Cheviots....

Our Cheviot venture began on a quest.  Our quest was to expand our flock to include another breed of sheep that was white and smaller framed than Suffolks.  We orginally planned to purchase Southdowns however at the 2007 West VA Sheep Show and Sale we made a very different decision.  We bought a Border Cheviot yearling ewe from John Sponaugle.  They were hardy animals that grew quickly and required less feed.  It also happened that he was getting out of the Cheviot business...well in turn we got in the Cheviot business.   In June 2007 we purchased 45 Cheviot ewes, lambs, and rams from Mr. John.  What had we gotten ourselves into??

Our Cheviots take care of themselves.  After climatizing to South Carolina we now have lambs that can withstand high temperatures, droughts, and car wreaks (thats another story).  We turn our Cheviot ewes out to pasture once they wean lambs and don't have to supplement them at all until closer to lambing season (late Dec. or later).  They stay fat and happy and relatively disease and parasite free with little hands on management from us.  This is a great change from the slightly more intense management required by our Suffolks.  We pulled our yearling ram out of the pasture  (yes just grass) two weeks prior to showing him...and he won 1st in his class each time and we showed him slick sheared!

Our current ewe crop are all homegrown ewes, Sponaugle and Moore breeding is consistent throughout the flock.  Our head ram is Abe, a Bill Lawter ram bought at the 2008 National Sale in IL.