The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: smith032 on March 24, 2015, 09:30:47 pm

Title: What Sheep???
Post by: smith032 on March 24, 2015, 09:30:47 pm

Hi!
We are moving to Scotland (Kintyre) and we will have some Scottish Blackfaces, but I was wondering what other sheep people had up there? Any thought are appreciated!
:)

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: shep53 on March 25, 2015, 06:29:57 pm

Depends on which part of Kintyre plenty of blackies  /  hillnorthies  and  texel x /mules on the low ground by the water and down towards campbeltown

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: Victorian Farmer on March 25, 2015, 08:53:16 pm

We have Lleyn strong lamb out side and a good price at the sale .Well worth having .

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: Garmoran on March 25, 2015, 09:42:51 pm

I bought a nice Lleyn tup lamb, reared in Ardnamurchan. His father and brothers were at the sale, too: very nice beasts.

A couple a few miles from me produce prize-winning Suffolks, but their ground is much, much better than mine!

A lot will depend on the actual ground that you have available for them.

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: smith032 on March 27, 2015, 08:38:32 pm

 Thanks for all your replies!
Have been looking at the Lleyn, they do look good, if area wasn't an issue Suffolks and HAmpshire Downs would be on my list but not too sure how they would do there?

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: sheepandponies on March 28, 2015, 07:46:01 am

After years of breeding pure pedigree Lleyns I xed them with a BDM tup and got much stronger and better carcassed lambs.  Looking forward to seeing what the difference in price I get for them later in the year.  I also have Zwartbles.

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: Marches Farmer on March 28, 2015, 04:12:04 pm

Down sheep (and I'd include the Suffolk here as it's half a Southdown) can do well in quite harsh conditions.  The South Downs are, after all, the first high ground the winds meet when they come off the English Channel.  I sold a couple of tups a few years ago to a chap who was going to use them on Scotch Mules lambing outside, as he was fed up with Continental X lambs being unable to cope with bad weather.  I find my SDs need far less fodder than my Badger Face to keep in good condition - slower metabolism, I think - and they produce three or four more crops of lambs.

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: shep53 on March 28, 2015, 07:14:40 pm

What ever sheep you choose better if they are from a similar area ,  TICKS are every where on the west  MIDGES can cause problems as some animals like humans can have severe reactions to the bites .  Winters are mild but very very wet , the prevailing wind is SW straight off the atlantic   ( 4/5 yrs ago it destroyed the sea wall at MACHRIHANISH  )

Title: Re: What Sheep???
Post by: smith032 on March 28, 2015, 09:05:58 pm

Thanks marches farmers and shep53!
So many choices out there, want to try and get it as right as we can! :)