[dt400]

Hi

We are thinking of getting a few sheep  mainly for controlling the grass and weed growth at the back of our property.  We have approx. 3 acres to the front which we let a local farmer take for silage of which we got 40 large round bales but at the back the ground is very uneven and wet.  All the locals here in Lairg have North Country Cheviot's.  We were thinking something along the lines of Hebrideann or Shetland but the locals say we should stick to the Cheviot's.  As time goes on and we get used to handling sheep, we may think about breeding and lambing etc.. but at the moment it is just purely grass control we want.  At the moment the property is reasonably well fenced with a wall to 2 sides and the previous owner used to keep Shetland on the land.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Lauraine & Clive

[shep53]

 You have to look at the sheep every day and enjoy them , so you get what ever pleases you

[Moleskins]

Agreed, also as I've said before, you will get intimate with these animals at some point so you may as well have some you like. In fact it's essential. 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I would go with your Shetland instinct, as they are half the size of the Cheviot and also come in lots of interesting colours. Should only require forage and a mineral block over winter.
The Shetlands (if un reg or even if reg) will prob be cheaper to buy, and you could plan when you come to breeding, cross them to a Cheviot tup. The ewe lambs resulting are a very saleable cross at the mart. The boy lambs you can either castrate and keep, or send off for the chop for your freezer.
(I should declare an interest, I have Shetlands and am doing the Cheviot cross this year, so will be able to tell you if it works out well).

[Fleecewife]

Well of course I'm going to say Hebrideans      Really the only thing going for the NCCs is that everyone else round about will be keeping them, so you will have plenty of advice and support, plus access to a tup when you need one.
However, Hebs are hardy, good lambers rarely needing any help, they have good black hoof which is better on wet ground than white hoof, can be cross-bred readily if you want meat lambs, or bred pure once you realise you want to help conserve the breed (especially the multihorns  )  Hebs are nicely independant but can be very tame and easy to manage once you befriend them and of course they are just plain beautiful.  Take a peek at our website www.scothebs.co.uk for more info on Hebs.

[Newsheep]

We wanted a few sheep to keep the grass down in the field and I have always wanted my own.  It is all Swaledale and Cheviots around here but I like to be different     So I went for a rare breed  Boreray as I know I am never going to make any money (probably the opposite) but I am increasing the numbers and getting a great deal of pleasure from them plus they look after themselves most of the time and have good sound feet

[princesspiggy]

we use to have hebrideans,they were lovely. now have borerays and they r even better.

[dt400]

Hi
Thanks for all the help and info.
Think we will probably go with Shetlands so we can breed with Cheviots at a later date if we wish to.
Just been to look at electric fencing so we can move them about when we need to, any advice on fencing would be a help.
Also would now be as good a time as any to get the Sheep.
 
Thanks Clive
 
 
 

[Rosemary]

Also would now be as good a time as any to get the Sheep.

This is a very good time to get sheep - most sheep sales are on around now. I don't know if the Shetland Sheep Society has an annual show and sale but there is a rare breed sale at Thainstone on Saturday 1st and I'm sure there will be Shetlands for sale there. Catalogue wasn't up when I looked earlier. Dingwall market also has RB sales periodically.

Breeders are often selling ewe lambs, gimmers and ewes at this time of year plus surplus tups, eoether tup lambs or older. I always think a good starting point is the breed society, which can usually put you in touch with breeders in your area with stock to sell.

If you have a free day on Sunday 30th September, try and come to the Scottish Smallholder and Grower Festival in Forfar. There will be Shetlands (sheep and cattle  ) on show there.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Hi
Thanks for all the help and info.
Think we will probably go with Shetlands so we can breed with Cheviots at a later date if we wish to.
Just been to look at electric fencing so we can move them about when we need to, any advice on fencing would be a help.
Also would now be as good a time as any to get the Sheep.
 
Thanks Clive

Bear in mind that if you later go for breeding, Shetland uncastrated males have horns tho the ewes are polled (no horns), and so uncastrated pure Shetland boys (ram or ram lambs) cant be kept with electric netting under the welfare code.
However, the cross of Shetland ewes with the cheviot ram might produce polled (unhorned) lambs - does anyone know if that is the case, I would suspect so?
 The other option is if the male lambs do have horns, you castrate them (rubber rings) and then their horns dont develop beyond little stubs so they would be fine. I castrate my boy lambs cause I keep them into their second year before they go off for meat (hoggett, between lamb and mutton, beautiful it will wow you) and by that time they are murder on the fence posts.
Pure cheviots are polled (non horned) I think.

[Big Light]

If it purely for grass control then why not get some store lambs for fattening you can gain experience with them or if not store lambs then some primative breed lambs for eating as they take a little longer / if you get a mix of breeds then you can see what you like and what suits the ground. I think the Dingwall rare breed sale is the 3rd Nov but you should be able to get things locally.

[princesspiggy]

 The other option is if the male lambs do have horns, you castrate them (rubber rings) and then their horns dont develop beyond little stubs so they would be fine.

is that just shetlands?? cos the ewes are polled ?? why r shetland ewes polled? just genetics? sorry for adding questions, its just interesting. 


our boreray wether grew long horns but were thinner like a ewes.

[lachlanandmarcus]

The breed originated from Soay types and nordic introductions, all of which would have been primitive and both sexes horned. I should really have said ewes are normally polled and rams normally horned but it isnt outlawed for the opposite to be the case tho a ewe would normally only have little scurr horns not proper ones.
Why is this? Rams use their horns for display/fighting and Shetland people like horned rams. For ewes however, there isnt much advantage to horns as they wouldnt be so fine as the rams ones and they dont need to defend territorially as much, so I expect they were over generations bred out of the ewes ie the natually occurring occasional polled one (which is genetic marker) was favoured for breeding. Maybe not putting energy into growing horns meant she could devote more to her lambs/her own condition. Not sure really, but Im quite grateful for it! Makes fencing easier!
 

[lachlanandmarcus]

BTW if you're not addicted yet, this'll seal the deal 
http://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/colmarks.html

[princesspiggy]

BTW if you're not addicted yet, this'll seal the deal 
http://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/colmarks.html

thats alot to learn.....