# Which Breed of Sheep???



## cococrisp

Hi
I'm new here and am going to be getting two lambs soon. I live in VA and am planning on purchasing them at the Virginia Farm Show this January. I'm wondering what breeds you guys suggest. The sheep would just walk around our yard and eat grass. I don't need ones that are great for meat or wool but I want ones that are kid friendly, safe and will tolerate poking and petting well. They would need to be pretty hardy. I'd also like ones on the less expensive side as far as sheep go. Any tips or helpful info would be much appreciated too!

Thanks


----------



## ksalvagno

Do you have a way to have the sheep shorn? Sheep need to be sheared at least once a year. If not, you may want to consider the hair breeds like a Katadin. I would think if you are getting lambs, anything could be very friendly. I wouldn't get an intact male though. They will get aggressive with all those hormones raging. Probably wethers would be your best bet.

Welcome to BYH!


----------



## cococrisp

Thanks! I would be getting 2 female lambs and 1 female calf. I thought that if I raised them together they would be friends. I would like to have the type that is really fluffy just because they are cute. They would just sit around and mow the lawn. If I offered someone to shear sheep if they could keep the wool would they be interested? I don't really know what the wool is worth but I just want them to look at and play with. My problem is that I want the most generic fluffy normal inexpensive sheep but I don't know what breed that would be.

Thanks


----------



## ksalvagno

I don't know much about sheep. I would talk to the breeders at the farm show as far as shearing them for the fleece. As long as you can get someone to come and shear them or take them somewhere to be shorn, you should be fine. I would also look at pictures of the sheep as adults and see which ones you like. They don't stay little fluffy lambs for long!


----------



## cococrisp

I was thinking something that looked like this


----------



## aggieterpkatie

Are you planning on supplementing with grain?  If not, don't get a meat breed like a Suffolk or Hampshire.  They are typically bred as "club lambs" for shows and have been bred to be so reliant on grain to keep them living.   

Look for a breed like a Dorset or Romney or something like that.  Please talk to the breeder and tell them what you're looking for so they can help you decide what breeds to get.  

Sheep typically only need to be sheared once a year, usually in the spring. You will probably have to pay someone to do this, as the wool isn't very valuable unless you have a really nice wool breed sheep.  

If you want a sheep that tolerates poking and petting, you're going to have to spend lots of time with them. Sheep aren't very cuddly by nature, so you can't just throw them out in the yard and expect them to act like dogs.  

Please get a book from the library about raising sheep so you can learn all about the different breeds and fencing and feeding requirements.  Sheep require regular care, they're not as hardy as some animals.  You also need to look into what plants are poisonous because sheep will eat toxic plants.  

Just do some reasearch, talk to some breeders, maybe call your local Cooperative Extension Service, and you should be fine.


----------



## bibliophile birds

i'm just beginning too, so i've been doing lots of research. hopefully some of this will be helpful.

if you want hardy breeds, you want to look into heritage breeds or hybrids. modern commercial breeds are a lot more reliant on human interventions (medicines, lots of supplemental feed, etc) to stay healthy. but the heritage breed that will work for you will depend on where you live and your environmental factors. i'm looking at Gulf Coast  sheep because they are particularly resistant to parasites, heat and humidity, and footrot, all of which are problems in the Southeast. you may need a sheep that is more cold tolerant, so you want to look at what breeds work best where you are. check this website for some good overview info on breed characteristics.

you might also like the Romanov sheep. they aren't _exactly_ the picture you posted, but they are adorable- black faces and fluffy cream bodies.


----------



## WoolyWabbits

How about baby doll sheep??


----------



## rockdoveranch

We have hair sheep.  We have Barbado sheep which are on the wild side.  They are hardy and internal parasite resistant.  Since I am a bit prejudice, I would suggest you get bottle baby hair sheep.  Our bottle girls are VERY friendly, follow us around and snooze by our back door.  We call them and they come a running to us.

They grow wool in the winter and shed their wool when the weather gets warmer, so they are easy keepers.

The hair sheep people I know around here in Texas wean at 3 months.  I would get a lamb that is 2 to 2 1/2 months old and still on the bottle so that you can still bottle feed to bond with the baby, whether it be a hair lamb or wool lamb.  Feed them a bottle and they are yours for life.  

Take a look at the American Barbado.  They are lovely hair sheep, easy keepers, parasite resistant and very pretty.


----------



## 20kidsonhill

We show sheep for market and the suffolk are very friendly, the only adivice I have is avoid cheviots(spelling?) They are more wild than some breeds.  The suffolk have black faces and legs and are a meat breed, so you would have to feed them some grain. The cheviot is kind of what you are looking at a white cotton ball type of sheep. I am assuming also for meat, but on the smaller framed side. They are crazy!!!!  

You have been warned.


----------



## boykin2010

I LOVE my hair sheep. I have katahdin barbados crosses. They are VERY friendly around humans and other animals. They also serve their purpose and eat TONS of grass. I have 13 on 3 acres and i dont think they have enough grass....  ( SIGH ) i may have to sell some

I have one bottle baby that is the sweetest thing ever he still wants to get my lap even though he is a good 75 pounds.

Hair sheep are a good choice if you are lazy ( like me ) and dont want to shear sheep. It is actually very hard to shear sheep. Hair sheep are well suited for the south also.


----------



## farmchick

I have just one suffolk/hampshire cross lamb (a meat breed) and he is just the funnest thing ever! This doesn't go for every sheep, but he loves attention, and always sheep cries when I leave him in his pen. The downer of him being a market lamb, is that he has to 'go away' in the fall if you know what I mean. Are you planning on showing them?

Feel free to message me if you have any questions


----------



## Beekissed

Unless you are friends with someone who shears their own sheep and can shear for you, I'd avoid a wool breed....too much hassle when it's just as easy to have a Katahdin or St. Croix and avoid the issue.

Around here it is $40 just for someone to come out to your place and shear and you also must have 25 or more sheep before they will do so.  Then they charge $25 per sheep and they keep the wool.  

As for running your heifer with your sheep?  I did the same thing and found that when they come in heat the calf will ride your lambs/ewes and could possibly injure them.  I had to butcher out my heifer for this very reason.  

Hair sheep are less trouble all around and will eat your lawn more evenly as they like browse as well as pasture...sort of like the best mix between sheep and goats.


----------



## patandchickens

The original post is from a year and a half ago, not sure why this thread was resurrected but I think y'all are giving advice to someone who is no longer around... 

Pat


----------



## boykin2010

O wow


----------



## Beekissed

Maybe it will still have some relevance?


----------



## Ms. Research

Beekissed said:
			
		

> Maybe it will still have some relevance?


Thanks whoever resurrected this thread.  I thought it was relevant.  We are getting our plan together for our future farm.   We are both in agreement about goats, sheep, and chickens.  Better Half even agreed to a rooster.   Still up in the air with the donkey, but the "cart idea" on another thread might help me.   And definitely Better Half wants and knows the type of LGD he wants for this future farm.   Once Jake retires that is.  He's doing so well being the LGD of the beginning of our future farm..our bunnies.  

I have been researching about sheep.  I love the Baby Dolls, but that's because they are sweet looking.  I need to stay focus on the goals that we want.  And I'm reconsidering a wool sheep and am now considering a Hair sheep.  Thank you Beekissed for your informative opinion of Wool vs Hair.  And what you really need to look at when you decide to purchase.


----------



## Beekissed

You are quite welcome!    After having the hair breeds, I can't imagine a better livestock to work with...I loved not having to dock tails~it seems to unnecessary and painful.  I loved not having to shear, as I am a lone woman and getting the boys to coincide work schedules to come and help with the things is getting more difficult.  

I even think I could have stared milking my pure Kat, she was that docile.  She would let me just reach down and milk her teats without any fuss....I had sheep sized stanchions already built for just that purpose, so that was going to be my next project with my sheep.  Supposed to make great cheese!


----------



## kstaven

Sheep milk does make great cheese. Just don't tell my goats I said that, or they will go on strike.


----------



## Ms. Research

Beekissed said:
			
		

> You are quite welcome!    After having the hair breeds, I can't imagine a better livestock to work with...I loved not having to dock tails~it seems to unnecessary and painful.  I loved not having to shear, as I am a lone woman and getting the boys to coincide work schedules to come and help with the things is getting more difficult.
> 
> I even think I could have stared milking my pure Kat, she was that docile.  She would let me just reach down and milk her teats without any fuss....I had sheep sized stanchions already built for just that purpose, so that was going to be my next project with my sheep.  Supposed to make great cheese!


As our "Mom and Pop" Farm will consist only of Mom and Pop, I'm looking at the same type of issues.   What breed would we best capable of handling by ourselves.   We are realistically looking at how big of a farm we can have (by ourselves and financially) and what our goals are going to be (want to be self sustaining) so Hair sheep are looking like the way to go for us.  Glad to hear not necessary to dock tails and though wool is interesting, know realistically it's meat in the freezer that's best for us.  

I've narrowed down and am looking at Dorpers and St. Croix.   Any others to look at.  ALL opinions are greatly appreciated.


----------



## manybirds

Ms. Research said:
			
		

> Beekissed said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You are quite welcome!    After having the hair breeds, I can't imagine a better livestock to work with...I loved not having to dock tails~it seems to unnecessary and painful.  I loved not having to shear, as I am a lone woman and getting the boys to coincide work schedules to come and help with the things is getting more difficult.
> 
> I even think I could have stared milking my pure Kat, she was that docile.  She would let me just reach down and milk her teats without any fuss....I had sheep sized stanchions already built for just that purpose, so that was going to be my next project with my sheep.  Supposed to make great cheese!
> 
> 
> 
> As our "Mom and Pop" Farm will consist only of Mom and Pop, I'm looking at the same type of issues.   What breed would we best capable of handling by ourselves.   We are realistically looking at how big of a farm we can have (by ourselves and financially) and what our goals are going to be (want to be self sustaining) so Hair sheep are looking like the way to go for us.  Glad to hear not necessary to dock tails and though wool is interesting, know realistically it's meat in the freezer that's best for us.
> 
> I've narrowed down and am looking at Dorpers and St. Croix.   Any others to look at.  ALL opinions are greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I like my hampshire


----------



## Ms. Research

manybirds said:
			
		

> Ms. Research said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Beekissed said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You are quite welcome!    After having the hair breeds, I can't imagine a better livestock to work with...I loved not having to dock tails~it seems to unnecessary and painful.  I loved not having to shear, as I am a lone woman and getting the boys to coincide work schedules to come and help with the things is getting more difficult.
> 
> I even think I could have stared milking my pure Kat, she was that docile.  She would let me just reach down and milk her teats without any fuss....I had sheep sized stanchions already built for just that purpose, so that was going to be my next project with my sheep.  Supposed to make great cheese!
> 
> 
> 
> As our "Mom and Pop" Farm will consist only of Mom and Pop, I'm looking at the same type of issues.   What breed would we best capable of handling by ourselves.   We are realistically looking at how big of a farm we can have (by ourselves and financially) and what our goals are going to be (want to be self sustaining) so Hair sheep are looking like the way to go for us.  Glad to hear not necessary to dock tails and though wool is interesting, know realistically it's meat in the freezer that's best for us.
> 
> I've narrowed down and am looking at Dorpers and St. Croix.   Any others to look at.  ALL opinions are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I like my hampshire
Click to expand...

Thanks Manybirds.  Another breed to look into.


----------



## RustyDHart

I love my Scottish Blackface.....dual purpose meat and wool.....not too big....do great in the North and are great mothers....some of my ewes...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   Some of the flock this Spring....


----------



## Ms. Research

RustyDHart said:
			
		

> I love my Scottish Blackface.....dual purpose meat and wool.....not too big....do great in the North and are great mothers....some of my ewes...http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3034_sheep_2011_056.jpg   Some of the flock this Spring....http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3034_sheep_2011_014.jpg


Wow is all I can say.  Truly envious.  Would love to have a place like yours, but being realistic.  And will never have the size of herd you have, being realistic again.  Glad you posted because others who are looking for a wool breed will have a your great reference to start at.


----------



## manybirds

Ms. Research said:
			
		

> manybirds said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ms. Research said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As our "Mom and Pop" Farm will consist only of Mom and Pop, I'm looking at the same type of issues.   What breed would we best capable of handling by ourselves.   We are realistically looking at how big of a farm we can have (by ourselves and financially) and what our goals are going to be (want to be self sustaining) so Hair sheep are looking like the way to go for us.  Glad to hear not necessary to dock tails and though wool is interesting, know realistically it's meat in the freezer that's best for us.
> 
> I've narrowed down and am looking at Dorpers and St. Croix.   Any others to look at.  ALL opinions are greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> I like my hampshire
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks Manybirds.  Another breed to look into.
Click to expand...

Ours is what the breeder called a 'old time' hampshire. apparently some stock you get anymore will be leggy and tall and lean (which would make them look almost like a suffulk but they shouldn't look anything like them) but a good hampshire is low to the ground with shorter legs a good wooly forhead and legs and a slightly thicker frame. I'm new to sheep but thats what the breeder said and she's a old well renowned breeder. 

(P.S those are some nice sheep)


----------



## RustyDHart

Thanks Ms. Research and manybirds .....   There so many nice breeds out there.   I've had sheep since June15th,  1996.   I have had up to 167 Scottish Blackface but I'm now down to my top 42 head....I do plan to expand again due to the demand for breeding stock.  Happy Sheep Breed hunting!!!!    Another photo of the flock....


----------



## Beekissed

The St. Croix are very leggy and are a regal looking breed....but not as meaty in the haunches as one would like.  A good milky breed, though.  Dorpers...I was interested in them first and then found that I didn't like how short and squat they were, their ugly faces and their not so bright personalities.  

I found a great fit with St. Croix/Katahdin crosses and with pure Katahdins.  If I had to lean towards one hair breed, it would be the Katahdins..they seem to have everything I was looking for.  Nice, meaty builds, nice legs, very easy shedding, good mothering, docile personalities, easy keepers~stay very fat on just grass and hay consumption, parasite resistant, easy lambing, healthy to the max.  Also, nice and feminine faces and heads on the ewes...I like a girl to _look_ like a girl.  

If you don't mind investing money, there is a new breed of hair sheep called Royal Whites that are interesting.  Kind of pricey right now until they become more available, but great combination of all the desirable hair sheep traits.


----------



## Ms. Research

Beekissed said:
			
		

> The St. Croix are very leggy and are a regal looking breed....but not as meaty in the haunches as one would like.  A good milky breed, though.  Dorpers...I was interested in them first and then found that I didn't like how short and squat they were, their ugly faces and their not so bright personalities.
> 
> I found a great fit with St. Croix/Katahdin crosses and with pure Katahdins.  If I had to lean towards one hair breed, it would be the Katahdins..they seem to have everything I was looking for.  Nice, meaty builds, nice legs, very easy shedding, good mothering, docile personalities, easy keepers~stay very fat on just grass and hay consumption, parasite resistant, easy lambing, healthy to the max.  Also, nice and feminine faces and heads on the ewes...I like a girl to _look_ like a girl.
> 
> If you don't mind investing money, there is a new breed of hair sheep called Royal Whites that are interesting.  Kind of pricey right now until they become more available, but great combination of all the desirable hair sheep traits.


Thanks BeeKissed, showed your reply to Better Half.  We are both in agreement now with the St. Crox/Katahdin crosses and pure Katahdins for our future farm project.


----------



## EllieMay

I've also been researching the hair sheep and I've decided to go with the Katahdin.

I would really like to get some Royal Whites but I'm not willing to pay the ridiculous price right now, so I'll wait till the prices go down.

Katahdins (or Katahdin crosses) seem to have everything you would want in a hair sheep and they don't necessarily come in ONE color.


----------



## aggieterpkatie

I still prefer wooled breeds to hair sheep, simply because I don't mind shearing.  It's once a year, and if you only have a few sheep it's not that bad.  Romneys are a good breed for grassed based systems.  They're hardy and very efficient.  Their wool is good for spinning, felting, etc.  I also love Southdowns (not Babydoll Southdowns) because they're super easy keepers. They've got great carcass qualities and are a wonderful meat breed. They're also a little smaller than other meat breeds (like Suffolks and Hamps) and much easier keepers.  They're docile, and they've got good quality wool.


----------



## Royd Wood

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I still prefer wooled breeds to hair sheep, simply because I don't mind shearing.  It's once a year, and if you only have a few sheep it's not that bad.  Romneys are a good breed for grassed based systems.  They're hardy and very efficient.  Their wool is good for spinning, felting, etc.  I also love Southdowns (not Babydoll Southdowns) because they're super easy keepers. They've got great carcass qualities and are a wonderful meat breed. They're also a little smaller than other meat breeds (like Suffolks and Hamps) and much easier keepers.  They're docile, and they've got good quality wool.


Agree - Romneys are a very good breed for grass based systems and in our case strictly no grain with great results. 
Rustys photos always send me into dreamworld - what a fantastic backdrop you have there mate


----------



## RustyDHart

Thanks.....The pasture is looking a bit dry right now....   i just seperated the rams....i'll put them back in around the first of November.   This is "Irish acres Highland Peace"....I caught her walking over the small bridge in the pasture when she stopped to look around.....


----------



## kstaven

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I still prefer wooled breeds to hair sheep, simply because I don't mind shearing.  It's once a year, and if you only have a few sheep it's not that bad.  Romneys are a good breed for grassed based systems.  They're hardy and very efficient.  Their wool is good for spinning, felting, etc.  I also love Southdowns (not Babydoll Southdowns) because they're super easy keepers. They've got great carcass qualities and are a wonderful meat breed. They're also a little smaller than other meat breeds (like Suffolks and Hamps) and much easier keepers.  They're docile, and they've got good quality wool.


Wish I could find southdowns around here.


----------



## Beekissed

EllieMay said:
			
		

> I've also been researching the hair sheep and I've decided to go with the Katahdin.
> 
> I would really like to get some Royal Whites but I'm not willing to pay the ridiculous price right now, so I'll wait till the prices go down.
> 
> Katahdins (or Katahdin crosses) seem to have everything you would want in a hair sheep and they don't necessarily come in ONE color.


I like a multicolored flock as well and you really can't get that with the Dorpers unless you cross.  I loved the black and white mixes and my pure Kat had reddish brown speckles on her face and legs.  Love the colors!

Here are two of the gals and a borrowed Kat ram coming out of winter into the new spring grass:






This is a St. Croix/Kat cross ewe:






The black and whites are the SC/Kat crosses and the mostly white is my pure Kat:






My Black Betty was crossed over by a SC buck this spring and had twins that were mostly white with black markings and a hint of brown in some of the spots.  The Kat ewe, Little Mo, had twins that were white with brown speckles out of a SC buck.


----------



## manybirds

We have our fancy snazzy register quality etc etc yadda yadda hampshire now so now i'm going through the auction. We went to the auction barn once to pick up a stanchion and there was a sheep that went through that was little and matted and only had three feat. I felt so bad for her. I would like to take one like that put it in our barn sheer it worm it take care of everything and (after I made sure it hadn't picked anything up from the auction barn) let it out into our green little pasture with hay grain and other sheep. I think we probably could have gotten her for free but we wern't anticipating having sheep at the time so she went for meat after her long hard life.


----------



## EllieMay

Beekissed said:
			
		

> EllieMay said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've also been researching the hair sheep and I've decided to go with the Katahdin.
> I would really like to get some Royal Whites but I'm not willing to pay the ridiculous price right now, so I'll wait till the prices go down.
> Katahdins (or Katahdin crosses) seem to have everything you would want in a hair sheep and they don't necessarily come in ONE color.
> 
> 
> 
> I like a multicolored flock as well and you really can't get that with the Dorpers unless you cross.  I loved the black and white mixes and my pure Kat had reddish brown speckles on her face and legs.  Love the colors!
> Here are two of the gals and a borrowed Kat ram coming out of winter into the new spring grass:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_misc_scenery_sheep_calf_butchering_076.jpg
> This is a St. Croix/Kat cross ewe:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_sale_pics_of_sheep_003.jpg
> The black and whites are the SC/Kat crosses and the mostly white is my pure Kat:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_misc_scenery_sheep_calf_butchering_101.jpg
> My Black Betty was crossed over by a SC buck this spring and had twins that were mostly white with black markings and a hint of brown in some of the spots.  The Kat ewe, Little Mo, had twins that were white with brown speckles out of a SC buck.
Click to expand...

*VERY NICE eye candy!  

Love the colors!!!!

Where did you get yours?  I'm looking for sheep to buy!

*


----------



## SheepGirl

My neighbor had purebred Montadales. They were really pretty, great mothers, gave birth to twins, and had huge udders. They were pastured but had grain supplementation during winter and late gestation/lactation. He crossed them with a Babydoll Southdown ram because he wanted to get his ewe size smaller (since he was getting older and he didn't want to deal with 170 lb ewe bashing into him while he was feeding), but he didn't want to sell off the flock and start over. The 1/2 Montadale 1/2 Babydoll ewes looked like Montadales, but they had more wool on their heads and legs. They were as prolific as the Monts but they did have smaller udders (but they were still able to raise their lambs).

He continued to cross with different Babydoll rams, but, needless to say, their productivity decreased as the Babydoll % went up. I think it's because Babydoll breeders don't really care about production, rather than just breeding just to produce more breeding stock regardless of quality. (That's just my little biased opinion ) However, if you were to cross a Mont with a Southdown, I'd choose the American Southdown (the larger downs you commonly see), because they are more bred for production traits.

I do want Katahdin sheep--primarily because they have lots of babies and the colors look like a lot of fun  I also want Suffolk sheep (like the kind over in Europe--short & meaty).

ETA: I would buy myself a small flock of Babydoll ewes and aggressively breed & cull them to look like the original Southdowns from the 1800s (pretty much what Babydolls are--the American Southdowns were bred to be larger to produce larger cuts of meat) and be as meaty and productive as any other breed as well as have a comparable growth rate. But that would take a longgg time.


----------



## Beekissed

EllieMay said:
			
		

> Beekissed said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EllieMay said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've also been researching the hair sheep and I've decided to go with the Katahdin.
> I would really like to get some Royal Whites but I'm not willing to pay the ridiculous price right now, so I'll wait till the prices go down.
> Katahdins (or Katahdin crosses) seem to have everything you would want in a hair sheep and they don't necessarily come in ONE color.
> 
> 
> 
> I like a multicolored flock as well and you really can't get that with the Dorpers unless you cross.  I loved the black and white mixes and my pure Kat had reddish brown speckles on her face and legs.  Love the colors!
> Here are two of the gals and a borrowed Kat ram coming out of winter into the new spring grass:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_misc_scenery_sheep_calf_butchering_076.jpg
> This is a St. Croix/Kat cross ewe:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_sale_pics_of_sheep_003.jpg
> The black and whites are the SC/Kat crosses and the mostly white is my pure Kat:
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/82_misc_scenery_sheep_calf_butchering_101.jpg
> My Black Betty was crossed over by a SC buck this spring and had twins that were mostly white with black markings and a hint of brown in some of the spots.  The Kat ewe, Little Mo, had twins that were white with brown speckles out of a SC buck.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *VERY NICE eye candy!
> 
> Love the colors!!!!
> 
> Where did you get yours?  I'm looking for sheep to buy!
> 
> *
Click to expand...

I bought mine from a farmer right here in Pendleton Co., Wv.  You aren't that far away from here....I'll try to find his number for you and you maybe could get with him.  He has some VERY pretty colors in his herd.  Has a few with Barbados and Painted Desert Sheep blood and the colors keep steady down the line.  Could be you would even pick some from my gals...they live back there on their original farm now.


----------



## aggieterpkatie

The farm where I worked in college had Montadales.  They were ok, but never my favorite. I'm not exactly sure why.  We did buy some nice ones from a family who raised them up near you, SheepGirl.  Their last name started with a B.


----------



## aggieterpkatie

kstaven said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I still prefer wooled breeds to hair sheep, simply because I don't mind shearing.  It's once a year, and if you only have a few sheep it's not that bad.  Romneys are a good breed for grassed based systems.  They're hardy and very efficient.  Their wool is good for spinning, felting, etc.  I also love Southdowns (not Babydoll Southdowns) because they're super easy keepers. They've got great carcass qualities and are a wonderful meat breed. They're also a little smaller than other meat breeds (like Suffolks and Hamps) and much easier keepers.  They're docile, and they've got good quality wool.
> 
> 
> 
> Wish I could find southdowns around here.
Click to expand...

They're quickly coming my favorite breed.  Although every breed I own tends to be my favorite.    Hamps will always have a special place in my heart since I raised them for 4-H for so long.  I love Romneys because of their fleeces and their huge desire to graze all the time.  But now I especially love Southdowns for their ability to have great meaty bodies on less feed, and their personalities are always so good.


----------



## kstaven

Southdowns are one hardy breed.

 Currently trying to track down some romanovs for a project.


----------



## SheepGirl

I would love some Romanovs, too.


----------

