[Jacob-list] Lending Sheep

[Jim Spahr]

I would want to know someone else's flock VERY well before lending a ram or bringing ewes in to breed.  A few years ago we asked a well-known 4-H club pig raiser, who sells semen and pigs all over the U.S., and buys boars for thousands of dollars each, if we could purchase a boar from him.  He said he had one that we could just borrow.  We brought Highwire home and he gave lice to all our sows.  We had to treat several times with Ivermectin over a period of months to get them under control.  It was very time consuming and costly.  Several times we called asking to take the boar home, and each time were told that he had no room for him at this time and to keep him awhile longer.  Boars eat LOTS of feed, and he was not producing any pigs for us during this time.  The owner finally told us to take him to the stock yard, and then complained about the low price he got for him!  
I do not think as breeders of Jacob sheep and other livestock that we want to become cynical, but sometimes it is prudent to be cautious.  

                                                                       Mary Spahr
                                                                                
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