[woollyval]

I thought Easy Care Sheep were only easy care because they don't need shearing, but after that they were like other sheep.  Mind you I know nothing about sheep!

they are bred to carry twins rather than troublesome triplets or oversized single lambs, due to their wool-shedding you dont need to shear them (but they do leave wool everywhere when shedding) they are resistant to footrot and blowfly but not immune! they only need dipping once a year (if you only had a couple you could spray them with sheepdip!) they are bred with part-time farmers in mind for lowland situations!

gem x

There is no such thing really as an easy care sheep.....and very few people dip....it is unnecessary with modern safe pour ons and spraying sheep dip is not a good idea.....read the sheep dip disposal regs!

[CarraghsBorderCollies]

the easy care sheep society might just disagree with you!
it took them a long while to develop this breed

you can find them at www.easycaresheep.com

[CarraghsBorderCollies]

There is no such thing really as an easy care sheep.....and very few people dip....it is unnecessary with modern safe pour ons and spraying sheep dip is not a good idea.....read the sheep dip disposal regs!

pour ons are not safe which is the reason why i do not use them! they can be fatal if ingested for example by another animal!

as regards spraying sheep dip, if that was the case why were sheep showers invented?
check out www.richie-d.co.uk/content/sheep-shower-0-

[Womble]

If they're easy care, doesn't that just mean they won't crease in the wash, and hence require less ironing? 

_{I'll get my coat} 

[woollyval]

Right....I hate to disagree but.....

Organophosphate sheep dips are a huge risk to human health not to mention environmental damage if not used properly. Synthetic pyrethroid dips are banned in the uk at the moment....that says it all really

Pour ons for flystrike prevention such as Clik and lice and tick treatment such as Spot on and cattle ivermectin based worm pour ons are very safe and controllable if used properly. The likelihood of ingestion by other animals is negligable if used properly.

Big flocks of thousands may indeed dip.....but most flocks are not in the thousands and many not in the hundreds either.....pour ons are perfect for this sector and safer for the animal and the operator!

Easy care sheep are similar to the Wiltshire horn and are developed to be easier than the average sheep to look after.....However I still rest my case on the fact that there is no substitute for good stockmanship and whilst I suspect you will not agree I think the term 'easy care' is most misleading!

[CarraghsBorderCollies]

Right....I hate to disagree but.....

Organophosphate sheep dips are a huge risk to human health not to mention environmental damage if not used properly. Synthetic pyrethroid dips are banned in the uk at the moment....that says it all really

Pour ons for flystrike prevention such as Clik and lice and tick treatment such as Spot on and cattle ivermectin based worm pour ons are very safe and controllable if used properly. The likelihood of ingestion by other animals is negligable if used properly.
as i dont have the relevant literature regarding the smallprint i will get back to this later in a more relevant thread!

Big flocks of thousands may indeed dip.....but most flocks are not in the thousands and many not in the hundreds either.....pour ons are perfect for this sector and safer for the animal and the operator!
i know of many farmers in my area (most with less than 50 sheep)who dip

Easy care sheep are similar to the Wiltshire horn and are developed to be easier than the average sheep to look after.....However I still rest my case on the fact that there is no substitute for good stockmanship i have to agree with that, i also do not think anyone should have so much as a goldfish without studying/researching it thoroughly first!and whilst I suspect you will not agreenever ever presume you know what another person is thinking! not only are you wrong, it is also extremely rude. i think the term 'easy care' is most misleading!that is where breeders and farmers come in to correct the people who think they are the easy/lazy option.

[Calvadnack]

To get back to your original question on sheep breeds, we're up on the windy moors in West Cornwall and keep both Wiltshires and recently Shetlands.  Although I love the Wilties the smaller Shetlands may suit you better.  Most of my flock I "roo'd", which meant just pulling off the fleeces as it naturally lifts.  Their feet are pretty sound, but anyway they are easy to handle and bucket train.  They are also reasonable to buy and come in lots of colours.  If you're coming to the mainland, you can come and see ours.

[Rosey]

I put my ryelands to an easy care tup this year as I wanted easy lambing and a fairly fast maturing breed, which has worked extremely well. My friend breeds easycares in lowland Lincolnshire, they seem footrot resistant and all lamb fast maturing twins but some have still got flystrike and needed treatment, they need some attention and not for fells or anywhere exposed. On a purely looks basis, they are not very pretty Sorry to any big fans of the breed).

[Will 101]

There is no such thing really as an easy care sheep.....and very few people dip....it is unnecessary with modern safe pour ons and spraying sheep dip is not a good idea.....read the sheep dip disposal regs!
[/quote]

I have 9,000 of the things and run them all by myself they are extremely easy and have only had about 50 cases of footrot and 100 of flystrike for the 1 years ive had them! This just proves that people don't know much about the breed but just assume that they are useless.

[Rosemary]

9,000 sheep? I feel a nightmare coming on 

[shetlandpaul]

To get back to your original question on sheep breeds, we're up on the windy moors in West Cornwall and keep both Wiltshires and recently Shetlands.  Although I love the Wilties the smaller Shetlands may suit you better.  Most of my flock I "roo'd", which meant just pulling off the fleeces as it naturally lifts.  Their feet are pretty sound, but anyway they are easy to handle and bucket train.  They are also reasonable to buy and come in lots of colours.  If you're coming to the mainland, you can come and see ours.

there ment to be roo able but for some reason ours are firmly attached. quite good mums to but expect more single lambs. the are better for rough pasture/moors.

[bob]

I have Easy Care Sheep and am surprised to see some of the comments that's been said, obviously by people that have no experience of the breed.  Even though the Easy Care sheep has a very thin coat of hair and wool they can handle extremes of cold and rain as good or even better than other breeds.  A sheep only needs 10mm of coat to keep warm and the rest is surplus to requirement.  Easy Care sheep have an average breeding ratio of 1.75, are very good mothers and if left to get on with the job with no interupting will lamb and look after triplets and twins.  Easy Care sheep have been bred for easy lambing traits ie. small head, narrow shoulders and will lamb large singles with ease.  Easy care sheep need no dipping whatsoever and very rarely get fly strike.  If you have good quality easy care sheep you will notice no wool on your field.  The easy care breed is an excellent choice for the smallholder or commercial farmer, the society's open day was recently held at a 1000 acre farm and had over a 1000 easy care sheep and was attended by both the commercial and smallholder farmers.

[Rosemary]

Good to have a reply from someone with first hand experience of the breed. I would feel disloyal to my Ryelands if I changed, tempting though it is!!

What are the origins of the Easy Care?

[welshboy]

Wiltshire Horn X Welsh mountain

[jameslindsay]

I have just "googled" these Easy Care Sheep and they look brilliant, I am interested.