My journey in the breed-up program began in 2019, by purchasing two bred Scottish Blackface Ewes from Idaho. The ewes arrived just before the COVID shutdown in 2020. They lambed out with my first 50% F1 Valais Blacknose ewes. I continue to import semen from Europe and New Zealand, and am not using domestic rams in order to continue maintaining high quality sheep.

The breed-up program involves laparoscopic artificial insemination with my imported semen once yearly. The resulting lambs will be 50% more Valais than their mothers. I am not planning on pursuing embryos at this time as I enjoy making my own genetic selections and I want to make sure I have as varied a gene pool as possible to work with. I wait until my animals are 1.5 years old for their first breeding, as I want to ensure the health and full growth potential of the mother, as well as the lambs. I raise a small crop of lambs each year so they get individual attention. 

I feed a minimal amount of grain, relying on hay and mineral supplements to closely mimic a natural diet as much as possible. My animals are rotationally grazed from April until November during the daytime to even more closely mimic their natural diet as well as reduce parasite loads. I do monthly basic health checkups myself, do my own shearing twice per year, and do my own hoof care at least quarterly. My animals also receive regular veterinary care. In addition to having a small flock size which ensures each animal receives individual attention daily, my animals are always in good health and are receiving the best quality care.

Upgrading programs take time, and I ensure my animals' wellbeing by waiting until they are at least one year old to breed, and I only breed the animals with traits and qualities I would like passed along. Upbreeding takes time, and I like being able to make my own breeding choices instead of using embryos. With a couple of interim years of not having lambs while I was figuring out the process, or having only male lambs because of my small flock size, I am currently on generation F3, and will be breeding to have F4 lambs in spring 2027. 

I decided to pursue this journey after originally seeing these animals on social media, and decided to wait until I was able to enter the game. I had experience with sheep while working on my husband's family farm and having my own flock of sheep ensures that I have an appropriate milk supply to make soap, as well as having a supply of wool to keep me occupied in many different fiber art pursuits!