Oh nuts!

It's time for another lamb update...OK, it's past time, but I have been really busy with market and my garden that has decided to go rouge on me (that is a later blog post) as well as trying to find a home for the wayward kitty so it has been difficult to find the time to blog. By the way, with the help of my dear friend Jean, we have found a fabulous home for the kitty, and, for once, it isn't OUR home. BONUS!

Today's update is all about Brewster. I am sure you will remember Brewster, the little super-hero ram lamb that looked like he was wearing a cape and mask.

As I watched him grow, I wondered if he was going to grow into a breeding quality ram. His horns were slow-growing and came in much later than the other boys.

But, then they finally made their appearance and became nice, wide-set, beautiful horns.

His birth-coat was quite crimpy, but as he started to grow, it seemed to be losing some of it's original softness and crimp, which sometimes happens, so I waited, and kept checking. Eventually, close to the skin there was evidence that the crimp was returning, and by weaning time there was beautiful crimp and luster.

I kept and eye on his tail, which looked pretty good right from birth, and now is just about perfect.

His conformation is nice and square with a wide rear and straight legs.

Overall he has turned out to be a stunning ram. Real super-hero potential in this one. Almost everything you could ask for in a ram.......

Except........ There is only one coin in the purse.....one  pearl in the oyster....OK, enough of the euphemisms....The poor guy has only one testicle.....that we can find. What difference does that make, my non-sheepie friends might ask? Well, this my friends, means that he cannot be registered.

Since I was unable to locate the offending man-part (not for lack of trying....in fact, I was beginning to worry that the neighbors would call the authorities to report some crazy woman feeling up a little rammy in the pasture every time they drove past) I took him into my vet to see if he could find the missing orb. Nope. Nada. Nothing. The vet felt confident that it was in there somewhere, but where? This leaves the masked man(ish) in quite a predicament. I had hoped that we could still wether (castrate) him and send him to a pet home, but after checking on prices for surgery to 'go in' and find the hidden treasure-$100, that is not really an option. We could have the one visible testicle removed, which would "likely" render him infertile since the remaining testicle would be up in the body cavity and his body heat "should" kill off any reproductive cells (yes, folks that's why they usually hang down so low), however, the ram hormones would still be firmly in place and he would still have a ram's attitude...not a good pet. There is also a higher risk of the remaining testicle turning cancerous. So, what to do with the Caped Crusader? I know that lots of my friends would send him off to market, which works for them, but I think you know by now that I am not prepared to do that. Perhaps if someone has an unregistered spinner's flock they could use a spotted-somewhat less of a ram..... Poor Brewster.