The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Indedog on May 17, 2015, 02:53:39 pm
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Hi, If all comes together we will be taking on 10 acres of pasture from September of this year. I would like to start off with a small heard of sheep (probably Southdowns) but my partner is keen to look at a small heard of goats.
I would like advice on which would be the best to start off with from both a financial and practical points of view.
This question may have been dealt with elsewhere but so far I have not found it.
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Goats will need a completely different management system from sheep - daily feeding, shelter available at all times, hay (usually) all year round etc etc, so you would need to read up and depending on your circumstances (like do you have a goathouse available onsite) you can make your choice.
Sheep are a flock, goats are a herd....
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Find out what would sell better in your area - both direct from butcher and through the sales. Not much point having a herd of goats if you can't then move them on easily for EG.
Do you prefer the taste of goat or lamb/mutton?
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and if you have milky goats you have to like goats milk!
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a small herd of goats can quickly turn into a large herd :innocent:
we have both and both are geat animals to have around but goats are much more intensive and interactive and fun and the few sheep we have are for producing lamb, hogget & mutton
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Sheep are better grazers than goats who prefer a more fiberous diet.
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If you post this in the goat forum too, you may see some different opinions and ideas! :thumbsup:
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The previous owner of our farm said the fences weren't good enough to keep goats in but were fine for sheep, so we've never kept goats. I suggest going to an agricultural show and walking around the sheep and goat pens and see what catches your eye. The main test has to be that you like what you see in the field.
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So different, higher fences required, when ours have got out in the past they ve chewed the quad seats, peed over everything, beheaded all the flowers, de camped all the shrubs...... So naughty. They re much better as they've got older, but I would defo say start with sheep, they as a rule are easier to keep in one place lol x
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Go for Icelandic sheep.
They are a triple use breed. The fleeces are sought after by spinners, the meat is lean, and you can milk them to make sheep's cheese and lovely ice-cream.
They are also prolific breeders where twins are the norm.
The colours of the fleeces are varied
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Or Friesland milk sheep. My best from four ewes was quins, two sets of quads and two sets of triplets! The milk makes lovely butter, cheese and yoghurt and the meat is close grained and tasty. Fleeces are lovely.
Downside, they only milk for 7-8 months of the year and there is a biggish ratio of bone to meat.
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Thank you all for your very helpful comments and advice. I think we are going to start with sheep and maybe look again at goats in a year or two. We are considering Southdowns but cu dubh and devonlady you have certainly given us something to think about with the milking for cheese etc. :thumbsup:
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Is it possible to keep sheep and goats together? I know this has come in the goat forum before and it seems like there is something to do with worming that is a problem. I am thinking of keeping them together but thought I would find out more first.
I can easily fence the field in 2, but will this solve the worming problem. I hope someone can explain this to me, or say if it is ok to keep sheep and goats together.
I keep pygmy goats and they are just for pets, and I was going to put some Suffolk's in with them to keep the grass down.
Thanks
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The main issue is goats don't have a resistance to worms so unless you have a good worm management programme you might find your goats die! I do graze both together for short spells but try an use the ponies to cross graze and reduce worm numbers. Plus my sheep are almost clear of worms.