Author Topic: What sheep breeds and how many? (Read 13260 times)

shrekfeet · « **on:** December 16, 2008, 06:54:17 am »

Hello all, I'm pretty new to this forum so please be gentle with me.
Have just moved to a very smallholding in Hampshire. We have a large ish garden with fruit trees and lawn (about half an acre) and also a paddock of about and acre and a half. Plenty of buildings and some woodland. I'm keen to get some meat in the freezer and am thinking about raising sheep. Have had some experience with sheep in the past. I have a couple of questions. What breeds do people recommend? Bearing in mond we are lowland and the pasture is good quality. I was thuinking of Hampshire Down and Dorset Down as I have heard they are good natured, excellent meat and easy lambing.
Also, I have a reasonable amount of grass now and would like to get it grazed off. Should I be looking to get hold of orphaned lambs in the spring or can I get something now that I can finish with corn? I'm suposing it's too late to think about breeding this season and I'd be better raising some lambs throughout the summer, eating some and keeping others as the start of a breeding flock.
Any ideas or opinions greatly received.

garden cottage · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2008, 08:35:39 pm »

hi, have a good read of previous posts on sheep lots of very good advice already on their. lot of ryeland people on here amongst others, excellent flavour meat. re woodland have you considered putting pigs in? best of luck ..............neil

woollyval · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2008, 10:04:37 pm »

Contact the Dorset Down Sheepbreeders assn.............google it

Fantastic sheep...........easiest in the world to keep and taste fab!

Castle Farm · « **Reply #3 on:** December 19, 2008, 10:36:26 am »

LLeyns.

shrekfeet · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2008, 09:12:56 pm »

Thanks for the pic of LLenys but are they not a highland sheep?

kaz · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2008, 04:20:03 pm »

How about Ryelands. They are a Downs breed. Have excellant feet, are good lambers and are really docile.
Mine will run to me if I just shake the bucket of food. They look just like teddy bears (especially the coloured ones)

If you need more info check out the Ryeland flock book society web site. That will give you a list of breeders or you can contact the secretary if more info required.
I've never regretted having the breed especially after have Balwens a real Welsh mountain breed.

Castle Farm · « **Reply #6 on:** December 22, 2008, 06:34:38 pm »

Lleyns are Welsh..Have a look at the LLeyn Website..First class smallholder sheep..I can't fault them..but beware of over feeding you'll get trips and quads.

lab7 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2009, 08:35:23 pm »

I have to agree about the Lleyns - we've got 17 (at the moment!). Really easy lambers, good mothers and hardy. I've had mine for 3 years and they've done really well.
Mary.
http://sheepandchickens.googlepages.com/sheep

VSS · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:31:36 am »

Always difficult to get a measured answer to the question about breeds - everyone thinks that therir chosen breed os the best

shrekfeet · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:35:37 am »

Thanks for all your comments.

Anyoe had experience of Black Wesh Mountain?

countrygirlatheart · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2009, 07:54:28 pm »

If you like black sheep you should also have a look at zwartbles - try www.zwartbles.org

Lovely to look at, a tall sheep, docile/friendly, prolific/easy lambing/milky(originally a dutch milking sheep), lean meat - I'm biased of course !

ileach · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:23:05 pm »

Anyone any experience of herdwicks. I have been offered some in lamb but I am a coloured Ryeland enthusiast.

countrygirlatheart · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:36:20 pm »

I think the Herdwicks look lovely although I don't have any personal knowledge or experience of them. I do however have a horsey friend who has had some for a few years now as grass cleaner-uppers and she said that they are little b***ers when it comes to getting out and she had to spend some money on better fencing lol

Rosemary · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2009, 08:57:27 am »

I used to work on a farm that had Blackface, which are hill sheep like Herdwicks. They didn't seem to enjoy being confined to a field - maybe it's the history of the breed. But they went anywhere they wanted - but once they got there, they seemed to stay there, if you know what I mean. We had one ewe who, wherever we put her, came back to the verge beside the stackyard. She seemed to think that was her "place" - brought her lambs back as well. In the end we just left her there - she didn't wander from there.