The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: moprabbit on January 07, 2012, 10:30:18 pm
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I just wondered if there was anyone else out there who kept their sheep just as pets? I have 4 ewes, (mule x texel) that I bottle fed for a friend and then couldn't let them go for slaughter. I ended up buying them. They are nearly 2 years old, but I haven't had them tupped because I wouldn't want to have to get rid of their lambs. So I just wondered if there was anyone else as soft as me?
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I know some enormous wethers that have lived for some years in the lap of luxury a few miles from me. And there's a farmer nearby has some 11 year old bullocks... Another farmer nearby has kept on a bull that fires blanks... I worked on a farm had a commercial Angus suckler herd, along with three pedigree Angus bulls, and a pet Hereford steer... And I am pretty sure there is someone on here who has a wether she couldn't bear to send away... So you're not alone, no!
There's a vegetarian lady in the north east 'rescues' wethers and gives them a forever home. She uses their wool in craft and art and makes enough to keep several hundred of the things! I think it helps that she's partnered up with the farmer next door she used to rent the ground from... ;) :D Good on her, say I - she believes in something and has tried to make a difference. She's harming no-one and doing what seems right to her.
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I have 2 wethers who I couldnt send off as they were coloured and I got fond of them as individuals and they are my ram companions. Also the original boss girl Ewe, 'Sheila Shetland sheep' is now of an age where I wont put her in lamb any more, and while I sent off the rest of the 6 originals, she is being allowed to retire for as long as she is comfy. If you met her you would know why! She is a white ewe with two black eyes and a big pink nose.
I send off all the boys plus ewes I think are struggling or who have had problems but the exceptions strangely make sending the rest off easier.
Since I couldnt keep any more wethers I got a white ram so that all the babies now look the same as each other making it easier to send them off.
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Most of my sheep are there to pay for themself, but I do have a couple of wedders that were named as lambs, A Shetland x Beltex called wait for it Shawn who nearly died at birth and became very friendly. Also a Shetland called Blueberry, he is black and also very friendly my daughter would be very upset if I sent them away. They come in handy as company for my ram. Lachlanandmarcus great to here old sheila is still around she was a favorite of mine to.
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I kept a 'fleece flock' of wethers of various special crosses, for seven years. The fleece of wethers tends to be of more consistent quality than ewes, and I sold or used their fleeces every year. We have cut back our breeding flock for this year and have found that we actually have more 'old biddies' than we do breeding ewes; the old biddies are kept as pets and grazers.
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We've got 16 that we keep as pets. They all have names ::) We keep them to keep the fields looking smart. We've given away the 2 rams we originally had and have ringed last years males to keep them friendly and easy to manage so hopefully no more lambs for a long while. Sometimes I think it would have been easier to buy one of those big ride on lawn mowers :D
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We always have a pet wether around the place..... ::) actually he is a great help when loading trailers, keeping others like rams and ewe lambs company etc.
I know a local dairy farmer who has several VERY ancient dairy cows that are ladies of leisure as he is very fond of them!
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We have a pet wether - one of my first batch of lambs. He's called Dickie, because he's a coloured Ryeland but had a white streakup his head when he was born and he reminded me of Dickie Davis. He keeps my tup company, "uncles" the ewe lambs at tupping time and so on.
I suspect my three original ewes will have homes for life too.
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And I am pretty sure there is someone on here who has a wether she couldn't bear to send away...
We have a pet wether - one of my first batch of lambs. He's called Dickie
;D
(I've no call to be smug - BH has been told in no uncertain terms that my Jersey cow is never leaving ::))
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Oh dear , no pets here I am afraid. One of the reasons we just have white Shetlands is that so we dont individualise them. We have to cull our old ewes, it is kinder than letting them take their chances on the moor up here.We have tried to keep an odd border line older one but always regretted it. I had one caddy ewe I named but when I said to my OH that I have not seen her for a few days he told me then she was one that had to be culled. I was sad in a way but glad she did not have to struggle over winter.
We have never kept anything on as pets, where do you stop ? I suppose it all depends what you are into smallholding for as well. Self sufficiency as actual self sufficiency ( if you know what I mean) or as a hobby producing what you can and being happy with the stock and situation you have. All up to the individual.
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I'm glad it's not just me - I had enough trouble taking my lamb to Norwich market - I don't think I could get rid of the two old ladies now - if I did have to get rid of them I'd look for a home for them.
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We have to cull our old ewes, it is kinder than letting them take their chances on the moor up here.We have tried to keep an odd border line older one but always regretted it.
Yes, we feel the same here. Once they are struggling it's kinder to send them away than try to nurse them through another winter. If and when we do try, we always regret it, and these experiences fortify us for the next time a hard decision has to be made.
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No pet sheep here - if they can't pay their way, then they are gone. None have names, nor will they. I'm a miserable bugger, I know. :P
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No pet sheep here but i do have a seven year old GOS boar called Gerry who's deaf and fires blanks ::) The day i made the descision to send him on his way he hurt his trotter and was such a sorry boy i couldn't send him that was 4yrs ago, at present he's behaving likea terrible teenager becasue the gilt in the next pen to him has come into season so he's prowling the fence no doubt twirling his moustache a la terry thomas/leslie phillips saying herrrlllooo nice lady!
he's my piggy cross so to speak! ;D
mandy :pig:
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Interesting conversation here! People often ask me if my sheep are pets and look aghast when I say no I eat them! Just because at the moment I keep Ouessant sheep folks think they must be pets....but no! Ouessant sheep do make good mowers if a couple of castrated boys are kept for that purpose and if thats what people want but they actually taste amazing rather like shetland and their mutton is fantastic! I personally would rather eat an elderly ewe or have her made into burgers/sausages than pass her on the a 'pet home' as unless I am totally sure she would be looked after I prefer to know their end :-\
Ouessants are proper sheep....just small ones and are ideal for small acreages and marginal land where their conservation grazing abilities are phenominal!
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My Shetland girls all have names and I am fond of them but as soon as they start to founder I will do the right thing by them. My oldest is thirteen this year and if she doesn't produce that won't be a problem, she can enjoy her retirement as long as life is sweet. I don't know that she'll make much mutton or that we could eat that many stews but a good life and a useful end is right, I think :)
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No pet sheep here i'm afraid, but good- for- you if you want to keep them. We did have some old girls one was 12 when she went and they bred us a lamb every year. But as soon as they get to looking like they are struggling to keep weight on through the winter they are gone.
It's just the economics we can't afford to feed the waifs and strays. I've :love: got guinea pigs and rabbits :bunny: at home to cuddle if i need to be close to something furry, and of course the OH :D
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W HAVE 4 SOAY EWES BORN MARCH THIS YEAR THEY WILL BE TUPPED END OF THIS YEAR AND THEIR LAMBS WILL BE KEPT LIKE THEIR MUMS FOR THEIR LAWN MOWING SKILLS AND THE STRESS FREE HOURS THEY BRING US WE ARE VEGGIES BUT LOVESHEEP GOATS AS PETS SOME PEOPLE SAY WE ARE STRANGE I FIND THEM STRANGE EVERYTHING HAS ITS PLACE NOT JUST THE PLACE TO BENEFIT HUMANS :cow: :sheep: :goat: :wave:
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We had a pet Texel ewe called Lauren. She arrived with Hardy as Laurel and two weeks later I noticed something wasn't quite right in the 'tackle' department. Hence the rename. Got really big and spoilt. Built her shelters and fed her treats and she cut the grass---- and the fruit trees -------and the conifer hedge -------and then preferred tree bark to hay -----and then wanted only the really expensive hay-----and liked apples and picked her own-------and thought chasing chickens was a great game ----and has now gone -----down the road to behave like a proper sheep with other proper sheep. She'll be a mummy in Spring. The chickens are happy again.
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Thank you for all your replies-I respect everyones views. I've loved reading them all and realizing there are lots of people just like me! I'm sure there are many problems ahead when the sheep get older - I'm not sure what they might be... but for the time being I'll just enjoy them whilst I can. :sheep: :)