Ram Policy (Please scroll down)
These two ram lambs (above) are between 4 and 6 months old. They are well on their way to becoming good canditates for meeting our criteria for adult rams to be used for breeding animals. Left to right are Lone Star Caleb and Lone Star Pilot. We have used Pilot to breed to some of our ewes at Lone Star Farm. Caleb developed scurs and was sold as a market lamb.
The photo of the lamb (top right) is 3 1/2 month old Lone Star Waylan owned by Adam and Shannon Peairson of Bryan, TX. Waylan grew up and is producing nicely for the Peairsons. They are pleased with the progression of their flock.
This photograph (bottom right) is of Waylan as a four-year-old. He still has no scurs and there are deep indentations in his head as you can easily see. This is what Mike and I refer to as a "bowling ball head" because you can put your finger and thumb in the indentations and are then able to move the head around. This is our "ideal" of what we think a polled ram's head should look like.
Lone Star Waylan (4 months old)
Lone Star Waylan (4 years old)
The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International [BBSAI] breed standard for
Barbados Blackbelly sheep now states, according to their latest revision, that 3/4" scurs affixed
to the head are "Acceptable" under the heading of "Poll". In fact, even though it is discouraged,
it is not a disqualifying fault for a ram to have scurs affixed to the head up to, and including, 1
and 1/2" in length.
wattles are found, but are not discriminated against." Under the heading "Tail", "Acceptable:"
is stated "A short tip of white is permissible."
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"Lone Star Farm would like to assure our buyers that here at Lone Star, although we have
now been given the leniency to breed less than picture perfect, we will continue to breed
to the "Ideal" of the breed standard with the guarantee that your ram will not have wattles,
he will not have white markings, and he will not have scurs. If your ram develops scurs
after your your purchase, we will replace him. And, of course, he is guaranteed to be
fertile."
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criteria for being a quality breeding ram until they are breeding age, which is determined by their
behavior around the ewes. We don't generally breed ram lambs to our ewes and we don't expect
you to do so either . The initial cost of buying a breeding age ram may be a little more than the cost
of a ram lamb, but the benefits far outweigh the expense plus the loss of valuable time in replacing
a ram lamb, sometimes more than once, because he did not turn out to be the quality you were
hoping to get to breed to your good ewes. We stand behind our breeding stock and we are willing
to stake our reputation on it. We take pride in the fact that we are the only BB breeder as of this
writing who is willing to do that to insure that you will get the best possible ram for improving your
flock. We are aiming for our legacy in this breed to reflect the fact that our buyers recognize the
effort we have put into the making of exceptional polled sires.
Lone Star Farm|Barbados Blackbelly Sheep