# Breeding Season & Breed



## ShadowsFIAL (May 11, 2016)

Okay, I am thrown between two sheep breeds... in all honesty I am leaning the most towards the Border Leicester, but I also like the look of the bluefaced leicester, if I can find good markings. Which would be easier as a first time sheep? I am looking for a good multi purpose sheep. I am wanting meat, and I may end up using the wool, and to top it off I would like to milk them as well. Also are these sheep breeds seasonal breeders or are they year long? Thanks much!


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## norseofcourse (May 11, 2016)

Don't know about the meat or the milk, but some knitting friends and I were talking about these two breeds recently, and they both said that the wool from Blue Faced Leicester was better for spinning and knitting with.

My 'In Sheep's Clothing' book says Blue Faced Leicester is a finer diameter wool than Border Leicester.


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## purplequeenvt (May 11, 2016)

The Blue Face are essentially finer wooled Border Leicesters. They were bred from the BLs. 

My opinion is that BL are a better "starter" sheep than the BFL. BFLs have a reputation for being delicate. A shearer we knew (who actually raised BFL) told us that BFLs should come with a shovel to bury them with.

I think that was a gross exaggeration, but still, that's the reputation.

That being said, I'm hoping to get some natural colored BFLs at some point.


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## ShadowsFIAL (May 11, 2016)

Haha well it sounds like the Border Leicester is going to be the way to go then.  

Are BL's seasonal breeders or do they tend to breed year long? 

I am wanting to keep the ram in with the ewes full time if possible. But I do not want lambs all year long randomly.


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## purplequeenvt (May 11, 2016)

BLs are seasonal breeders. Occasionally you might have a ewe that cycles out of season and has a summer or fall lamb, but that is rare. From my experience, breeding season (at least up in New England) is September - January.

BL rams are known for their calm, gentlemanly attitudes, but don't automatically assume that your ram will be nice because a lot of a rams personality is determined by how he was handled as a lamb. Single rams tend to be more pushy/aggressive than rams kept in a group with other boys. We have 7 (I think) adult rams at the moment and they are all respectful and easy to handle. Including the ram that was bottle raised.


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## Sheepshape (May 23, 2016)

Purplequeenvt......I thought the BFL with a free shovel originated over here, but maybe not!  BFLs....huge ,greedy, friendly, excellent mums, lovely fleece.....I always have 6 or more. However....very 'delicate' in spite of the size, can't stand the cold when combined with wind and rain (the sort we always have here), and 'will stand on a sixpence in a a November rainstorm'......this has got to have originated here, as the sixpence was a tiny old British coin (though there could be a parallel statement which says 'will stand  on a dime in a November rainstorm'. (It is supposed to mean they will be in any old corner sheltering rather than face the wind and rain.).My BFL lambs have only been outside a couple of weeks due to a very cold spring. They produce copious amounts of milk, and need a copious amount of food with which to produce it. My rams usually weigh over 20 stones....lots of meat, lots of big bones.

Border Leicesters don't have quite the same silky fleece,but are tougher. less greedy and nice, friendly, big sheep. The better choice, in my opinion.





 

Typical BFL behaviour indicated above.....pumpkins all destroyed when they trampled the fence into the garden.

However....BFL lambs....a bit special.....all knees, legs, ears and desire to drink milk.(Faces don't look very blue here, but the dark areas spread out to cover all the face and head down to the neck as they grow up)



 

So,,,Border Leicester every time!


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## ShadowsFIAL (May 23, 2016)

Gosh they are so darn cute!
It is not fair! I want sheep now haha


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