# Gulf Coast Sheep



## Bluebonnet (Mar 1, 2014)

Is anyone here a Gulf Coast Sheep owner?

I was wondering if someone might be able to provide me with information on their milk producing ability and quality.

I realize that other breeds are more for meat and others can produce more milk, I am interested in Gulf Coast Sheep because they are endangered, the most adorable sheep I have ever seen and because it is one of my ambitions to use their milk to create a new, unique cheese.

It is my hope that such a cheese might become popular and profitable, thus creating an incentive for people to keep this breed of sheep.

They are unique to the Gulf Coast, which is a unique region of the United States. I would like to see the dairy sheep, as well as the cheese industry become prosperous here as it has in European countries.

It is my belief that people in my region, myself included, should utilize the breeds of livestock and plants that thrive or are unique to our area to create new products that are exclusive to our part of the United States.

So if you have this breed and can inform me of their qualities, please let me know.


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## SheepGirl (Mar 4, 2014)

Here is some information from the ASI on the Gulf Coast: http://www.sheepusa.org/Gulf_Coast

Being an unimproved/feral breed, their main purpose has been to reproduce and sustain themselves...they have not been selected for meat yield/quality nor increased milking ability. There may be some breeders out there trying to improve the breed. But it takes time and with limited genetics/numbers to choose from, may be too hard to even make it worth it.

IMO you can get these sheep and try to improve their production traits, but don't rely on them for producing enough milk for you. How will you feed the lambs? If you plan on using their milk to feed the lambs and use it for cheese, I'm not sure the ewes will have enough. You can feed them more hoping to get them to produce more milk but it will likely just make them fat instead.


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## Bluebonnet (Mar 4, 2014)

SheepGirl said:


> Here is some information from the ASI on the Gulf Coast: http://www.sheepusa.org/Gulf_Coast
> 
> Being an unimproved/feral breed, their main purpose has been to reproduce and sustain themselves...they have not been selected for meat yield/quality nor increased milking ability. There may be some breeders out there trying to improve the breed. But it takes time and with limited genetics/numbers to choose from, may be too hard to even make it worth it.
> 
> IMO you can get these sheep and try to improve their production traits, but don't rely on them for producing enough milk for you. How will you feed the lambs? If you plan on using their milk to feed the lambs and use it for cheese, I'm not sure the ewes will have enough. You can feed them more hoping to get them to produce more milk but it will likely just make them fat instead.


 
If I never get anything from those sheep, it will still be worth it. When I think of sheep, Gulf Coast Sheep are the ones that I envision. I like sheep, just to be around sheep. I like sitting with them, talking to them, watching them, petting them, I like everything there is about sheep.

I'm also not doing any of this for profit.

As a matter of fact, I give my excess to preppers who can not afford to stock up on food storage. I have them come over and we make a day or even a week out of canning and storing it all for them to take home and in exchange, I get to hear their stories and learn. It is a good exchange.

Anyway, I intend to keep the sheep. I've got several beautifully fenced in acres of gorgeous pasture just calling out for some sheep. Sheep and rabbits are my two favorite farm animals, but especially sheep.

Sheep milk can be frozen until you gather enough quantity to make cheese, so that is not a concern. I'm patient.

For my dairy sheep, I have chosen East Friesian Sheep, the ultimate dairy sheep for production. Anything I can gather from the Gulf Coast Sheep is just for fun. I do not eat sheep, but I do buy fleeces and cord and spin it into yarn, dye it with Kool-Aid or natural dyes and crochet with it. I do not think that is an option with the Gulf Coast Sheep though.


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