HIGH HILL GOTLANDS

About High Hill Gotlands

If you click on the tabs above to visit the pages they will be displayed at the very bottom of this page instead of sending you to the individual pages! Not sure why and can’t figure out how to fix it!

High Hill Gotlands is dedicated to raising, showing and selling high quality registered Gotland sheep and fleeces. High Hill Gotlands is located in Chandlersville, Ohio and shepherded by Michele Potts. While I have raised and shown registered sheep most of my life I started my Gotland flock in 2015. High Hill Gotlands currently consists of 20 adult ewes which are bred naturally each year without the use of any hormones. I also keep a few ewe lambs each year that move into the brood ewe flock after their yearling year. High Hill Gotland ewes are very prolific and have had a 200%+ lambing percentage for the last several years. My ewe flock has been closed since 2016 which means I do not purchase ewes but choose my replacement ewes from the ewe lambs born on my farm each year. Breeding rams are both raised and purchased.

In my Gotland flock I have been concentrating on improving the overall conformation, structure and carcass traits of the Gotland breed while also maintaining and improving fleece quality. I am working towards breeding Gotlands that have strong, wide, level tops with good muscle that extends into their rump and lower leg all underneath the soft, silky, shiny and curly fleece that Gotlands are known for. My Gotland ewes are prolific, lamb easily, milk like crazy, are great mothers, have very few health issues and virtually no hoof problems. My Gotland lambs should be vigorous at birth, fast growing, good topped, good muscled and correct with beautiful fleeces. My Gotlands have a wide range of fleece colors from very light almost white through all the shades of medium gray to almost black. My fleece customers love the range of colors.

High Hill Gotland lambs are usually born in April and weaned by the end of June. Lambs are generally ready to head to their new homes in July. Any lambs not kept or sold as breeding stock are sold as freezer lambs or market lambs from September through the first week of October. They are marketed between 5 and 6 months of age and generally weigh 100 to 115 pounds. Hanging carcass weights at this time have been averaging 55 to 57 pounds. All freezer lambs or market lambs are shorn before selling.

I believe that Gotland sheep can and should be profitable and can be a true dual or even triple purpose breed with the ability to produce meat, fiber and/or pelts in a timely and efficient manner. In order to be profitable Gotlands need to not only grow those beautiful soft, shiny, curly fleeces but they also need to have a good structured body with some muscling underneath their fleece. They should reach marketable weights in a reasonable amount of time. That is the kind of Gotlands I am working towards developing. I am happy with the improvements I have made in my flock in the last 8 years and am excited about future improvements and the future of the Gotland breed!

Tage as a young lamb.

Sires

Sires of 2024 Lambs

HHH 2220 Tage

Tage is a High Hill Gotland bred and raised yearling ram born in April 2022. He is 92+% and sired by RCF Earl, grand sire is Granby Mr. Big. Tage is smooth made, strong, level and wide topped, good muscled, correct on his feet and legs with a very nice fleece. He sired one set of twins last year (when he jumped in and bred a ewe lamb that was not supposed to be bred!) and they turned out to be a really nice set of lambs. I kept the ewe lamb and the ram lamb went to Montana. Tage was Grand Champion Natural Color Ram and Supreme Ram over all breeds at the 2023 Muskingum County Fair and placed 2nd in class at the 2023 New York Sheep and Wool Festival. I am really looking forward to seeing his lambs this year. He should add a lot of good things in 2024!

HHH 2220 Tage

HHH 2320 Tait

HHH 2320 Tait is a High Hill Gotlands bred and raised ram lamb. He was born in April 2023. He is 92+%. He is sired by TVF Zircon, grand sire is Ervalla Ztarke. Tait ended up being my pick of the 2023 ram lambs. There is a lot to like about this guy. He puts a lot of good things together. He is smooth made, super topped with really good lower leg muscle that is hard to find on a Gotland. He was very fast growing and on top of that he has an excellent fleece. He is a really cool Gotland! Tait was named Reserve Champion Natural Color Long Wool Ram and Best Fleece at the 2023 New York Sheep and Wool Festival. I am really excited to see Tait’s lambs in April.

2320 Tait at the NYSWF
2320 Tait

ATF Marcel

ATF Marcel was bred and raised by Stephanie Schiffgens at Apple Tree Farm in Oregon and purchased this summer from Lisa Simons in Virginia. He was born in January 2022 and is 97+%. Marcel is sired by Lindholmen. He was purchased to add some new genetics into the High Hill Gotland flock. Marcel has good length, a very smooth front end, is very correct on his feet and legs and has a great disposition. In addition to adding new genetics he should continue to improve fleeces. I’m looking forward to seeing what Marcel will produce with my thick made Gotland ewes.

ATF Marcel