Thistle

 Unfortunately for Thistle he is now simply an amazing skull I have saved to take with me when I put on demonstrations and presentations about Jacob Sheep. I had high hopes for Thistle as a future breeding ram and I kept him and his half-brother Goth together so they could keep each other company as they grew . I was going to see which ram I preferred and sell the other. I was leaning towards keeping Thistle and selling Goth. That decision was taken away from me when Goth killed Thistle during play.

Rams do pretty much everything with ramming involved. To nurse from their mamas they ram her udder to bring down milk for them to suckle. To play they ram each other , the trees, the fences , everything. So one very hot week in the summer when both rams were about 16 months old Thistle got his horns caught in a feeder and Goth rammed Thistle as he was trapped exposing him broadside ~ a perfect target for his brother. Goth punctured Thistle's lung and Thistle died.

Thistle shortly before his demise at the horns of Goth.

Goth in 2013 at the Washington State Fair. ( Yes, he plays with the big rubber balls.)