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Author Topic: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?  (Read 16345 times)

JoanneB

  • Joined May 2012
  • Linlithgow, Scotland
 :wave: I'd love to know what TAS members think the best cattle/land animal to be? To keep the grass down, take all manner of table scraps, overwinter in a basic shelter, be fairly child friendly, cost efficient and in the longer term have the possibility to produce some kind of return. I've considered geese, sheep, pigs, lamas, donkeys etc but would love to hear what you have to say. When the world is your lobster it's hard to choose!! 
Joanne, West Lothian

Mallows Flock

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Shepton mallet
    • Somerset Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2012, 10:19:13 pm »
LOL... I would have to say sheep...but then I am incredibly, incredibly biased :o)
From 3 to 30 and still flocking up!

JoanneB

  • Joined May 2012
  • Linlithgow, Scotland
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2012, 10:25:45 pm »
Yes so far my balance is weighing in on sheep too. But possibly with a little something on the side.....?!
Joanne, West Lothian

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2012, 10:48:12 pm »
there isn't one animal that would saitsfy all your needs as described above.
 
Sheep - keep the grass down and produce meat and wool
pigs - (illegally) eat your kitchen scraps, destroy your grass but make good eating
goats - eat your hedges, trees and socks on the washing line (if you let them... :-J ), produce milk and all your dairy needs, plus delicious meat (if you are so inclined), are very childfriendly
cows - eat the grass, destroy the field with their big clumpy hoofs (especially in this weather), and otherwise as goats (minus the sock-eating habit I would say, but maybe not?)
 
so take your pick...
 
maybe start with chickens.... then see how you get on

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2012, 10:55:50 pm »
Hi & welcome to TAS Joanne  :wave:
I agree with Anke - there is no single animal that will cover all, but the very nature of small-holding is to have a mix of animals that you can tailor to your requirements.
If you can get to the Scottish Smallholder & Grower Show in September you will get a great experience of many types of animals smallholders & many of their stock too  :thumbsup:
Most of them are on this forum too  ;)
 :love: :pig: :love:
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

bangbang

  • Guest
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2012, 11:19:30 pm »
Hi JoanneB and welcome!

Shetland sheep, though I too am biased ;D

omnipeasant

  • Joined May 2012
  • Llangurig , Mid Wales
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2012, 11:21:42 pm »
Chickens!!!  Even if it is a very smallholding.

Mammyshaz

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Durham
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2012, 12:02:47 am »
Whatever other livestock you choose, chickens are up on the top line for easy care  and, in my experience, pay for themselves in eggs alone  :thumbsup:

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2012, 06:10:21 am »
For cost effectiveness I would come down on the side of chickens, free range , a handfull of mixed corn , a drop of water, dont need a big shelter, or any special transport arrangements, no abatoir, or markets to drag them to , and they pay you with eggs and meat, and who takes a chicken to an expensive vet ? a flick of the wrist cures all ills.
Goats provide milk, meat, and entertainment par excellance.
Sheep are a total pain , good eating, suicidal maniacs with bad teeth, feet and endless health problems, vet bills and medication
Pigs are destroyers of worlds, but good to eat in various forms.
cows are s**t machines
horses are a waste of good grass.
women cost a fortune
so why do I keep em?
 ???
 

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2012, 08:08:33 am »
I would say sheep (shetland for me too), they dont need much help at lambing, are tough in winter and produce amazing wool and amazing meat.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2012, 09:49:00 am »
cows - destroy the field with their big clumpy hoofs (especially in this weather)
 

Not my little Shetland cattle  :)

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2012, 09:57:37 am »
I would go with chickens for a starter at least.  They are relatively cheap to buy, don't cost too much to feed and you get the benefit of eggs on tap.
Mine also never fail to amuse me.
women cost a fortune
so why do I keep em?
 ???
Tizaala, just how many women do you keep?  ;D ;D
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

Sylvia

  • Joined Aug 2009
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2012, 10:58:29 am »
If I were restricted to just one species I would be hard pressed to choose between poultry and pigs :-\ :-\

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2012, 11:03:11 am »
cows - destroy the field with their big clumpy hoofs (especially in this weather)
 

Not my little Shetland cattle  :)

Well... why am I taking my OH to Shetland and Cunnigsburgh show.... :innocent:

NormandyMary

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: What do you think is the best all round small holder animal?
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2012, 11:19:50 am »
Chickens are a MUST, perhaps turkeys (kept well away from the chooks of course) for extra money at Christmas, How about rabbits? Very healthy eating or so Im told.
I'd love to have some sheep and I do have the land for them, but where I would like to rear them fro the freezer, OH wont have it and prefers his meat from the supermarket...PHILISTINE! :chook:

 

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