[Birdie Wife]

Hi, I wonder if I could pick your brains please? I would like to get some sheep for meat and pelts (equal priority) and nice fleece (if possible) and they need to be able to do well on rough grazing. 

I am not an experienced sheep keeper so it would be nice if they weren't huge animals, but docile enough to be able to herd fairly easily without a dog.  I have been thinking about Icelandic sheep but the prices I have seen are waaaay out of my budget (although I could only find one place that sells them, there might be others which offer . Does anyone have any experience with Shetlands or Jacobs? Any other recommendations/tips/advice?

Thanks in anticipation!

[woollyval]

personally i would go for Gotlands if you want all of those qualities AND friendly sheep!

[Birdie Wife]

I've just had a look on the 'net - they are stunning... and the lambs are beautiful too!  Okay all lambs are really... but those ones especially!  They certainly look like they would fit the bill.  Now I just have to work out if I can afford them... and whether there are any breeders within a 200 mile radius of me! Thanks woollyshepherd.

[woollyval]

Where are you?

[rustyme]

they are behind you ......

[doganjo]

Well that's either in the Firth of Forth or a big field depending on which door you are at   Right Rosemary?

[rustyme]

 

[Birdie Wife]

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php/topic,1070.0/topicseen.html

 

[Birdie Wife]

Hi guys, resurrecting this thread to try and get some more information.  North Ronaldsay mutton is being marketed locally and I'm wondering if I can jump on the bandwagon, so to speak.  Does anyone have any experience with this breed, how hard are they to tame etc?

[woollyval]

I kow people with NRs and I have a lot of their wool......very nice sheep.....very nice meat......very nice wool.....and super lambskins!

Need to be kept tame as are primitives and can get a bit flighty

[Birdie Wife]

Thanks WS  so they aren't impossible for a newbie then, as long as I put in some time with them? 

PS are there any sheep you DON'T like? 

[woollyval]

  not too fond of anything that is mad and jumps......several breeds and crosses spring to mind However I just like sheep and can do something woolly or tasty with every type of sheep

[Julie S]

I know woollyshepherd won't agree with me here but Soay sheep - if treated right - can be fabulous little sheep to keep. Low maintenance, HUGE range of colours, nice healthy meat - fantastic 

[woollyval]

Oh I don't mind tame soays and they taste wonderful......its just that everytime I get called by someone with a really serious problem.........it always seems to be soays rear ends dissappearing at speed that I encounter . I just love sheep that stand still....for a moment at least!!!!!

[Julie S]

You'd like my Soays - they are very friendly girls. Most people are surprised when they see them because they expect them to be jumping over fences