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Hi All,
We have decided after much deliberation that we are going to get some sheep. Have never had any or even come into contact with sheep before (other than what is in the freezer, its actually my favourite meat). We think it will probably be Shropshires and we only want about 6 to start. I think it a good idea to get some that are already pregnant. They will mostly have to live out, but we are going to move the polytunnel and use that as housing over the winter months and also to give birth in when the time comes.
I have purchased a book "starting with sheep" but would be very grateful for any advice that anyone can give regarding looking after/rearing sheep. I am open to any suggestions or experience you have had regarding fencing, medicine, feeding etc in fact I am open to any suggestions regarding anything (knowledge is power !!)
What breeds of sheep are easy to look after and which give birth easily (sorry not up to speed with the correct speak) and which would do best on our land. We live in Cheshire so are in a lowland area.
All replies gratefully received.
Many Thanks
KChally
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Sheep
Started By
KChally
, 11 Sep 2011 15:56
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#2
Posted 11 September 2011 - 16:29
Cornish Gems
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- Book Owners
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- 1,597 posts
Lord and Lady of the Manor
- LocationCornwall (formerly Devon)
Join the club we have been thinking along the same line. We did not originally want sheep as they take looking after compared to pigs you have to keep their rearends clean, drench them etc. We have been looking at Easycare Sheep, you can check out their website Easy Care Sheep. You will also find that Lleyn breed are relatively easycare and a small sheep breed are Wiltshire Horned which is one of the base breeds for the Easycare sheep.
We are also of a mind to use part of the polytunnel for wintering and lambing.
CG
We are also of a mind to use part of the polytunnel for wintering and lambing.
CG
#3
Posted 11 September 2011 - 17:44
KChally
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- Book Owners
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- 371 posts
Farmer Giles
I think we may want to stick to a pedigree. This easycare sheep sounds too good to be true and if it sheds its wool it will be all over the field (oh what a mess lol).
Hubby has just spoken to a friend of his and they have hundreds of texels, charolais and mules? He said stick to sheep with dark or speckled faces as they are much easier to deal with apparently. The book I bought recommends if you are a first timer buy a sheep maybe 4 or 5 years old that is already in tup (hey I am learning the lingo) that has some experience, but this friend has said be careful as the only ones that are for sale may have something wrong with it ie foot/mouth problems. He recommends buying a shearling which is about 18 months old (god Im really good now) and expect to pay around £130 - £150 for each one.
Am looking for something traditional that will be good for meat. I am still swaying towards the Shropshire, if I can find any.
KC
Hubby has just spoken to a friend of his and they have hundreds of texels, charolais and mules? He said stick to sheep with dark or speckled faces as they are much easier to deal with apparently. The book I bought recommends if you are a first timer buy a sheep maybe 4 or 5 years old that is already in tup (hey I am learning the lingo) that has some experience, but this friend has said be careful as the only ones that are for sale may have something wrong with it ie foot/mouth problems. He recommends buying a shearling which is about 18 months old (god Im really good now) and expect to pay around £130 - £150 for each one.
Am looking for something traditional that will be good for meat. I am still swaying towards the Shropshire, if I can find any.
KC
#4
Posted 11 September 2011 - 19:16
Groundhog
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- Book Owners
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- 1,081 posts
Member
Whats your end market going to be ? Wiltshires and old breeds dont have a great comercial value when you sell the lambs for meat.Texel Charolais mules ideal meat lambs but hows your fencing? As a first time buyer I wouldnt advocate buying old sheep.Unless you are buying good pedigree animals with good bloodlines that will go to start your flock.In lamb shearlings are a good bet see if you can buy scanned ones.Dont buy at market source a breeder of the type you like and go and visit see all the sheep and the set up especially if you are buying Pedigree you will also be able to pick individual animals from a group that you like .Once again whats your end market meat lambs or to produce pedigree breeding stock to sell at a premium.If its Pedigree and you have a budget buy fewer but quaility animals to start with buy from a good breeder with a track record and results,this will only help you when you come to sell your own progeny as you can use his core bloodstock as a reference to portential purchasers,of your own.I think we may want to stick to a pedigree. This easycare sheep sounds too good to be true and if it sheds its wool it will be all over the field (oh what a mess lol).
Hubby has just spoken to a friend of his and they have hundreds of texels, charolais and mules? He said stick to sheep with dark or speckled faces as they are much easier to deal with apparently. The book I bought recommends if you are a first timer buy a sheep maybe 4 or 5 years old that is already in tup (hey I am learning the lingo) that has some experience, but this friend has said be careful as the only ones that are for sale may have something wrong with it ie foot/mouth problems. He recommends buying a shearling which is about 18 months old (god Im really good now) and expect to pay around £130 - £150 for each one.
Am looking for something traditional that will be good for meat. I am still swaying towards the Shropshire, if I can find any.
KC
What is the demand in your area for replacemnts and what breed fetches the best price,ask your local auctioneer what will always sell.Having said that if you have good animals you will sell them nationwide and even export
l
#5
Posted 03 February 2012 - 12:49
helend
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- Book Owners
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- 94 posts
Turkey
- LocationBrecon Beacons
I read a post by Shepie about the different breeds of sheep they keep and wondered about choosing compatible breeds for the ram in a mixed flock of ewes.
I currently have 5 Shetland ewes, chosen for their excellent fleece and good meat, they aren't in lamb, I missed the boat in autumn, so I am looking for in-lamb ewes to buy this spring, ready for my new farm! I want to end up with about 20-25 ewes as my core breeding flock and so one ram will be sufficient to cover them all.
I have a "short list" of about 20 breeds I like but will narrow it down further. I'm going towards the Welsh Mountains, Jacobs, or rare/primitive breeds - small sheep I can handle myself.
But I don't want to have to find and pay for 5 different breeds of ram to produce pure bred lambs, so what one ram is suitable to cross with these types of ewes? Obviously I won't go for a large commercial breed who will make the lambs to big to birth easily but I would prefer breeds that produce twins rather then single lambs.
I was offered a Shetland ram to hire for just £50 last autumn, would he be ok with other mountain breeds etc? Obviously the resulting fleece on the lambs won't be an issue as they won't be shorn, although I do want nice soft skins to sell.
Any ideas?
I currently have 5 Shetland ewes, chosen for their excellent fleece and good meat, they aren't in lamb, I missed the boat in autumn, so I am looking for in-lamb ewes to buy this spring, ready for my new farm! I want to end up with about 20-25 ewes as my core breeding flock and so one ram will be sufficient to cover them all.
I have a "short list" of about 20 breeds I like but will narrow it down further. I'm going towards the Welsh Mountains, Jacobs, or rare/primitive breeds - small sheep I can handle myself.
But I don't want to have to find and pay for 5 different breeds of ram to produce pure bred lambs, so what one ram is suitable to cross with these types of ewes? Obviously I won't go for a large commercial breed who will make the lambs to big to birth easily but I would prefer breeds that produce twins rather then single lambs.
I was offered a Shetland ram to hire for just £50 last autumn, would he be ok with other mountain breeds etc? Obviously the resulting fleece on the lambs won't be an issue as they won't be shorn, although I do want nice soft skins to sell.
Any ideas?
#6
Posted 16 March 2012 - 09:11
Andrewaz
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- Members
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- 18 posts
Chick
We have 24 pedigree Dorset Horn ewes & 2 pedigree DH rams.
The brilliant thing about this breed is that they can lamb at anytime of the year & ewes will lamb every eight months...so we split the flock in 2 (ie 12 ewes, lambing every 8 months, 3 times in 2 years). Produce around 60 lambs p.a.
So lambing happens in Feb, June & October. This suits our levels of labour, our pasture acreage (approx 10 acres for the sheep) and our market. It also goes a long way to justifying functional need.
Having said all that it has not been easy with the sheep. CG is right.....compared to pigs they are prone to many more diseases and need high maintenance (shearing, spraying for fly strike, hooves trimming, drenching, immunising, feeding in winter, and the big stress of lambing).
Re:rams....don't choose one that might sire large lambs on a small ewe.
Also if you only keep one ram and he gets sick or decides not to work (which they sometimes do if not in competition with other rams) you loose your window of opportunity. You also cannot keep any of your ewe lambs for further breeding.
best wishes, Angela
The brilliant thing about this breed is that they can lamb at anytime of the year & ewes will lamb every eight months...so we split the flock in 2 (ie 12 ewes, lambing every 8 months, 3 times in 2 years). Produce around 60 lambs p.a.
So lambing happens in Feb, June & October. This suits our levels of labour, our pasture acreage (approx 10 acres for the sheep) and our market. It also goes a long way to justifying functional need.
Having said all that it has not been easy with the sheep. CG is right.....compared to pigs they are prone to many more diseases and need high maintenance (shearing, spraying for fly strike, hooves trimming, drenching, immunising, feeding in winter, and the big stress of lambing).
Re:rams....don't choose one that might sire large lambs on a small ewe.
Also if you only keep one ram and he gets sick or decides not to work (which they sometimes do if not in competition with other rams) you loose your window of opportunity. You also cannot keep any of your ewe lambs for further breeding.
best wishes, Angela
