The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Sunnybank on April 22, 2012, 02:43:38 pm
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Hi everyone, anyone on here keep badgerface sheep???
We have a few Shetlands which i want to keep as a hobby flock - they are so friendly, different colors and I cant imagine letting any of their offspring go for meat if I cant sell them. So I am looking for another hardy breed and am thinking of badgerface.
Can badger face be ready to sell for meat in the autumn if just fed on grass??
Do they eat hedges and trees as much as my shetlands!!
Do they taste good - i dont like lamb as went off it in my first pregnancy!!
Any other suggestions of breed that are easy, hardy, native, good mothers and taste good as these will have to make some money!!!
I made the mistake of buying my Shetlands as pets and fell in love with them, the next breed i get will not be pets or thats what i am telling myself!!!
thanks everyone
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Well, Hebrideans fill most of your criteria. They certainly taste good, especially at 16 months, as their meat is slow-grown so fine grained and tender - a bit closer to beef in a way than lamb, more so than Shetland meat. They are hardy, good mothers, can be crossed esp with Shetlands if you already have a tup, native. They do however like to browse if it's available....and until you have them tamed (and the Shetlands will help with this) they can be a bit frisky ;D
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Fleecewife has pretty much summed up what i would have posted,but i would liken the meat is like comparing chicken to duck compared with commercial lamb.Grey faced dartmoor would be my 2nd choice for taste.
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We have badger faced sheep (see my avatar!!) and they are LOVELY!!! Very stable and sensible. Very intelligent and hardy. All ours lamb outside without intervention and we haven't had any problems. They have all been good Mums and none of them have died on us.......yet!
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My daughter (aged 11) keeps a flock of 13 badger face ewes. They are really good fun, look fantastic, and all the breeders we have come across have been really helpful and encouraged her. I don't generally like lamb, preferring to eat mutton, but I have to say that the badger faced lambs are the best lamb we have eaten.
Also, remember that there are two colour variations to choose from, which adds a bit of interest.
Where abouts are you based? They can be quite hard to source if you are on the east coast, but in Wales and the borders, they are quite easy to find.
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Hi everyone, thanks for the Helpful replies.
VSS we are near Hereford and the Welsh border so several breeders around.
Pleased to hear from people with badger face too,seems like they really are a nice breed.
one more question - will they eat their way through a hedge like my shetlands have!! we are renting a house with land at the moment and the hedges are not good, didnt want to spend loads so have used electric fence to keep in.
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They might, but so might any breed of sheep. A hedge has to be really top notch in order to be sheep proof.
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The Badger Faced Sheep Society AGM is this Saturday in Builth Wells
The website is good and has all the local breeders. There are some near you.