Painted Rock Farm is committed to the conservation of the Jacob sheep. We do not raise other sheep breeds at this time. Since 2000, we have raised quality animals that meet or exceed the breed standard. We are firm believers in the registration process and encourage our buyers to do the same. Our breeding goals are based on solid, genetic lines within our flock. We have carefully selected ewes and rams from lines all across the country in building our flock over the years. That, coupled with our own genetic based of sheep breedings, has allowed us to build a diverse flock that consistently produces quality off-spring. We specialize in creating starter flocks for new shepherds or for those who are new to Jacobs. Our widely diverse genetics based has equipped us to assemble non-related stock, back to 12 or more generations, many with 0% inbreeding ratios. We also utilize the Breeder's Assistant software program to assist us in putting together our breeding groups. With a broad database, we can also assist any buyer who is simply wanting to add a few unrelated sheep to their own flock.
Aside from the genetics aspect, we breed and select our Jacobs to be hardy, self-sufficient animals requiring minimal human intervention. We carefully select sheep with sound horns, great fleeces and sound body conformation. Multiple births are common and excellent mothering instinct is expected. We have both 2 and 4 horned sheep in our flock and refuse to breed our sheep soley for multiple horns. Like genetic diversity, we feel that concentrating too much on one particular trait is detrimental to the overall diversity of the breed itself. Our flock has sheep with various markings too ~ some are clean-legged, others have knee patches or lots of dark leg flash. Muzzle markings range from the desired full mouth patch to a light colored, pigmented muzzle. We have a strong lilac influence within our flock, producing a less common color pattern, often with blue or gray eyes. The variety within this breed is endless!
Wool quality is of utmost importance to us here at Painted Rock Farm. While we do adhere to the Jacob sheep breed standard, we find the fleece characteristics within our sheep do vary. Jacobs are typically a medium fleeced breed and our flock exhibits those traits, as well as varying degrees of staple length, crimp and loft. Fleeces are as different as each sheep itself. We reserve a small fleece sample from each sheep in our flock at shearing time, which allows us to assess wool quality and consistency over time. If you are interested in adding a sheep to your flock or simply want to purchase raw wool from us, please ask for FREE samples.
Temperament is another trait we believe is highly heritable. We continually strive to produce quiet, even tempered rams and feel our first flock sire, Tannery Spring Abraham, infused this trait early on within our flock. We WILL NOT tolerate aggressive animals in our flock, regardless of horn number or animal quality. To us, even selling a mean or aggressive ram is asking for trouble down the road and could easily result in some really bad advertising for our farm. We instruct all buyers not to befriend an intact male (ram), rather infuse a healthy dose of respect of all humans. Of course, we have been fortunate to have several quiet fellows in our flock. They may even receive an occasional chin scratch but that is the exception, not the norm. Most of our friendly fellows enjoying the wethered life as a pet, in a spinner's flock or as a ram buddy. We still do have plenty of extra rams available for our expanding meat market. Local delivery is available to various processor's ~ please ask for details!
Painted Rock Farm has been enrolled in the Federal Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program since April of 2002. We have achieved CERTIFIED Flock status as of October 22, 2009. The State of West Virginia Department of Agriculture has also granted our farm with an Honorary Flock Status for the past several years. All of our sheep receive regular veterinary care, including annual CD&T vaccinations and rotational deworming. We have implemented the FAMACHA techniques with the flock and have found our Jacobs to be pretty resistant to parasite infestations. We maintain a schedule of deworming about twice a year, depending on weather and other conditions that may affect parasite growth and development.
Purchasing your Jacob sheep from Painted Rock Farm is easy! We generally have sheep available for sale year 'round and are happy to assist our customers in making their sheep selections. A Veterinary Health Inspection is required to transport animals across state lines. However, West Virginia residents are not required to obtain health inspection papers since Painted Rock Farm is an Honorary Flock. West Virginia is a CERTIFIED Brucellosis and Tuberculosis free state. Health certificates are valid for thirty(30) days and average $25. We make every effort to coordinate farm visits for our buyers to keep costs down. Shipping requirements to outside of WV varying state to state We are happy to provide you with a listing of your state's entry requirements and costs for any mandatory or optional (elective) testing. It is the buyers responsibility for the financial costs incurred for any and all tests. Delivery is available locally and regionally~ please ask for rates and details. We can also work with you in locating a reliable livestock shipping company, if desired.
To reserve or hold any sheep, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required. We ask that all sheep be picked up or scheduled for delivery within thirty(30) days of reservation, unless other arrangements are made in advance. We do offer to keep some sheep on the farm for longer periods of time and handle those requests individually. This often involves a small boarding fee each month to offset feed costs and the expenses of maintaining the sheep on our regular health care schedule of vaccines, deworming, hoof trims, etc. As a courtesy, we offer multiple sheep discounts for new buyers and to our repeat customers.
If you have questions or would like additional information about purchasing a sheep from Painted Rock Farm, please contact us at 304-457-6620 or email us at paintedrockfarm@aol.com.