The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 30, 2015, 11:03:45 am

Title: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 30, 2015, 11:03:45 am

Ah well today is the big day. I arranged to see someone about 2 frieslands, they sound perfect and are the right price, but I am so nervous..... This could be the start of my little milking flock I just hope they're all he says they are, or it could be a bit of a blow. Has anyone got any tips?
Thanks

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: shep53 on October 30, 2015, 11:32:04 am

Don't buy them  JUST  because their the only one's you can find !!    check everything twice !

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 30, 2015, 05:58:37 pm

Thanks for the advice guys, I really appreciate it. I've just come back from seeing them, they're everything he said, so I have been thinking long and hard and I'm going to buy them. They're very handle able and  have produced a lot of milk, you can tell by the udders and their lambs, the guy who was selling them said that one of them has been milked before and they seemed good to me, very healthy, nothing wrong whatsoever with them. Feet good, teeth good, condition good, and very easy to handle. Feeling so relieved now, can't wait to bring them home :excited:

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: Womble on October 30, 2015, 06:14:32 pm

Nice one WBF  :thumbsup: . Did you take any pics?


BTW, have you ever thought of milking your Lleyns?

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 30, 2015, 08:19:44 pm

Yep I did think of that, but I need them to produce and rear their lambs for me, for the next few years, to build up the flock into a really good position, so I couldn't spare any  :(  I never took any pics, I forgot, but I'll try and take some when I bring them home :)

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: devonlady on October 31, 2015, 07:06:31 am

Good  luck WBF with your Frieslands. I kept them for many years and enjoyed them. The milk makes delicious cheese and yoghurt and the rams were very popular for crossing with commercial ewes to create milky, multiple laming ewes. The meat to bone ratio in the lambs was a bit poor. The best lambing I had from four ewes was quins, two sets of quads and triplets. Also, of course, if you want the milk,  you will have to bottle feed a lot of lambs and will only get the milk for about six months of the year.
Please let us know how things go!

Title: Re: feeling soooo nervous
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 31, 2015, 02:15:50 pm

I will. Thanks for the tips guys. :)