The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: highhorse on October 22, 2014, 11:35:44 am
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:sheep:
Hello,
So we have finally settled on rare breeds. Now what I would like to know is what rare breed you would recommend and what are your experiences with them (the good, the bad and the ugly lol).
Just to help you know our situation, we have kept sheep before but are by no means "experts". We have 20 acres of good grazing with natural shelter and a barn available for handling/lambing/nursing. There is my husband and I and two children, one of who is still small so I would like a breed that has a more "friendly" nature :)
Would want to breed them with a view to selling the young ones on either privately or for meat.
Your advice is much appreciated :)
:wave:
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Just to be difficult, even though I know you said you wanted a rare breed, my small children have shetland sheep and I couldn't wish for anything more suitable for them.
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With small children something without horns is a good idea.
Ours aren't rare - they are Gotland x Shetland but they are very docile and come to be petted, have gorgeous fleeces and nice tasty meat. I am happy to let my 2 little children play with them in the field.
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P'epare to be bombarded with replies from everyone passionate about their own breed! Mine, of course, are Southdowns (yes, they are the very docile, short-legged, polled ones that look like teddy bears). They're also easy lambing, are good in teeth, feet and udder and produce probably the sweetest lamb you'll ever taste. Where are you? We're in the Welsh Marches and you're welcome to come and take a look at the flock - with no obligation. (No lambs left to sell this year anyway but if you like them you could go on the wait list for 2015.)
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Most breeds can be rendered tame with the right handling.
Here are my Castlemilk Moorits - supposedly 'wild as cats' ;)
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I guess there's something nice and fitting about keeping a breed that is native to your part of the world. I'd like to keep a Scottish rare breed sheep but most are primitives and don't really fit our system.
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I guess there's something nice and fitting about keeping a breed that is native to your part of the world. I'd like to keep a Scottish rare breed sheep but most are primitives and don't really fit our system.
You could look at the Border Leicester, Rosemary. Good-sized sheep, good carcase, great mothers, fabulous fleeces :excited: :spin: ...
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Boreray are rare and not too big. they need all the help they can get as they are the rarest british breed.