The Baalands: Mexico

Showing posts with label Mexico. Show all posts

28 July 2007

World Sheep Congress

July 2007 -- I was fortunate enough to attend the World Sheep Congress in Queretaro, Mexico, in 2007. My friend and colleague Dee Dee A. was my travel companion. The Congress drew over 700 participants from 18 countries. There were probably about 20 Americans in attendance, including a few speakers (Jim Morgan from Katahdin Hair Sheep International) and many I knew. The Congress included a scientific program and day of farm tours. The last few days featured a multi-breed sheep show and trade show.

Sheep show and trade show

American friends

Posing with a Dorper ewe

The most numerous breed in the show was probably the Pelibüey. The Pelibüey is a Cuban breed. It is likely derived from the West African and related to the Barbados Blackbelly. The breed looks very similar to Katahdins of the same color, though Katahdins are more robust. There was speculation that Pelibüeys had been crossed with Katahdins to improve their size for the show ring (sound familiar?). We do not have the Pelibüey in the US. While it has many valuable attributes, I'm not sure if offers anything the US sheep industry doesn't already have. It is popular in the Caribbean and parts of Mexico. I had seen the breed in my travels to the Caribbean.

Champion Pelibüey ram

Class of Pelibüey ewes

Pelibüey rams waiting to be shown

Nice Pelibüey ewe

Some serious picture taking

The Katahdin show was also large in size (and quality). Katahdins were (are) becoming popular in Mexico. The Katahdin judge was an American, Wes Limesand. Many of the Americans in attendance were Katahdin breeders like myself. Wes was shepherd at NDSU.

Wes Limesand judging

Class of Katahdin ewes

Nice Katahdin ram

Katahdins waiting to be shown

Most of the rest of the sheep at the show were breeds common to the US: Barbados Blackbelly, Dorper, Dorset, East Friesian, Hampshire, Suffolk, Texel, Romanov, and Rambouillet. There were a few breeds that I had never seen before (except in pictures), such as Charollais and Damara. I didn't get pictures of all of the breeds.

Barbados Blackbellies

Dark Blackbelly ram

Pen of Damara ewes

Dorper ram; he looks comfy!

Hampshire Down

Dorset rams

Some Texels

Charollais ewe

Romanov ram

Rambouillet ram

The trade show was large. I bought several items. Food was good.

Promoting Katahdins

Before and after

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26 July 2007

Mexican farm tour

Farm tours were part of the World Sheep Congress in Queretaro, Mexico in 2007. There was a choice as to which farm to visit. I chose hair sheep (of course). Katahdin. We visited "El Gavillero Shangrila," a Katahdin stud in Tequisquiapan, about an hour from the conference headquarters, but still in the state of Querétaro. They had about 600 ewes in semi-confinement.

Posing with Mark Dennis (C)

Katahdin ewes in confinement

El Gavillero Y Shangrila

Offering feed to lambs

Fenceline feeding (haylage)

Covered feeder
Automatic waterer

Under shelters

Katahdin ewes

Showing off rams

Just us

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Post created 03 Sept 2024
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24 July 2007

Mexican Adventure

The World Sheep Congress was in Querétaro, Mexico in 2007 -- the second to the last one held (I think). I talked my friend and colleague Dee Dee A. into going with me. We flew into Mexico City and rented a car. That's where the adventure began. It was a 3 hour drive. At least the Mexicans drive on the same side of the road as we do.

Querétaro is a city in central Mexico. It’s known for its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture , including its striking pink stone aqueduct. The aqueduct of Querétaro is an 18th-century aqueduct. It is a symbol of the city of Querétaro and one of the largest aqueducts in Mexico. Although no longer in use, the structure remains in place and is well maintained for traffic, pedestrians, and the thousands of tourists that pass by and under the aqueduct's 74 stone arches.