[WarescotFarm]

HI All,

We are looking into buying 2 cade hair (not wool) lambs to have a little go at raising sheep, if all goes well we will do on a larger scale next year.

ANY advice GREATLY appreciated about any aspect, I am busy researching now but have found mixed views on the following

- fencing (don't want electric or barbed wire as have kids)
- how long before they are large enough to not be attacked by foxes etc... (eg when they can live out in the field rather than locked in barn)
- I have read they need sheep dipping 3 times a year?

The aim is to raise them for meat. I have been told by 1 farmer this takes 4 months and another it takes a year.

I am googling like crazy but have always got great advice on this forum so dropping in to see if anyone online with handy hints and tips

Thanks! 

[ScotsGirl]

Stock fencing is best but electric might suit depending on size of area. Kids will soon learn!! It only stings a bit and kids are quite good at testing whether battery still good!


You would be looking at rearing til around 6 months depending on breed and how much feed you give them. Stop the milk too soon and they won't fatten up. Mine live in garden / dog cage or kennel for a month or so then into field with others.


Dipping isn't done any more but you will need to spray for fly strike, worm, maybe Heptavac but not necessary if going for meat . 

[WarescotFarm]

Same I was going to keep them in our garden until they were big enough for the field, do they need a full lock up barn or can it be open into their pen
Do foxes go for them?

[Ina]

Hair lambs? What breed are you looking at?

[WarescotFarm]

not sure yet... suggestions appreciated! 

[Pedwardine]

What's a hair lamb?

[Marches Farmer]

Buy Tim Tyne's book first!

[twizzel]

Stock fencing is best but once out in the fields our lambs last year were ok with cornish hedges and 2 strands of barbed wire and plenty of grass! Feeding we tend to feed 1.5litres/day until 4 weeks old then reduce to 1 litre/day 4-6 weeks old then wean at 6wks. I'm just about to wean a couple of ours which turn 6wks this week, they are devouring creep and just about to go out into a pen in the garden until there's enough grass in the fields. 
We got our lambs last year end of March and slaughtered beginning of Oct and the meat was spot on.

[sabrina]

Any lambs we  have go into one of the stables in the barn at night and out during the day until they are a decent size. We have foxes and badgers so I always worry about lambs being taken. I have stock fencing with electric on top. Not just for the lambs but to keep the ponies off the fence. Last year I bought my lambs on the 23rd of March and they went the first week in September. They were Texal cross Scottish mule so quite big.

[Oly]

I know foxes that have chewed off live calfs feet in the pen so I don't think size is always the issue...

If your worried about foxes numbers post on some of the big shooting forums (pigeonwatch is one of the biggest - but biggest also means watch out for inexperienced.  ukvarminting isn't so big but they generally know they stuff much more) and you may find people baying at your door to keep you clear of foxes! I would always just recommend interviewing before (the shooter and their lamp man if they use two people), getting references if you can, show them round the land and ask about safe shots (always with backstop, away from roads, footpaths etc), ask how often they will be there, ask what equipment they'll be using (minimum - rifle calibre of .222 or larger unless specific situations determine otherwise), ask to be texted prior to coming on your land and whether they'll be using a vehicle (if you don't mind).  They are likely ask for signed permission though, don't be put off by this, it's often a legal requirement by the local police.

Remember though, fox management, not fox inhilalation is what you want!!  A healthy fox generally stays away from humans and their animals.  If the shooter has a trail camera ask to see if they can use it on your land to assess numbers.

[SteveHants]

Hair sheep, broadly speaking are woolshedders (there is a mild technical difference to do with follicles per mm, but I don't think it matters in this discussion).


So, in the UK your options are: Wiltshire Horn, Easycare, Dorper or some weird composite woolshedder (bred by the likes of me).


If you can find them (I know that there are small flocks in the UK) you could also have: Khatadin, Barbados Black Belly.

[Ina]

I could imagine it might be quite difficult to find cade lambs of these breeds - they are not breeds generally kept my commercial producers who want to get rid of extra lambs. (Btw, I'd never heard of that term for wool shedders before - to me hair sheep are breeds common in some hotter climates like in Africa, and they really don't produce wool.)

[SteveHants]

It should be relatively easy - I have them, I know large flocks of woolshedders in Wilts and Devon (composites), Wilts Horns are very popular and there are quite a few big flocks of them knocking about. If you wanted Dorpers, that might be an ask.

[Ina]

Probably different "down south"... 

[SteveHants]

Nah they are all over now - in famously (or not) you have the creator of the 'chevease' in Scotland - runs 3000 shedding ewes bred out of a NCC and an easycare on some of the hardest hill in scotland and they work just fine. There are also a number of experiments breeding wool off shetlands going on up there...