We first met you as rambunctious 6 month old ram lamb, being mister personality from day one. When you came down with meningeal worm after just one month with us, we thought it was all over. You survived, but we were sure that the residual back leg swagger meant that there will be no little Misters in the future for us.
We purchased your half brother as a replacement (although you always were our favorite), and the two of you tried to see how much trouble you could get into. You started by running away together. We searched everywhere and when we decided to put a ewe in your paddock to see if you will come back, you miraculously appeared out of the woods. One thing led to another and 5 months later, a little ewe lamb.....
The morning I came out to find you wrapped up like a burrito in the electronetting with your leg kicking out every time the energizer sent out a pulse, I was sure you were dead. When I unwrapped you and rolled you upright, you just got up, shook it off and went back to grazing. You always knew how to get in trouble.
We decided to see if you could charm a few of the ladies with your swagger when breeding season came around. To our surprise, 5 months later we had a few new Misters and a very cute little Miss prancing around the farm. Obviously where there is a will, there is a way.
You loved attention, always coming to the fence for a scratch and willing to do anything if alfalfa pellets were on offer. You never met any mineral containers that you were not determined to destroy as soon as we put them in place. Flipping all the minerals out as soon as you had your fill seemed to be your purpose in life.
You were always the peacemaker of the ram group, if Midnight tried to bully the younger rams, you would step in the middle and protect them. Last year you produced a very promising son, so Junior joined the ram family on the farm.
Yesterday morning we turned you and your 4 pals out to pasture for the firsts day this year after loading you up with baking soda to make sure nobody bloats on the nice spring grass. You guys always like this first paddock each spring, grazing under the apple trees and spying on the ewes and lambs a few pastures over. You were fine at sunset last night when I saw the five boys huddling around a tree trunk and planning the night ahead.
This morning though, there were only four boys under the tree and we knew something was wrong. We found you in a little gully under the big tree. Why you would decide to go in there after all the time you had been grazing this same paddock, only you would know, up to some kind of mischief no doubt. I am sure you never thought that you might get stuck on your side and bloat.
You were a special guy and we will miss you, Mister.