[funkyfish]

I really, really want to buy something for the freezer. A friend has some Shetland ram lambs, was going to ask if she might sell/trade me one. BUT all her lambs are tiny... (April born) would it cost a lot to get him up to any kind of table weight? They are small, but not thin. wormed etc. Also is a ram so if I keep him for a while longer to get him bigger as the grass grows, will he taste ok???


Or should I get a more commercial type- don't have anywhere to rear orphans, unfortunately.

[Fleecewife]

First off, you can't keep a single sheep on its own, so you will need two.
You would be better with wethers as the possibility of taint won't arise. I don't have a problem with the meat from young rams, except occasionally Shetlands which for some reason are stinkier than many other breeds, and this can come through in the meat.
Raising the primitives for meat involves keeping them until they are 16 months old.  They won't put on weight over the winter no matter what grain-type feed you give them.  They will need ad lib hay (one sheep eats on average 5 bales of hay over the winter, but we are halfway through now, so you would need half a dozern small square bales, or one big round bale, with some left over) then will start to grow as the grass comes in.  If you leave them much later than August and they are entire, then the risk of taint grows, the closer to tupping time (Nov) you get.
 
If you want a big carcase then go for a big, quick finishing breed, but they will all have gone off for slaughter by now.  If you don't need massive joints but want top flavour, then Shetland wethers at 16 months are perfect 

[ZaktheLad]

Whereabouts are you as have 4 x wethers available that would be ideal (born April 2012).  I just haven't got around to sending them off to market yet.  They are commercial types - charollais x.

[funkyfish]

HI! Thanks guys, Should have said- I have 2x whethers (as lawn mowers- too attached to send off...). I was thinking it was not so good my friends the boys are entire... Will rethink- just trying to plan for nxt year- for our freezer and also to expand our small flock. Only have bout 1.5 acres- and on that have 3x large chicken pens, so not too much space. Really wanted an in-lamb ewe or one to put to the tup nxt year, but left it a bit late now for an in-lamb as too close to lambing? So thought slow maturing breed (last years lamb) to send off later in the year better and get a ewe lamb later on/next year.


Aiming for 3-4 sheep in total (including out boys), (over the winter) + lambs over the summer, as LOTS of grass here as strip graze the sheep/they eat the grass down between chicken pens etc.



Really love the Shetlands!


I'm in East Devon.

[lachlanandmarcus]

You might well still find in lamb ewes among smallholder sellers as generally they lamb later so they can lamb outside ESP with the primitive breeds as timing not so crucial if they aren't going for the chop till the following year anyway.


Shame I'm not closer - my Shetlands aren't due until end April, beginning ofMay. But I'm sure there will be someone locally who can help.