[SallyintNorth]

I know we all have our favourites and always sing their praises very loyally, but I need some truthful input here.

Several members of the community here are finding our Shetland x hogget meat too rich for their systems, so I am having to consider changing my breeding practises.  But I do not want to give up on what the Shetland x ewes to a Shetland tup gives me, being hardy sheep, generally good feet, generally fairly resistant to fly strike, and, most importantly, utterly hands-free lambing and (almost) hands-off mothering.

I have literally never had to put my hands inside a Shetland ewe who's been put to a Shetland tup, and the single occasion on which I had to assist a lambing of a Shetland x ewe to a Shetland tup, was an out of season (August lambing) fat, aged maiden (not supposed to breed, but our Nigel Ever Ready Golden Balls and his work ethic...  ), and she had the first lamb coming breech. 

So I don't want to lose out on that, because I am getting on and we don't have anyone else experienced enough or with enough time and able to make the commitment to take over if our lambing becomes more hands-on.

My thought so far...

Could go Mule with maybe a Dorset tuo, but Mules have too many triplets

[SallyintNorth]

Posted in error, this thread https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/sheep/hands-free-outdoors-lambing-mothering-hardy-fast-maturing-off-grass-breeds/msg777706/#msg777706 is the right one.

Locking this thread now.