[Blacksheep]

Does anyone keep Shropshire sheep?  We are looking into keeping a small flock of native sheep, however finding the fact that we have our Zwartbles MV accredited very limiting, as although we could get a new flock of sheep accredited we would then have difficulty with bringing in new blood later on so that seems to be limiting us to very few breeds.  Hence now looking into Shropshire sheep as this breed seems to have a few flocks that are MV accredited. Also we are in Shropshire too, but on a small farm in the uplands.

If anyone is familiar with the breed we would appreciate any information about them, ease of lambing, maternal qualities, livelyness of lambs,  how they would do on an upland farm etc.
Will also contact the breed society, but tend to find that every breed is the best when you speak to breed society stands at the agricultural shows!

[YorkshireLass]

I had a pair of middle aged Shropshire ladies (see avatar) - only sold because I moved house.
They were very easy, one had twins and one triplets with no bother, they were just waiting for me one morning. All lambs grew well.
They (the ewes) were a bugger to try and turn over - like trying to wrestle a cloud. They were partially trained to have their feet looked at like you would a horse. No major problems with feet.
They needed a bit more TLC than the Hebrideans I'm more used to - needed more hay over winter, and needed a bit of dagging. And an odd trim of wool from around the eyes. The lambs weren't quite as precocious as the Hebs (in other words - I could poke, prod and generally harrass them, as opposed to chase them with a crook in the vain hope of tagging...)


Last show/sale I went to there were far more MV acreddited flocks than non-accredited, and they were also working on EBVs (estimated breed values) and other statistical thingummies. There is an export market for them too, particularly to plantations of e.g. christmas trees.


Hope that helps a bit!


Oh - they're supposed to come out black, it had me worried for a bit!

[Rosemary]

One of our presenters at the Scottish Smallholder and Grower Festival keeps them - they mow the grass under the trees on the local golf course because they don't bark the trees, so are safe to use in orchards etc. They DO eat tree foliage though so the trees have to be managed to keep any foliage above sheep height.

[smee2012]

They (the ewes) were a bugger to try and turn over - like trying to wrestle a cloud.

  I love that mental image 

[Blacksheep]

Thanks for the info Yorkshire Lass, and the pic - I also didn't realise about the lambs being born black!
Good job they didn't suffer much in the way of foot problems if they don't like being turned! I would leave the cloud wrestling to my OH!

They sound like a possible option, if good if progeny have a good market and a place commercially too. Will investigate further..

Other possible option is Clun Forest as apparently they have MV accredited flocks, however have been put off by being advised by local farmers that they can be difficult to lamb, although we do live in the Clun Forest!
Particularly like the Kerry Hill sheep, which is also very local to our area, but have been advised that they are against MV accreditation and so they are probably not going to be an option for us unfortunately.

[YorkshireLass]

They (the ewes) were a bugger to try and turn over - like trying to wrestle a cloud.

  I love that mental image 

I'm 5 foot-and-a-bit and the technique I knew at the time involved reaching around to the furthest rear leg....
Still the sense of achivement was worth it, only to be quashed when the feet didn't need anything doing so the whole exercise was pointless 


Actually I miss them 


Last I heard they were running with Hebrideans on fairly rough pasture (conservation grazing) and were fine with it.

[horlicks]

Hi Blacksheep,
I have a dozen shropshires which i run along with romneys, horned xbreeds and a couple of zwartbles. (40 in total all put to a shropshire tip ) Have had them 3 years now and lambed them first as lambs themselves, can't fault them as mothers and lambs have been pretty lively , although feel a bit sorry for lambs today in blizzard conditions. Lambed at about 140% during february and dont think it likely to get very high lambing %.
 All the sheep got same feeding and hay running up to lambing and the shrops held condition at least as well as the rest, I like them so much I'm going to go all Shropshires although I will keep the 2 zwartbles. They are sheep so must have a downside which no doubt after singing there praises will reveal itself.
Will await cheque in post from from Shropshire sheep society.

[Blacksheep]

Thanks Horlicks for your reply too.  You obviously like the breed! 
140% seems low compared to our Zwartbles but could actually come in handy having some single bearing ewes to foster spare Z triplets onto!
Presumably the low lambing % must have an effect on the performance indexes of the breed compared to others though? Not too worried although would be good if there was a reasonable market for the rams.

[YorkshireLass]

From my perspective as an impoverished peasant, there is some money floating around. On the website (not sure if public or members only?) is a list of recommended prices for all sheep i.e. ewes, ewe lambs, rams, ram lambs, etc etc. So if you have the capital to put into some good sheep, you should get a decent amount back.
News here http://www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk/societynews.html

[horlicks]

Think there would be plenty of shrops available for less than the societies recommended prices, although these are set for their own shows and sales and probably for the best stock. Hopefully I can get the Lambing % up a bit through time although  not sure what the average is for the breed.