Author Topic: Do I get some Shetland wethers? (Read 3682 times)

Gingerboy · « **on:** July 20, 2014, 09:54:14 pm »

Hello everyone

Needing some much needed advice please.
I currently have 3 Hampshire ewes and I would like to get some more sheep. I'm interested in the Shetland because they are small and much easier to handle then my Hampshires. I have someone locally that has some Shetland wethers available and they have little stubs as horns but worried the stubs might get bigger and cause injury to my Hampshires. Does anyone have any advice regarding mixing Shetland wethers with non horned Hampshire ewes?

Many thanks in advance

Anke · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2014, 11:26:50 am »

Why do you want to buy wethers (as opposed to ewes)? If you do not plan to breed, then of course wethers are ok. Shetland wethers are good for that, as they will stay tasty (and less fat than commercial breeds) until their 3rd summer or so. Do well on hay only in winter - no need for concentrates.Fleeces also nice.

Their horns should not grow any bigger than stubs, sometimes they curl in a funny way and you have to watch that they do not grow back into their head. Snipping off the end with footshears or similar will keep them in check.

Your ewes should be able to cope with small horns, after all the females of the breeds where the males have horns cope very well!

Gingerboy · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2014, 12:12:31 pm »

Thank you Anke

I only keeping them for pets/grass cutters so no breeding.

Some Shetland wethers have come up available locally to me so that's why I'm thinking about it.

Do you have shetlands?
The wethers having the stubs are starting to concern me, I know they are only little stubs but I don't want to get them and regret it! But then I don't want to miss an opportunity to get some Shetlands locally.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2014, 01:34:38 pm »

How old are the wethers? Presumeably at least 4 months - in which case, I would have said, that if they were going to get full-blown horns, they'd have proper little horns now, not something you would describe as 'stubs'. So they probably will always have just stubs.

I wouldn't be worried about them damaging the Hampshire Down ewes, but do be aware that headflies love horn stubs, so you may find you need to spray their heads with Crovect, or apply a fly repellent very frequently, in the fly season.

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2014, 04:43:15 pm »

You want to make sure that your wethers have been ringed/castrated properly though - feel underneath for any internal balls. If they come from an experienced breeder they should be fine, but sometimes Shetlands are slow to drop their balls and if castrated too early may have an internal one left. You don't want any un-planned lambs.

I have never had any trouble with flystrike on the stubs - UNLESS there was a wound from a horn stub having come off after a fight (with other lambs or with the fence

). For safety's measure you can of course carefully spray some flyrepellent onto the area (just not into their eyes).

MischieMoo · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2014, 10:24:08 pm »

We've two Shetland cross wethers and they have very small horns which do not appear to have grown since we have had them.

Bramblecot · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2014, 10:10:00 am »

I have Shetland wethers from last year. Little horn stubs, no problems, they run with all my ewes

.
Do check for any 'balls' left though, there won't be anything visible from outside but you can feel them. I've previously had a couple left like that due to my own incompetence at ringing.