[Azzdodd]

Currently looking to start a small purebred flock off sheep I've been offered a few for sale I've had crosses off them before which were good mums and lambed well....anyone with pure zwarbles give me a few pro's and con's of the breed also what should I be looking to pay for pure bred but no registered ewes? With lambs

[smee2012]

Zwartbles are the only breed I've ever had - just getting our first lambs born at the moment. I love them  They are nice and big and docile, don't have woolly faces (something I don't like in sheep) or legs and are unusual to look at. Mine four ewes are incredibly tame and follow me around the field like dogs, or down the track to the garden. They love to have a head rub and, so far, seem to be good mothers. They are also very tasty  - we've had store lambs for the last two years and people we've sold the excess too have come back for more, as it's nice and lean and sweet meat.

I can't remember how much we paid for ours. We bought a set of triplets and a half-sister singleton off the same breeder (Blacksheep, who is on this forum) and I know we paid a little more for one of the triplets, as she was very well marked, a little less for the other two trips and even less for the last, as she's badly marked but came from good parents so hopefully will throw some well-marked lambs (she was due today but still no sign so far!).

[Azzdodd]

Thank you my crosses were amazing I like the zwarble for same reason nice and tall and docile

[mowhaugh]

I kept Zwartbles for a couple of years, the only reason I no longer have them is because they couldn't cope with our farm (we run from 700ft to 1400ft and it is all very steep) without a huge amount of feeding, which made them a financial nightmare.  That was the only problem at all, they are fantastic sheep.  I have shome Zwartbles x Cheviots lambing for the first time this year, and they are great too.

[Blacksheep]

I would have thought price for unregistered non MV stock should be similar to commercial sheep prices, maybe a premium for any very nicely marked sheep.   
We farm at 1100ft and do find variation within the breed with regard to feeding, the big framey dutch types can need a fair bit of feed, but then they are producing big lambs so it would be expected.  Also lambing early they will need more feed. I spoke to a farmer/ butcher in Cornwall who keeps a flock of 200 ewes who raises them and finishes the lamb on grass alone. It is his preferred breed to supply restaurants with quality lamb meat and to be able to offer the larger joints that they prefer.
As already said the majority have friendly temperaments and will tame easily, think this may be because they were bred to use in small dual dairy and meat flocks, and would need to have been docile for milking. They seem to like being around people, very different to the Shropshire sheep we now also keep which are supposed to be known as a docile breed.

[john and helen]

i am also looking at zwartbles, they seem to be ticking all the boxes, also looking at poll dorsets, to run along side with them

[Azzdodd]

I'm going up on sat too see them prices seem about right them same as commercial for young ewes and lambs

[Me]

Easy to spot in both snow and mud

[Womble]

I really like the look of Zwartbles, but the ones I've seen have always been huge, which has put me off a bit.  Perhaps we'll get some once we have a bit more experience of handling smaller breeds!

[Blinkers]

Get them  .  They are big, docile, easy to manage, lamb without any problems, love their lambs, and will love you too.    I'm only 5'2" and 8stone and I thought I'd struggle with turning them, BUT, halter on, give it a tug and they fall over LOL    piece of cake  .   Crosses are equally as brilliant too.

[moony]

I have always loved Zwartbles although sadly they just don't manage on our land without huge amounts of feed which makes them a non-viable option for us. Very easy to handle, lamb, and very milky in our experience. Only other downside we had with them is that racial equality hasn't reached the lamb market, well not in our area at least so their lambs got a consistently lower price at market as they were black. Only a few pounds off each lamb but it does add up.