. Tuoey has a great fleece and very strong maternal traits. She had 4 lambs in 2023 – all thrived with topping off by us bottle feeders.
Flossie
Expecting twins 3/14/24 66% Finn. 50% chance of any one lamb being white – produces lovely HST lambs if colored. Known to carry brown gene.
Harriet
Twins 3/17/24 63% Finn. 75% chance of any one lamb being white.
Judi
Single? 3/26/24 73% Finn. 75% chance of any one lamb being white.
Janessa
Single? 3/14/24 63% Finn. This paring (and Marissa, too) will help inform us if Max is carrying brown gene.
Janelle
not bred as of 2nd ultrasound 63%or32% Finn (based on daddy – see lead paragraph). 50% chance of white lF there are any.
Marissa
Expecting twins mid-March – 69% Finn. 50% chance of any one lamb being white, 25% chance black, 25% chance of brown. First pregnancy – note mild HST marking on forehead.
Marla
twins expected around 3/31/24 – 69% Finn/31% Babydoll. 75% chance of any one lamb being white, 38% black, 12% brown. First pregnancy. Dainty young lady with a very nice fleece.
Matthew
The word regal applies well to this dude. I’m hoping his deep black fleece and good legs/conformation get passed on to his offspring.
Daria
Twins 3/14/24 – 69% Finn. 75% chance of black 25% chance of brown if Matthew is a brown carrier.
Daphne
Triplets 3/13/24 – 69% Finn. IF Matthew is carrying brown then 50% chance of black 50% chance of brown. Beautiful fleece is often first to sell at events.
Deone
Twins or more 3/17/24 – 57% Finn. Most Babydoll % of the ewes being bred. 75% chance of black 25% brown. Gorgeous fleece!!!
Elly Mae
Quadruplets 3/20/24 – 75% Finn. Greatest Finn % of the ewes being bred. 50% chance of white. Produces super cute lambs with very soft wool. Will probably need help (supplementing milk) so lambs will be even friendlier than average.
Heliana (a.k.a. Sunshine)
Expecting at least twins mid-March – 63% Finn. 75% chance of black. BEAUTIFUL fading gray fleece with lovely crimp. Best non-white fleece producer.
Mara
Expecting single in mid-March – 69% Finn. 75% chance of black. Intensely black fleece so far – hopefully a non-fader to complement Heliana’s beautiful gray.
Madasyn
Yearling – Not bred.
Maxine
Maddie’s triplet – Not bred. Gorgeous and plentiful first 1/2 year fleece – deep brown.
