[SallyintNorth]

A call to arms!

Top - my characterful (but probably too aggressive with other sheep  ) and very much loved Manxes.
Next - Goldie Horn, a real softee of a Castlemilk Moorit.
3rd - yep, these CMs really are as wild as a bag of cats... 
and finally, what it's all about (well, that and fleece, and lambs... more pics later this year!)

[Richard Underwood]

What have people got aginst Soays? OK, they are nimble when you are trying to catch them but you don't do your back in trying to turn them over. They are pretty hardy, have good feet and rarely suffer from flystrike. Oh, and you don't have to shear them.

The photo shows two of our Soay lambs, Finn and Felmar, from a couple of years ago. Now all grown up and in the freezer.

JayKay, you asked about sending them to the butchers. Most of ours go at 18 months, but a few of the smaller ones stay an extra year; we generally get 8-10kg of meat back. While they may not grow fast the meat is very lean and dark and the flavour is excellent.

[in the hills]

Soay just seem to have a "reputation" don't they? 


Have no experience with any other breed so I suppose I can't compare in a fair way but have to say that ours have been no trouble at all so far.


Those lambs are just sooooo cute though, Richard.    The only trouble I'm going to have is sending mine on their final journey. 


Jon - Our ram has been returned to his brill owner. He was a real star. Really calm and absolutely no aggression at all. Gentle with the ewes and could let my children in with him no problem. Quite chilled and took everything in his stride ...... children, dogs and me nearly landing on him when sliding through our glorious mud.    Was sad to return him .... would have asked if he was for sale if I had more land.

[kumquat]

[size=78%]The photo shows two of our Soay lambs, Finn and Felmar, from a couple of years ago. Now all grown up and in the freezer.[/size]
[size=78%]we generally get 8-10kg of meat back. While they may not grow fast the meat is very lean and dark and the flavour is excellent.[/size]

Hi Richard, love the piccys of the lambs and the quote that there in the freezer now  OH's face was a picture (bless her) she went from "Ahhhhh" to "Oh!!" in about a second.... . Love the taste of soay and plan to keep one or two of our shetlands and do some Shetland x Soay crosses for meat next year.


Don't think its Soay bashing per se....everyone is different and we all have our favourite breeds. Each to their own.

Was sad to return him .... would have asked if he was for sale if I had more land.

High praise indeed, chuffed you were so pleased with him,be interesting to see the mix of lambs he produces.

[kanisha]

just adoralbe photos

[SallyintNorth]

JayKay, you asked about sending them to the butchers. Most of ours go at 18 months, but a few of the smaller ones stay an extra year; we generally get 8-10kg of meat back. While they may not grow fast the meat is very lean and dark and the flavour is excellent.

8-10kg/Soay sheep is pretty good, I'd say.    I got back 55kgs labelled and packed meat from 4 full grown (29 month old) Castlemilk Moorit wethers.  They were 33-36kgs liveweight.  As you say about Soays, CM meat is lean, dark and full of flavour - somewhere in the triangle between mutton, venison and game.

My only problem with Soays would be that they self-roo - and I spin!    

[thenovice]

Sorry, are these sheep or goats? 

[SallyintNorth]

Sorry, are these sheep or goats? 

My Dad calls them 'geeps' = goaty sheep!   

[colliewoman]

plan to keep one or two of our shetlands and do some Shetland x Soay crosses for meat next year.

Nope, I'm stealing all of them remember?