We'll be AIing our mid 80% ewes this week. We can expect to have a crop of 90.0625; 92.187 and 93.75% lambs in May. And Tuck will have his first shot at being our clean-up (he's actually servicing a few odd ewes that aren't going for AI). It's been a bit of a trick to try to make the flocks genetically diverse, as there are only 4 Kerry Hill Sires represented in the US.
What a long slog.
I thought I would show a retrospective of what you see as you go from 100% Border cheviot to 90% Kerry Hill/10% Cheviot. At 50%, one see's the least bit of color on the face, and it's not until 75% that these superficial markings really start to look like a Kerry Hill. Same with the wool, the Kerry Hill is softer and has a nicer crimp (presumably finer fibers, but I haven't measured). They're also a bit calmer. (At least on my farm). The Cheviots were spring loaded in the 'go ballistic' mode. While the Kerry's will look at you calmly and only spring into action if you try to grab one. :) Not the most docile sheep with which I have worked, but certainly easier to manage then the Cheviots I brought home in 2006.
