 Mother and twin lambs, enjoying the sun!
There will be Jacob lambs for sale this year - last year I did not breed my Jacob sheep.
New bloodline with Solomon from Painted Rock Farm. He sired all healthy lambs his first year, I am pleased! 2 -5 horns! I have both proven and ram lambs for sale soon! |
Adorable lamb at birth!
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Jacob Sheep - (not ordered online, request pictures & bloodlines)
The Jacob breed of sheep came on the farm actually as part of a "package". I did not intend to raise Jacob sheep but it did not take long for me to learn that the fiber of the Jacob gave me an opportunity to obtain a "slate" or "pewter" color of roving for my own spinning and to offer my customers. I started by offering a "value scale" of natural colors of wool from white to black and when the black and white wool of a Jacob is blended, a beautiful "slate" or "pewter" value is the outcome!
The Jacob sheep is a rare breed of small, piebald (colored with white spots), polycerate (multi-horned) sheep. Jacobs may have from 2 to 6 horns, but most commonly have 4. The most common color is black and white; however a lighter color is available - lavender and white. Jacobs are usually raised for their wool, meat and tanned pelts. They are excellent mothers and very protective of their lambs. The Jacob is sometimes used as guard animals to protect farm property from theft or vandalism and defend other livestock against predators. Just look at the Jacob breeder ram above (picture on left) and ask yourself if you would chance entering a pasture if you saw him? It is best to not enter a pasture unless you are with the owner! My rule is that no one enters any pastures on my farm because an outsider does not know where the rams are and if breeding is taking place - this is always important to remember!
Jacob sheep are a hardy sheep and are considered as an unimproved or heirloom breed - this means that it has survived with little human selection. The Jacob has descended from an ancient Old World breed of sheep, although its exact origins remain unclear. Spotted polycerate sheep were documented in England by the mid - 17th century. Unlike most other old world breeds of sheep, the Jacobs of North America have not undergone extensive cross-breeding and selective breeding; their body habitus resembles that of a goat. Relative to their American counterparts, British Jacobs tend to be larger and heavier and have lost many of their original characteristics through artificial selection.
Jacob sheep were first imported into parks and zoos of North America in the early 20th century. Some people acquired them from zoos in the 1960's and 70's, but the breed remained rare in America until the 1980's. The Jacob Sheep Breeders Association (JSBA), organized in 1989, was the first breed association to be established in North America. Jacobs have become popular among small flock holders as well as handspinners and weavers. The fleece is light, soft, springy and open and has little lanolin (grease). Similar to other unimproved breeds, most Jacobs have some white, kinky, kemp (coarse wool) in their fleece, though excessive kemp is undesirable. Any kemp is easily picked out and this makes the raw fleece highly sought after by handspinners. The medium-fine grade wool has a high luster and is unique because the colors may be separated or blended after shearing and before spinning to produce assorted shades of yarn from one fleece!
Jacobs are typically hardy, low-maintenance animals with a naturally high resistance to parasites and hoof problems. Jacobs do not show much flocking behavior and I often will see them in their own "clique" and not always with my Coopworth sheep but they do get along and do not have any problems being in the same area.
Due to their unimproved anatomy, Jacob ewes are widely reputed to be easy-lambing and I have found this to be true! Jacobs are seasonal breeders, with ewes generally cycling in the cooler months of the fall. The horns will bud within a few days following birth on the ram and a bit later with a ewe.
The Jacob provides a lean carcass with little external fat, with a high yield of meat compared to more improved breed. Tanned pelts are beautiful and will often command a high market price regardless of size.
Traits of the Jacob sheep:
. Ram: 120 - 180 pounds (54 - 82 kg)
. Ewe: 80-120 pounds (36 - 54 kg)
. Wool color: black with white spots is the most common, a lighter version is referred to as "lavender"
. Face color: "badger-faced", consisting of black cheeks and muzzle with a white blaze
. Fleece: 3 - 6 pounds (1.4 - 2.7 kg)
. Staple length: 3 - 5 inches, may be up to 7 inches
. Micron diameter: 27.9 - 32.7 microns
. Bradford spinning count: 46 - 54
There are several breed registries whose only focus is the Jacob, such as the American Jacob Sheep Registry (AMSR) and the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association (JSBA). The registration procedure for the Jacob sheep varies from the Coopworth. For example, JSBA is divided into Regions within the USA and West Virginia is in Region #5. The rules and regulations for either group may be reviewed in either website:
www.jacob.sheepregistry.com
www.jsba.org
Prices: 2024:
Lambing started April 2024 - lambs will be $275-$325
Breeding age/5 - 6 months/yearlings - $325-350
Adults:
Ewes (proven & prime age - 3 - 6 year's) - $275-400, depending on fleece!
Rams (unproven w/4 horns) - $350 and up, depending on fleece! (2 horns/-$50)
Rams (proven w/4 horns) - $375 and up, depending on fleece! (2 horns/-$50)
Prices of ewes depend on age and the number purchased, none were available in 2023.
Please call or email for information, thank you!
A 50% deposit is needed to hold any sheep & if we transport, a fee will be added based on the
distance and any Health Certificates and/or "meds" that may be needed to cross state lines.
The Jacob breed of sheep came on the farm actually as part of a "package". I did not intend to raise Jacob sheep but it did not take long for me to learn that the fiber of the Jacob gave me an opportunity to obtain a "slate" or "pewter" color of roving for my own spinning and to offer my customers. I started by offering a "value scale" of natural colors of wool from white to black and when the black and white wool of a Jacob is blended, a beautiful "slate" or "pewter" value is the outcome!
The Jacob sheep is a rare breed of small, piebald (colored with white spots), polycerate (multi-horned) sheep. Jacobs may have from 2 to 6 horns, but most commonly have 4. The most common color is black and white; however a lighter color is available - lavender and white. Jacobs are usually raised for their wool, meat and tanned pelts. They are excellent mothers and very protective of their lambs. The Jacob is sometimes used as guard animals to protect farm property from theft or vandalism and defend other livestock against predators. Just look at the Jacob breeder ram above (picture on left) and ask yourself if you would chance entering a pasture if you saw him? It is best to not enter a pasture unless you are with the owner! My rule is that no one enters any pastures on my farm because an outsider does not know where the rams are and if breeding is taking place - this is always important to remember!
Jacob sheep are a hardy sheep and are considered as an unimproved or heirloom breed - this means that it has survived with little human selection. The Jacob has descended from an ancient Old World breed of sheep, although its exact origins remain unclear. Spotted polycerate sheep were documented in England by the mid - 17th century. Unlike most other old world breeds of sheep, the Jacobs of North America have not undergone extensive cross-breeding and selective breeding; their body habitus resembles that of a goat. Relative to their American counterparts, British Jacobs tend to be larger and heavier and have lost many of their original characteristics through artificial selection.
Jacob sheep were first imported into parks and zoos of North America in the early 20th century. Some people acquired them from zoos in the 1960's and 70's, but the breed remained rare in America until the 1980's. The Jacob Sheep Breeders Association (JSBA), organized in 1989, was the first breed association to be established in North America. Jacobs have become popular among small flock holders as well as handspinners and weavers. The fleece is light, soft, springy and open and has little lanolin (grease). Similar to other unimproved breeds, most Jacobs have some white, kinky, kemp (coarse wool) in their fleece, though excessive kemp is undesirable. Any kemp is easily picked out and this makes the raw fleece highly sought after by handspinners. The medium-fine grade wool has a high luster and is unique because the colors may be separated or blended after shearing and before spinning to produce assorted shades of yarn from one fleece!
Jacobs are typically hardy, low-maintenance animals with a naturally high resistance to parasites and hoof problems. Jacobs do not show much flocking behavior and I often will see them in their own "clique" and not always with my Coopworth sheep but they do get along and do not have any problems being in the same area.
Due to their unimproved anatomy, Jacob ewes are widely reputed to be easy-lambing and I have found this to be true! Jacobs are seasonal breeders, with ewes generally cycling in the cooler months of the fall. The horns will bud within a few days following birth on the ram and a bit later with a ewe.
The Jacob provides a lean carcass with little external fat, with a high yield of meat compared to more improved breed. Tanned pelts are beautiful and will often command a high market price regardless of size.
Traits of the Jacob sheep:
. Ram: 120 - 180 pounds (54 - 82 kg)
. Ewe: 80-120 pounds (36 - 54 kg)
. Wool color: black with white spots is the most common, a lighter version is referred to as "lavender"
. Face color: "badger-faced", consisting of black cheeks and muzzle with a white blaze
. Fleece: 3 - 6 pounds (1.4 - 2.7 kg)
. Staple length: 3 - 5 inches, may be up to 7 inches
. Micron diameter: 27.9 - 32.7 microns
. Bradford spinning count: 46 - 54
There are several breed registries whose only focus is the Jacob, such as the American Jacob Sheep Registry (AMSR) and the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association (JSBA). The registration procedure for the Jacob sheep varies from the Coopworth. For example, JSBA is divided into Regions within the USA and West Virginia is in Region #5. The rules and regulations for either group may be reviewed in either website:
www.jacob.sheepregistry.com
www.jsba.org
Prices: 2024:
Lambing started April 2024 - lambs will be $275-$325
Breeding age/5 - 6 months/yearlings - $325-350
Adults:
Ewes (proven & prime age - 3 - 6 year's) - $275-400, depending on fleece!
Rams (unproven w/4 horns) - $350 and up, depending on fleece! (2 horns/-$50)
Rams (proven w/4 horns) - $375 and up, depending on fleece! (2 horns/-$50)
Prices of ewes depend on age and the number purchased, none were available in 2023.
Please call or email for information, thank you!
A 50% deposit is needed to hold any sheep & if we transport, a fee will be added based on the
distance and any Health Certificates and/or "meds" that may be needed to cross state lines.