The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Martyn on February 01, 2014, 09:02:13 pm
-
Any recommendations for a newbie?
-
are you looking to make money? keep as pets? lawn mowers? or lambs for your own freezer?
-
:wave: easycare ewes do what they say on the tin :thumbsup:
-
tinned lamb ??? ??? :-J
;)
-
Black Welsh Mountain worked for me. I bought the first two from a show flock so they were good and tame then everything that came after just followed on, so it made the flock very easy to handle
I sold the ewe lambs for starter flocks and ate the boy rams, or sold the occasional one that was good enough.
Dont need tails or other bits cutting off
Meat is excellent, and almost fat free. Nice size joints not to big. Good mothers, very milky, never had foot problems and they are less prone to fly strike than many breeds as the fleece is not particulary absorbant, though I would still recommend using one of the pour ons.
And they were small enough for me to handle on my own
-
It depends on exactly what you want them for, how many you have space for, how many you have time and skill and funds to care for, your local climate and pasture quality, and the market or niche you intend to sell them to.
Have a good think about those questions - once you know why you want the sheep then you can start looking at the breeds available and suitable and get the best breed for you.
To begin with it may well be a good idea to have a look around at what your neighbours have - mostly blackies I expect - then try them for the first year or two. If they suit then fine, if not it's very easy to change your breed. The advantage of sheep is that you can eat your mistakes.
-
Something YOU like :D - we all have our favourites. The type of ground and facilities you have may dictate what breed.
-
How wet your land is will have some influence on choice
-
Going to check with the neighbour and see what he has. I have about 30 acres as one big open space, it's a hill side but not steep, and only planning to have around 12 sheep at most. Like the idea of buying some lambs raising them and then breeding to sell lambs in future and eat some;) it's Lanarkshire in Scotland so pretty wet most of the year !
-
Buy Tim Tyne's Sheep Book for Smallholders. It'll give you the basic information you need to make an informed choice and a good idea of what you're letting yourself in for!
-
Hi Martyn. Something else to think carefully about is how you're going to round up and pen your 12 sheep on those 30 acres :roflanim: Hope you've got a sheep dog :dog:
-
I live on 262 acres at Biggar and have a very nice shepherd with dogs who will help me over at my other site. Also going to help with other aspects and advice.
-
Will Defo buy that book