[jim23]

Hi all. I'm looking to get 2 sheep for grass mowing - 2 acres around the house - one of grass, one of woodland with a few steep drops. Wanting low maintenance, self sufficient + hardy - we don't care about meat/wool/breeding. Not fussed about pedigree

First time with sheep but comfortable with animals (I'm a small animal vet - done stuff with sheep at university but it has been a while)

Currently - I'm looking at Soay - or maybe a Wiltshire Horn or some sort of mountain sheep

Any thoughts / suggestions on breed or how I should proceed? Was contemplating trying to borrow some from local farmer initially - but doubt I would be able to get the right kind of breed. Seen a few on preloved but seem quite expensive for what we need!

[Bionic]

I am not an expert on breeds but you will need more than 2 sheep to keep 2 acres down in the summer. We have the same amount of land and when the grass is growing our 6 Ryelands can't keep up with it.


On the other hand they do need hay this time of the year as there isn't much grass and not much nutrition in it anyway.

[Marches Farmer]

I agree - 2 sheep won't keep the grass down in Summer and it'll just grow long and unpalatable and you'll need to buy in hay in the Winter anyway.  Any breed other than self-shedding will need shearing in early Summer on welfare grounds.

[SallyintNorth]

I’m guessing the reason you’re looking at Soay and Wiltshire Horn is that they shed so won’t need shearing.

Soays are tiny so you’d probably need 8-10 of those.  Very beautiful though - and should be cheaper to pick up.  If you get wethers they should stay put. I wouldn’t risk females or entire males; they’ll be up and away at tupping time! 

[SallyintNorth]

Where in the country are you?  So we can suggest sales etc.

Also of course you could post a ‘wanted - wether lawnmowers’ ad on the society website  https://www.soayandboreraysheepsociety.org

[jim23]

Thanks everyone!

Yes - wanting to avoid shearing hence those breeds

Its only 1 acre of grass (the other is woodland) so that will hopefully help and I'm ok mowing the lawn a bit if needed. I'm hoping that they would be ok in winter on grass mostly as well if we only have the two?

How much is normal for wether Soay?

I'm near bristol.

[SallyintNorth]

I don't know about prices - or availability - in the south of England, but in southern Scotland, Soay and Castlemilk Moorit wether lambs fetched less than £20 at Lanark sales.  You'll pay a bit more going to a breeder, I would think.  I once paid £50/head for Castlemilk wether hoggs (eighteen months old); that was pricey, and they'd be cheaper as lambs of course.

I don't know if there are likely to be any coming through the ring at sales in the SW.  Sedgmoor do rare breed sales, but wethers might be sold in the regular store sales.

I would suggest you think of getting more than two, of any breed.  Sheep are flock animals, and really do need company of their own kind.  It is said that less than four sheep isn't really a flock, but in any case we always say get at least three, then if something happens to one, the other still has a pal.

You might find you need a bit of hay for them after Christmas when there's no goodness in the grass, but three or four Soay would need very little, easy enough to buy by the small bale locally from another sheep keeper or a horse owner.  A small bale would last four Soay ten days or more, I would think.  (Or you could get yourself a scythe and a rake and make a bit of loose hay in the summer when you've got too much!)

You would still need to be prepared to check them every day, protect them against fly strike during the warmer months, or be certain you would spot it and react quickly should they get it, keep an eye on condition and worm or fluke as needed (and or get faeces tested to check for worms or fluke, and treat accordingly.).  If you know other sheep keepers locally you could probably ask one of them to give yours a once-over every month or so, in addition to your daily checks, just so that someone experienced would notice any issues.

Other than that, they'll need good fencing and clean fresh water.

[roddycm]

If I were you I would get 3 or maybe 4 (depending on how much grass in the woodland) Shetlands. They are easy to tame and less flighty than soays. Lots around and they come in a variety of colours! Lovely hardy little sheep!

Good luck!

[SallyintNorth]

If I were you I would get 3 or maybe 4 (depending on how much grass in the woodland) Shetlands. They are easy to tame and less flighty than soays. Lots around and they come in a variety of colours! Lovely hardy little sheep!

Good luck!

Yes. they're lovely sheep but they don't self-shear, which is the prime requirement

[Fleecewife]

Sallyintnorth said:

<<< You would still need to be prepared to check them every day, protect them against fly strike during the warmer months, or be certain you would spot it and react quickly should they get it, keep an eye on condition and worm or fluke as needed (and or get faeces tested to check for worms or fluke, and treat accordingly.).  If you know other sheep keepers locally you could probably ask one of them to give yours a once-over every month or so, in addition to your daily checks, just so that someone experienced would notice any issues.>>>

I agree wholeheartedly with that.  Low maintenance really does not mean no maintenance, whatever breed you choose.  Primitive breeds are just as likely to get fly strike as any other breed for example.  If you never handle a breed such as Soay, you will never be able to bring them in for dosing, feet, spraying etc.  They can be totally wild or even feral, or they can be friendly if handled.  I really don't think you can, or should, get away with no interaction with your animals.  Even a lawnmower needs servicing to keep it working.

Soay and Shetlands both eat trees, so are probably unsuitable for an orchard - apple trees are a particular delicacy.

You can often pick up crossbred sheep at the end of rare breed sales, which have the hardy/independent/etc qualities you need for less money.

[kanisha]

The problem is whatever the breed there will be maintenance. Sheep are not the easy version of a lawnmower but an  alternative. If you aren't willing to invest in their care then get a lawnmower.  Soay are great but handling may be an issue. Alternatively small easily handlable sheep may need shearing, is that really a big deal? and as others have said you may well need more than two .

[pharnorth]

Given Jim is a vet I am sure he understands that all animals require maintenance and it is a question of how much. Shearing small flocks is probably the main issue as it is hard and expensive to get shearers for a couple of sheep. But it is learnable and only a once a year job. With such a small flock they may be easier to tame, but the Soay and other primatives prefer to scatter than to follow. I've got Ryelands which are an easy to handle small breed but they do need the clippers once a year.

[kanisha]

Unfortunately too many people read lawnmower and sheep as interchangeable. Stick it in the shed / at the bottom of a paddock and it looks after itself. I'm quite sure the majority of animal care professionals are aware of an animals basic needs . A once yearly health check for the basics is not a bad thing and if it coincides with shearing so much the better. I am not one who subscribes to the "sheep take it in turns to read the vet book and find something to die from." But I do subscribe to the keeping a close eye on your pets keeps them healthy... Maybe thats why vets are fond of the annual vet visit.

[in the hills]

We keep 7 Soay on 2 acres of rough hill pasture. 5 are ewes and 2 wethers. They've never attempted to escape during tupping season. No tups in the adjacent fields though.


In the Summer they struggle to keep the grass down. They do need hay ad lib during the late autumn through to spring months.


Bucket trained but still need outwitting on occasion to get them in!


To be fair they are what I would term as quite low maintenance. Never had one limp for more than a couple of days and seem to go right on their own.


They are, however, treated with Heptavac and preventatively for flystrike. Worm count carried out and treated for fluke.


We've had them for about 8 years now and no case of strike so far.


They don't all drop their fleece!!!!!!! Or do so very slowly and ineffectively. We tend to hand roo or trim off with dressmaking scissors (thanks Fleece wife) at about the same time that the farmers round about are shearing. Some would otherwise go into fly season with pretty much a full coat on and I've seen Soay wearing 2 or 3 years fleece.


We enjoy keeping them and some are pretty tame.

[Terry T]

How exciting.
We are in Norfolk and have 3 Hebridean wethers on about an acre. They are lovely, save loads of work mowing and being a small primitive breed don’t poach the land
We don’t put them in the orchard or woodland as they love to browse but they do eat lots of the ivy we oull down over winter.
We find 3 about right for keeping the grass down over summer and feed hay over winter. While they obviousky require some work - it’s much nicer work than mowing.
I’d go for a breed that is easy to come by locally - much easier.