Best Duel Purpose breed

[BlueMoonFarms]

Ok, as usual I am in charge of doing research for my hubby who wants to invest in getting sheep for next year.
I am wondering if we should get two, or if one would be fine since we already have the three goats. And yes I researched them and know they cant have copper ^^
I am interested in them for there wool, and he is interested in meat. That said, a duel purpose breed would probably be what were leaning towards; but everything that I have researched and found that I like are only overseas :/
So, what do you guys recommend?

And then my last question, how does one find a bio secure farm *I think thats the term* that would be willing to rent a ram so we could breed our girl/girls without spreading any potential viruses or diseases? or would it be best to simply keep a ram?

 

[BrownSheep]

I would suggest Dorset, Ramboulliet, Icelandic, or Jacobs. The first two are fairly common and use to be the backbone of the wests sheep industry. All four have the potential for horns. Dorsets have Polled and horned varieties, medium wool, and the potential for milking. Ramboulliets have horned rams and polled ewes, fine wool, very tall animals. Icelandic are less common but still fairly easy to find for most people within a couple hours drive. They are a smaller framed animal, polled and horned, variety of colors and patterns, spinners really seem to enjoy them. Jacobs are very interesting with all their horns medium framed animal with fun patterns.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

I would suggest Dorset, Ramboulliet, Icelandic, or Jacobs. The first two are fairly common and use to be the backbone of the wests sheep industry. All four have the potential for horns. Dorsets have Polled and horned varieties, medium wool, and the potential for milking. Ramboulliets have horned rams and polled ewes, fine wool, very tall animals. Icelandic are less common but still fairly easy to find for most people within a couple hours drive. They are a smaller framed animal, polled and horned, variety of colors and patterns, spinners really seem to enjoy them. Jacobs are very interesting with all their horns medium framed animal with fun patterns.

Oh wonderful! Thank you very much for the information, i'll go look them up and do some reading.

 

[purplequeenvt]

We like our Border Leicesters. They grow quickly and have beautiful, lustrous fleeces (good for spinning, felting, etc... and the pelts are gorgeous too!).

 

[Southern by choice]

Generally a BIo-Secure farm means nothing in nothing out, so as to not expose your farm to diseases being brought in. But that isn't always the case. If you have a dry lot and wanted to bring in a ram you would first require the ram owner certification of being clean, CL, OPP, TB, Brucellosis and so on, whatever is pertinent to sheep. The one who is renting the ram should expect the same of you too. Animal should be free of mites, lice, foot issues etc. Animal should remain in dry lot quarantine for a minimum of 30 days 60 is better...Before you put him with your girls. Worming etc, the ram owner must be agreeable to this.

Your ewes, if sent out, or does(goats- I think you have goats right now) are going to bring home whatever is on the other farm. Parasites, and disease are easily spread from animals coming and going.

We don't let anyone drive on the property except for the parking area, or walk through, or handle the animals. We broke this rule once with a BYH member, they had come in clean clothes and shoes and we had already discussed all this.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Generally a BIo-Secure farm means nothing in nothing out, so as to not expose your farm to diseases being brought in. But that isn't always the case. If you have a dry lot and wanted to bring in a ram you would first require the ram owner certification of being clean, CL, OPP, TB, Brucellosis and so on, whatever is pertinent to sheep. The one who is renting the ram should expect the same of you too. Animal should be free of mites, lice, foot issues etc. Animal should remain in dry lot quarantine for a minimum of 30 days 60 is better...Before you put him with your girls. Worming etc, the ram owner must be agreeable to this.

Your ewes, if sent out, or does(goats- I think you have goats right now) are going to bring home whatever is on the other farm. Parasites, and disease are easily spread from animals coming and going.

We don't let anyone drive on the property except for the parking area, or walk through, or handle the animals. We broke this rule once with a BYH member, they had come in clean clothes and shoes and we had already discussed all this.

That does not sound to bad, though in general it sounds like I would have a very hard time getting a Bio Secure farm to so much as think about the idea :/
Would getting a ram and a ewe be a better idea?
I just dont want to run the risk of infecting my herd with anything, I made that mistake with my poultry once when I was just starting out.
Had to cull everything and start over with a vaccinated flock, I am never going threw that again.

 

[SheepGirl]

I think you need to check out my sheep breed selector (link in my signature)

 

[Southern by choice]

I think you need to check out my sheep breed selector (link in my signature)

If I were looking for meat sheep I would definitely look at sheepgirls!

We are looking into sheep right now too, but we are looking for fiber sheep for my DD.

BMF- Are you looking for fiber, meat, or dual purpose. I too am looking on here for good input, sheep are new to me.

I care a great deal about Bio-Security and that is why I won't "rent" anything. We have bucks for our does, and if we ever decide to breed sheep I would get a ram. I don't think most people do it that way though. It isn't very cost effective to have a ram and just one ewe.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

What were you wanting to do with the wool? Tunis are duel purpose sheep! The wool is EXCELLENT for working with, and the meat is awesome, very mild flavoured! They are about medium sized sheep with the ewes being about 120-150lbs. Also very docile.
For getting them bred, you could always try AI. I have never done it, but there are a lot that do.

 

[BrownSheep]

AI in sheep is incredibly difficult because it has to be done laprosically (spellcheck) due to how the ewes cervix is. Its possible but has a much lower birthrate than most other animals