Romanovs

[Smithy]

All you shepherds sound fairly sane and very helpful, so I am counting on you for some advice. I am looking for some ways to diversify a cow/calf operation and I am considering sheep.
I have lots of experience calving out cows and that is my favorite part of the operation. I have next to no experience with sheep. I am considering about fifty Romanov Suffolk cross ewe lambs and realize that this will mean more multiple births and, I would assume, more complications when lambing.
I live in northern B.C, and can't find anyone that has had any experience with this breed, so I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has.

[Muttley]

A number of years ago on my first time around a raising sheep I had a few head of Romanov's. These were mainly pure ones. I do not recall having birthing problems any more than on other breeds. I do remember we used to see triplets and quads lots. The lambs were all crossbred and not as big as the other breeds. Something tells me if memory is right that I was impressed by their maternal.

[Smithy]

Thanks Muttley

I had a chance to buy twenty-five ewes due to lamb in March. They are Romney crosses [and the cross part is a little bit of everything]. Now i guess I will look for a Romanov ram and get my Romanov cross ewes the "home grown" way.

[cakadu]

Smithy, I hope your lambing goes well. I haven't had experience directly with Romanovs and about all I know is that they are very prolific.

One person that I know has been raising purebred Romanovs for years is Tom Makowecki and he is around Edmonton. His phone number is (780) 973-3052. His e-mail address is: makowtom@icrossroads.com

He and his wife are likely a wealth of information for you and maybe even a source for your purebred ram.

Good luck lambing and in your sheep venture. Welcome to the wonderful, wild, wacky and just plain satisfying world of sheep!