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meet your neighbors Dedicated to Katahdins

By Laura L. Valenti Rowdy Mountain Farm owners Gerrit and Karen Voshel keep only the best for their breeding program

Almost a decade after moving from Colorado to rural Dallas County, outside Long Lane, Mo., Gerrit and Karen Voshel find themselves surrounded by Katahdin sheep on their Rowdy Mountain Farm.

A retired Marine and a retired elementary school teacher, the Voshels have become well versed in their new chosen field, which includes tracking birth weights, rates of twins a year. and triplets, and 30- to 90-day growth weights, amongst other traits, all on the computer.

“We only keep the best for breeding,” Gerrit explained inside a sheep barn full of Katahdin ewes. “We started out looking for and breeding to specific traits like size, then bulk, a little more height, a little more weight. We evaluate every year, looking to see which ram, when matched with a particular ewe, will help to correct any deficits.”

The Voshels have found ways to overcome some of the most common problems that plague sheep and goat breeders in the Ozarks.

“We keep about 60 breedable ewes and only breed once a year. Then we have a couple hundred on the place for a while,” he grinned. “Of course, many people do breed

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Gerrit and Karen Voshel have about 60 breeding ewes and only breed once

Photo by Laura L. Valenti more than that, but we’ve found this makes for stronger ewes. “We’ve sold every ram we’ve had here and no one’s ever called to complain they were unhappy, except for one commercial breeder. He Long Lane, Mo. came in and looked over what we had and asked about a specific ram. I told him that one

was not for sale and he said, ‘of course, it is’ those dogs work all night long, guarding the and got out his checkbook. He took the ram flocks against coyotes and even packs of dogs with him and then called back sometime lat- that run in the area. Of course, they sleep er to complain that with his ewes that ram around the barn in the daytime when we kept producing triplets and had even given are around and can take care of the sheep. him one set of quads. He said he just couldn’t They have to sleep sometime but believe me, keep up with that so he brought that ram they work hard all night and I’ve never lost a back and we found him a couple of others,” sheep yet to a coyote or a dog.’” Gerrit ended with a laugh. “Our ewes usually In addition to controlling predators, biosproduce twins and triplets. We rarely see a ecurity measures taken by the Vogals also single birth around here.” keeps out unwanted problems.

The Voschels track the timing of the breed- “We also work on biosecurity, to keep down ing of their ewes carefully so they can have the disease problem, like foot rot,” Gerrit said. those about to lamb in Visitors to the Rowdy the sheep barn when it Mountain Farm are is time to deliver. presented with a pair of

“Of course, a commer- disposable plastic foot cial breeder couldn’t do it that way,” Gerrit said. “To tell the truth, I want“We work on breeding coverings, reminiscent of what a doctor might wear in the operating room. ed a few sheep to train my Border collies when pretty While such measures assure that diseases are not we started all of this years ago, but Karen’s the one ewes inadvertently carried in via manure off another’s who made it into a real business. Folks around here call her the ‘Sheep Goddess; and lots of that are also parasite boots, they also provide the visitor with a clean pair of boots with no mud and manure as they leave. them call to ask for her advice with this or that resistant. The results of their efforts are obvious to the problem.” The Voshels who were once actively involved Those that don’t meet eye as the Voshels’ Katahdins are large, healthy and eye appealing. in the business of raising Border collies as herd dog as well as Britour standards, we cull out “We work on breeding pretty ewes that are also parasite resistant,” Gertany Spaniels, which are bird dogs. pretty quick ret continued. “Those that don’t meet our

“We started out show- and they go standards, we cull out ing Border Collies and Brittanys in AKC con- to market.” pretty quick and they go to market.” formation shows, and The Voshels have then we got hooked on – Gerrit Voshel greatly enjoyed and herding trials as a hobby.” benefitted from attend They still make use of ing the Midwest Ram canines in herding and Sale, held in Sedalia, guarding their sheep. Mo., each year in June. Gerrit prefers the Anatolian-Great Pyrenees Unfortunately, the 2020 sale was cancelled cross bred dogs in terms of guard dogs. He also this year due to concerns with Covid 19. makes a home for a number of their “retired” “It attracts people from all over the country border collies who are too old to work but still and all breeds are represented there, not just part of the family. Katahdins,” Karen added. “It’s a great place

“Coyotes and domestic dogs are a real dan- to meet others, visit and share information. ger to sheep herders in this area,” Gerrit It’s an especially good opportunity for people shared. “I had one lady to tell me she was go- who are just getting started in this business. ing to get rid of her dogs because all they did We certainly hope it will return in 2021. We was sleep all day. I explained to her, ‘Ma’am, look forward to it.”

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