[mab]

OK, I know this has been gone over before (been checking past posts),but as it looks like I may have to go & buy some stock sooner than planned (Assuming something quick and local doesn't turn up), I have to decide which breeds would suit my needs.

looking at the bewildering choice on the NSA website, I'm thinking if I put down what I'm looking for and maybe get some suggestions of breeds I can look out for (or which to avoid) - if nothing else, putting it down here will help me get it clearer in my own mind.


My thoughts are:-

fairly easy to care for & not prone to health issues.

I'm about 6-700ft up but on steepish land, most of which is fairly rough, and fairly sheltered from winds (in the valley & lots of trees & scrub) but gets a lot of sun (south facing).

I'm working on improving & repairing fences but a breed that isn't prone to escape might be prudent.

I'm planning on stocking lightly with the intention of not relying on vast amounts of supplementary feed in the winter.

I'm not adverse to rare breeds but don't want to go a long way/ pay through the nose for an obscure breed.

it would be nice to produce meat for which there's a good market, but profit is not the priority.

I do already have 1 shetland and know and like that breed.


I don't know if I'll end up keeping my own ram, but as wondering if there are any ram-breed issues to be aware of just in case.

I must admit I've never been to a mart so I don't know what I'll find there.

[smudger]

Not sure I would buy at mart but worth going along to see what the local market likes. best thing is decide what you want from your sheep - pretty things to eat the grass, wool, commercial meat or tasty meat.  How many - a few you can eat yourselves or sell to f&f or sell at auction commercially.


You mentioned sheep that don't escape and shetlands in the same paragraph    You sure you have a shetland?


If you don't want to buy a ram, buy from a local breeder who would either lend you a ram or take your ewes back for tupping. Can also give support to a newbie.

[langfauld easycare]

you answered your own question with your first thought , "easy to care for" . www.easycaresheep.com
   decent commercial sheep that will do both jobs . lambs for meat or ewe replacements . no trouble with flystrike or needing clipped .any excess lambs can be sold through the normal channels . often struggle to get anything for rare breeds on open market. i like the rare breeds but they are rare for a reason 

 

[mab]

You mentioned sheep that don't escape and shetlands in the same paragraph    You sure you have a shetland?

well, that's the principal argument against more shetlands, although, as long as they're happy they don't try very hard to escape.


not too worried about pretty, and with a small no. of shetlands I found the wool more faff than it's worth.


My first thought is that I don't really have enough friends & family near enough to go that route so that would suggest I should go for commercial - except I get the general impression that the commercial breeds are higher maintenance/ prone to health & quality of grazing issues.


maybe I should go for the 'tasty' and look for private markets for it (or make more friends), as I'm starting small and building up the flock as I clear/fence the land.


currently looking on preloved, but some of the nearby sheep are crosses which just adds to the confusion.


LFE but do they answer all the questions - like being easy to get?

[mab]

as a separate (but related) question:- when I moved here I arranged a new CPH no. so I could move the sheep from my old place in England. I've just been checking my paperwork and notice that I don't have a new flock no. (neighbour thinks my old one moves with me but, this being Sunday, There's no-one to answer the question at the Welsh govt.).


does my flock no. move with me?

[langfauld easycare]

LFE but do they answer all the questions - like being easy to get?



go on the website and click on stock for sale .they are native to wales

[mowhaugh]

Yes, you'll keep the same flock number.

[mab]

thanks MH - I was worried if I did find some animals I'd have to wait for a new no. to be sorted.


LFE, there's one in aberystwyth, POA, though I'm still reading up on the breed - don't like to take the ECSS word alone - all societies think their breed is the best.

[Fleecewife]

Have you thought about Hebrideans?  OK I keep them so I'm sure to be biased, but they do seem to say yes to all your points.  They are certainly hardy and healthy, easy lambers and plenty of milk, with good feet (especially on rocky and/or dry ground) the meat is well known as a gourmet product so to some extent the markets are already there.  Hebs are plentiful, with pedigree breeders in Wales and there are bound to be unregistered flocks if you don't want to go the reg route.  They have a very weatherproof fleece, but do need to be shorn. They thrive on varied pasture, but benefit from hay when the snow lies and a small amount of hard feed the 6 weeks before lambing, but the meat is far better from grassfed lambs.  One slight downside is that the carcases are best cropped at 16 months, so you need to overwinter them.
If you want to know about local breeders (reg) pm me your area and I'll look some up for you.

[Marches Farmer]

i like the rare breeds but they are rare for a reason

Actually they're mostly rare because of fashion, which until recently among the commercial boys was for a Continental sire that produced a big carcase and early finishing lamb.  After last Winter, though, local demand for the Charolais has plummeted - lambs too thin-skinned to cope with wet and cold weather.  Similarly the Texel has a reputation for needing a high number of assisted births due to the lamb's short neck and big shoulders and the tilt of the ewe's pelvis.  Early finishing generally goes with lots of creep - not at today's prices!  Rare breeds were generally selectively bred over centuries to thrive in their locality, adapted not only to the weather and available grazing but the mineral content of the soil. 

[langfauld easycare]

marches . not in my experience ,we started out with rare breeds but couldnt get them to pay. it costs the same to kill and butcher a 25kg rare breed lamb as a 45kg "fashionable" lamb . the heavyer rare breeds mostly run too fat( not wanted by butcher or consumer) .       if there was a good return from them the fields would be full of them .
there is a job for any sheep on different farms/regions /types of ground

we have some pedigree charollais and agree they are a bit soft if the weather is bad but they have there good points .easy lambing and real sweet lamb
my easycares fatten of grass but these aint everyones cup of t either . if times are hard or i run out of grass etc i can run a trailer load to the mart and get a decent return. the times when i did that with the rare breeds came home near in tears

[mab]

I must admit the easycare do seem to have a lot to recommend them (though I don't know how much I'd have to pay for them yet). They are big to handle, but on the other hand, I won't have to shear them (which I found backbreaking even with little shetlands).


If they are bred from wiltshire/welsh mountain on anglesea, I guess they should be suited to wales OK (albeit south wales), although the 'reviews' i've seen are from big farmers probably with relatively well maintained grass. I'm wondering if they'll be selectively grazing the grass more than something like the shetlands (which I'm thinking have a broader, goatlike browse?)?

[in the hills]

Soay?


We are in Powys, at about 800ft.


Our little flock have so far    been trouble free. We do vaccinate and treat preventatively for fly strike etc. but as first time sheep keepers have found them relatively easy to care for. No shearing, no help needed with lambing or mothering and no foot problems .... though of course we keep a careful eye on all these.


Our fencing is good but they have made no real attempts to escape and trained easily to the bucket.


They seem to do well on our grazing .... which is probably not the best and love "browsing" hedges.


Not ready to go until about 18 months .... so not a commercial option .... depends how important that side is.

[smudger]

If in wales, highly recommend you look at the Lleyns - I have them and shetlands (by the way my shetlands have plenty of grass have never left my holding but think its their god-given right to walk up and down and along my devon banks ad pretty much go where they please).


lleys are highly maternal, easy lambing, fairly commercial both for selling livestock and for meat trade. Wool is good as well. Pretty heads and not too fiesty.

[mab]

I've just been reading up on hebs, soays, borays(sp?) and comparing to the shetlands I know. The minimal shearing does appeal, and so does their 'conservation grazing'. And there are some soay for sale nearby    .


Still can't make up my mind - I keep switching between practical (easycare) and the rough grazing, nice meat 'primitives'


At this rate I'll end up with two flocks, but that just makes more work.


In the short term I may end up getting a couple of whichever I can find quickly for Elfie.


Lleyns: OK I'll have a read up on them...