# Which To Choose?



## mrbstephens (Oct 10, 2013)

I've been offered a few sheep from two different places. 

 The first place is a public farm where they run programs for 4H.  These lambs (ewes) are FREE and are Cotswold.  Healthy, up to date on shots and used to being handled.

The second place is a local zoo.  They have 3 lambs to choose from all are a cross (they think) of cheviot and dorset.  They don't know off hand the genders, but they know that all boys have been castrated.  They are also healthy and used to being handled.  They are selling them by the pound, so these lambs are about $90 each.

I would like two sheep that are friendly and that I could harvest their fiber from to spin.  I am not totally familiar with either breed, but I've heard good things about the Cotswold.  Don't know a thing about the other two.

I'm looking for recommendations.  I have a hard time deciding and which ever I go with will live a happy life with me on my little homestead and they others will most likely wind up on someone's plate.  TIA!

Edited to add; All sheep are white.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Oct 10, 2013)

I would pick the Cotswold, cause the price is right! I have never owned Cotswold but have heared that they have good wool. Also, healthy is very important!
Up to you!


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## SheepGirl (Oct 10, 2013)

I would go with the cotswold--they are free and a wool breed.

Plus you can breed them when you want to.


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## mrbstephens (Oct 10, 2013)

Thank you!!!  Questions about the Cottswold.  Is the fiber considered a very itchy wool?  Is it a long fiber?  Easy or difficult to spin?

Anything I should know about this breed as far as care?


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## SheepGirl (Oct 10, 2013)

Here is some info:
http://www.sheepusa.org/Cotswold

Fiber is considered long wool. Fine wool is often used for clothing because it has a narrow fiber diameter. Long wool fiber is coarse--it has a thick fiber diameter. So probably not good for clothing, but it will be fine for throw rugs, blankets, etc. Long wool is generally the easiest to spin.

All sheep breeds are taken care of generally the same; Cotswold ewes are big (about 200 lbs), so they will require more feed than the average 150 lb ewe.


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## mrbstephens (Oct 10, 2013)

Would it mix well with angora?  I have an angora bunny and love his fiber for spinning!


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## mrbstephens (Oct 11, 2013)

I'm getting two Cotswold lambs and they're being delivered next week!!  Woohoo!!!


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## mrbstephens (Oct 11, 2013)

Hey!  Could I potentially milk these ewes (if they were to lamb of course) and make cheese???


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## bonbean01 (Oct 11, 2013)

Congrats!!!!  

No clue about milking...when I tried to milk a little for extra for supplementing one lamb from another ewe who had more than enough milk for her lamb...did not get ONE drop...

Did you know that the real Greek Yogurt in Greece is so yummy because they use sheep milk...what we get here is cow's milk with more cream and thickeners...truly not the same according to my daughter when she and her family visited Greece.


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## mrbstephens (Oct 11, 2013)

bonbean01 said:
			
		

> Congrats!!!!
> 
> No clue about milking...when I tried to milk a little for extra for supplementing one lamb from another ewe who had more than enough milk for her lamb...did not get ONE drop...
> 
> Did you know that the real Greek Yogurt in Greece is so yummy because they use sheep milk...what we get here is cow's milk with more cream and thickeners...truly not the same according to my daughter when she and her family visited Greece.


I did not know that!  I did read that sheeps milk is delicious and has a higher fat content.  So a gallon of sheep's milk will produce more cheese than a gallon of goat's milk.  I did find somewhere on the net that any lactating sheep will give milk.


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## bonbean01 (Oct 12, 2013)

Hope you have better luck with milking than I did!!!  Grew up on a farm and did some milking of a milk cow...this was a total wash out for me with my ewe...saw that there are better results with a little milking thingee...google it for different models..hope it works out for you!


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## BrownSheep (Oct 12, 2013)

Ewes can be very good at holding milk so you actually can't get any when you do milk them. That being said even my wildest ewes give some milk if we have to milk them. Since your gale will be tamer you probably won't have any trouble.


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