[sheepmad]

I want to start keeping a purebreed flock of sheep but very unsure of what breed to keep. I have thought long and hard but can't seem to make my mind up. HELP please?!   

[Remy]

I can't really advise as I have no experience of Texel of Lleyn but have five pedigree Charollais, whom I keep to produce commercial crosses with my Ryeland ram.  Over the past few years they have raised some cracking lambs and have generally been trouble-free.

[sheepmad]

thanks for the advice 

[Pipsa]

From those three I only know Texel as I have one Texel ewe - she is very tame and smart -
when I have to move her flock to another paddock she guides the other ones.
She is lovely!

[SallyintNorth]

A lot depends on where you are and what land and facilities you have available.  Lleyns are pretty hardy, but are prone to multiple births so you don't want to be on poor ground when they lamb; Charollais are not the hardiest and can suffer from sunburn on exposed flesh - but in a temperate area they are just grand; these days pedigree Texels are moving towards sponging, AI, huge lambs so increasingly needing caesarians...

Where are you, what land and facilities do you have, and what are your objectives?  (Making an income / having some fun / showing /  rearing lamb for the freezer - what?)

[sheepmad]

Thanks for that , very useful indeed! i'm actually located in the lleyn peninsula on lowland fields and have a big sheep shed. Also I only live a few minutes away from the vet wich could be handy! My aim is to make money of course, but have fun doing it!!

[SteveHants]

If you are on Pen Llyn, you might as well go for Lleyns then. 

[SallyintNorth]

I always think that unless some other breed just really floats your boat, it's a good idea to support your local native breed  

[Padge]

If I where you i would stick with Lleyn There is a wealth of them around you and same goes for Lleyn knowledge.

[Foobar]

If I was you I'd go with Lleyn definitely.  Hardly, prolific, easy-ish care, good mothers, easy births.  And they are prettier than the other two .

[Marches Farmer]

I agree - if you're selling them locally it helps to have something everyone will recognize.  As I've mentioned on other posts our experience with 20 Lleyns was abandoned within 2 years as they had rubbish feet and never managed to raise more than twins even if scanned with quads.  From one of the top UK pedigree flocks too!   We sold some Southdowns last year to a local smallholder who had always kept Lleyns but was fed up with seeing their tails disappearing into the distance whenever her small daughters entered the field - she was enchanted by how docile the SD's (and even our Badger Face) were by comparison.

[SteveHants]

I agree - if you're selling them locally it helps to have something everyone will recognize.  As I've mentioned on other posts our experience with 20 Lleyns was abandoned within 2 years as they had rubbish feet and never managed to raise more than twins even if scanned with quads.  From one of the top UK pedigree flocks too!   We sold some Southdowns last year to a local smallholder who had always kept Lleyns but was fed up with seeing their tails disappearing into the distance whenever her small daughters entered the field - she was enchanted by how docile the SD's (and even our Badger Face) were by comparison.

Ah, pedigree Lleyns..... That might explain it.


Get em from a good commercial flock with a ruthless culling policy and you should have ewes with sound feet who can raise trips off grass.