Buttercup is one of our smaller ewes, but she is also built beautifully. I would like to replicate her several times with a better fleece. Her fleece is very dense and full, but lacks softness. It does spin up nicely, so it meets that part of our strategy. I just like her a ton. Maybe it’s because she was our first spotted ewe or maybe it’s because I stepped on her foot when she was two days old and still feel bad about it. 
She was fine a few hours later, but I still feel guilty about being a lumbering Sasquatch in the barn. Most lambs don’t get under your feet, but she was always naturally very friendly like her mother. Buttercup is bred to Leyland for obvious reasons. I don’t know if we’ll get a lamb with his fleece and her conformation, but it’s not impossible. His conformation isn’t too shabby either, however. He is actually maturing very nicely. Had I known he would be so nice, I probably would have gambled and bred more ewes to him. Of the ewes he was with, Buttercup is the only one that looks pregnant. It’s a bit early to make that assessment, however. Maybe it’s wishful thinking. When I stated that Cor de Nuit was one of the nicest shetland ewes I’ve seen, I should’ve mentioned that Buttercup was in the discussion as well. She might not be the prototypical sized shetland, but she’s built as well as any I’ve seen! Cor de Nuit has more width in her back legs, and is larger, but that’s the main difference in the conformation department. Buttercup actually has a better topline that Cor does! I wanted to breed her to Cihat badly, but I also wanted to try Leyland out on a few really nice ewes, so that made more sense. This was one of those breedings where I probably gave up spots for something that could be really nice! Leyland could carry spots though, so this might help to determine that. I know his father carries spots.
She was fine a few hours later, but I still feel guilty about being a lumbering Sasquatch in the barn. Most lambs don’t get under your feet, but she was always naturally very friendly like her mother. Buttercup is bred to Leyland for obvious reasons. I don’t know if we’ll get a lamb with his fleece and her conformation, but it’s not impossible. His conformation isn’t too shabby either, however. He is actually maturing very nicely. Had I known he would be so nice, I probably would have gambled and bred more ewes to him. Of the ewes he was with, Buttercup is the only one that looks pregnant. It’s a bit early to make that assessment, however. Maybe it’s wishful thinking. When I stated that Cor de Nuit was one of the nicest shetland ewes I’ve seen, I should’ve mentioned that Buttercup was in the discussion as well. She might not be the prototypical sized shetland, but she’s built as well as any I’ve seen! Cor de Nuit has more width in her back legs, and is larger, but that’s the main difference in the conformation department. Buttercup actually has a better topline that Cor does! I wanted to breed her to Cihat badly, but I also wanted to try Leyland out on a few really nice ewes, so that made more sense. This was one of those breedings where I probably gave up spots for something that could be really nice! Leyland could carry spots though, so this might help to determine that. I know his father carries spots.
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