The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: suzi on February 28, 2025, 05:00:29 pm
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im re setting up our smallholding after shutting down a couple of years ago.
i kept friesians, north romneys and a vile cheviot ram (the day he went to the freezer was a good day haha)
im looking to set up with a friendly type ram and ewes (i have young kids). something that shed fleece rather than needs shearing and is just easy doer.
i loved my friesians but they are a tad presious lol
id appreciate some breeds to have a look at. ive made my head spin with breeds lol
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I think you need to say which part of the country you are in as some breeds may be hard to source in your area
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sorry that can be helpful, im in cornwall. i have smaller acergae and have shed. i plan to feed hay when needed and hard feed if needed
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Which part of Cornwall? We have (at least) two very distinct weather patterns... I'm on a near-coastal hilltop in North Cornwall, it's more like Exmoor here at times! My pal near Calstock wear shorts all summer, mine don't get nearly as much use as hers!
If your weather is more clement than mine, you might want to look at Wiltshire Horns. Most of the allegedly self-shearing primitives don't reliably shed, so if you really want to not shear at all, I think it's Wiltshires or Soays. My understanding is that Soays can be very tame but can also be wild as a bag of cats, and are not very flock-y. So if going that way, make sure you see the flock they're from being tame... ;)
Wiltshires aren't exactly labradors either but do properly self-shed.
Both sexes are horned in both those breeds.
If you can bear to shear, kids love Shetlands with all their lovely colours, pretty faces and quirky personalities. Again, make sure you are sourcing from a flock you have seen being very tame. Our ram is polled; they do occur, but most Shetland rams are horned. Ewes are polled, however.
I've said so many times that regulars will be yawning... I've experienced a huge variety of breeds and types of sheep, and if I only had myself to please I'd go pure Shetland every time, based on what's easiest for the shepherd.
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There is no “one size fits all” sheep breed. If everyone had the same it would be boring! As sally says you need to take into account climate, what type of ground you have (grass quality etc), lambing indoors or out, end market (live mart, dead weight, lamb boxes). Do you want pedigree or crossbred etc.
If you ask 100 people what is the best sheep breed, you’ll likely get 100 different answers. You need to find the right breed for you and your smallholding.
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We have both Wiltshires and Soays. Our Wiltshires are hardy, very tame and very easy going. They do well on our poor grazing and need little supplementary feed. They are good mums. The Soays are also very hardy but a bit more flighty and have that 6th sense that tells them when we want to gather them for anything! That's their cue to gallop to the furthest corner of the field. On the other hand if I have a handful of nuts in my pocket they will practically climb the gate to get to me. They are very entertaining with their daily bounce around the field - a bit like woolly ping pong balls! The shedding aspect is great but you need super strong fences that will withstand lots of pushing and rubbing.
As others have said it depends totally on your land and climate. We are on a dry sandy hill and although we get a fair bit of rain at times for the most part it is just very windy.
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Which part of Cornwall? We have (at least) two very distinct weather patterns... I'm on a near-coastal hilltop in North Cornwall, it's more like Exmoor here at times! My pal near Calstock wear shorts all summer, mine don't get nearly as much use as hers!
If your weather is more clement than mine, you might want to look at Wiltshire Horns. Most of the allegedly self-shearing primitives don't reliably shed, so if you really want to not shear at all, I think it's Wiltshires or Soays. My understanding is that Soays can be very tame but can also be wild as a bag of cats, and are not very flock-y. So if going that way, make sure you see the flock they're from being tame... ;)
Wiltshires aren't exactly labradors either but do properly self-shed.
Both sexes are horned in both those breeds.
If you can bear to shear, kids love Shetlands with all their lovely colours, pretty faces and quirky personalities. Again, make sure you are sourcing from a flock you have seen being very tame. Our ram is polled; they do occur, but most Shetland rams are horned. Ewes are polled, however.
I've said so many times that regulars will be yawning... I've experienced a huge variety of breeds and types of sheep, and if I only had myself to please I'd go pure Shetland every time, based on what's easiest for the shepherd.
we are heading to mid cornwall. ive been told its pretty mild all year round. when we visited it was blowing a gale and chucking it down with rain :raining: so im guessing not haha
i hate shearing with a passion. i can do it myself, thats the comprimise im happy to make
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There is no “one size fits all” sheep breed. If everyone had the same it would be boring! As sally says you need to take into account climate, what type of ground you have (grass quality etc), lambing indoors or out, end market (live mart, dead weight, lamb boxes). Do you want pedigree or crossbred etc.
If you ask 100 people what is the best sheep breed, you’ll likely get 100 different answers. You need to find the right breed for you and your smallholding.
absolutely. i adore friesans no better breed for pet and dairy. but, for meat not so good
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For friendly sheep of a size not to hard to handle I love my LLanwenogs.
my granddaughter has been turning them since she was about 11. They look like Shaun the sheep ... black heads and legs , white fleece. Lambs come out black and turn white over a few months.
They will however need shearing
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I'm pretty much with Sally on this one, Shetlands for friendly, cute, excellent pals for children, very easy to train and to handle, good lambing and mothering (usually) and rooable. I've never had one that self sheds but most will roo and those that have lost the habit will cooperate with shearing.
As you can see, I keep Hebrideans, also Soays and in the past have kept various others including Jacobs and Shetlands. I would like to recommend Jacobs, but we found they were far too precious for our style and they are also quite big for small children to handle. The lambs are amazingly cute though - a fieldful is a wonderful sight. Jacob meat is also delicious, on a par with Primitives, but nice large joints to feed a family. They are horned which is a bit of a downside where children are involved.
Which brings us back to Shetlands and the big advantage they have - wonderful fleece for spinning, felting, knitting and weaving. Even if you are not crafty, you can learn about fleece and sell your best ones to those who are.
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Easycare?
I'm not saying its the best breed, because I'm no expert, but my boy Lenny has been a good lad, he sheds a bit too early for up here in the pennines, but has been OK so far, luckily he walks on a lead, easy to catch, no horns (after a run in with a Balwen I'm wary of tups, especially horned!). throws some lovely chunky lambs off a mix of ewes. bought him in '22, kept his daughters so will have to part with him this year, 3 of them managed to get in with him and he did the deed, so he's currently residing in the barn :( . Some of his daughters look as though their fleeces are already loosening.
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Easycare?
I'm not saying its the best breed, because I'm no expert, but my boy Lenny has been a good lad, he sheds a bit too early for up here in the pennines, but has been OK so far, luckily he walks on a lead, easy to catch, no horns (after a run in with a Balwen I'm wary of tups, especially horned!). throws some lovely chunky lambs off a mix of ewes. bought him in '22, kept his daughters so will have to part with him this year, 3 of them managed to get in with him and he did the deed, so he's currently residing in the barn :( . Some of his daughters look as though their fleeces are already loosening.
He sounds lovely. Wish I was closer, I would have him. Need something calmer than my hugely excitable Norfolk Horn boy!!