What livestock is good for a beginner?

[Southern by choice]

I really think it depends more on the breed and how they are raised.
I have 2 sheep and they are a primitive breed (Jacobs)... easy keepers yes... but not affectionate. I want animals I can hug on and love on that want to be with me.... truth is most sheep are not that way. Not saying all aren't just not most. Most sheep are ok with a pat on the face...

Goats can be obnoxious if you let them be that way. Our goats are friendly, will come say hi, some are more loving than others but they do get their attention and then walk away. The only time they trip us up, as with our sheep too, is when bringing in their daily ration of feed.

I like the Nigies for pets best. Out of full size dairy goats... the Lamancha. Lamanchas are very quiet yet very smart. I cannot stand screaming goats. Nubians may be pretty but I just hate how loud they are. We also have Kiko meat goats... they are given a lot of attention and they are easy keepers and very sweet... not "feral" at all as they are often described.

Whether sheep or goats I would recommend starting out with baabies. You can raise them the way you want them.

 

[hikerfrog99]

I have considered donkeys too. Any animal I decide to get it will be a baby and bought as 2 together. I am a mom of homeschooled children and I am home a majority of the time and love to sit outside with my dog and enjoy my chickens.

 

[Southern by choice]

I would suggest visiting lots of farms and seeing what you click with.

@purplequeenvt can really give some great advice on breeds of sheep you may like. She is a sheople!

I am clearly a goatie!

I do try to remember however we all like different things and what works for me isn't always what works for someone else. If I had one of PQvt sheep or Bonbeans sheep I think I would like sheep better than what I do.

Most of the time a person is either a sheople or a goatie though.

..and here of course on BYH it is an ongoing battle for us goaties to keep you from going to the dark side of sheep.
Of course the sheoples will tell you that goats are the dark side.

 

[AshleyFishy]

My goats have always been more enjoyable than any dog I've had.

 

[BrownSheep]

Sheeeeeeeep.

I have several bottle baby ewes who love to just walk around behind you...They don't need to be the center of your whole world they just want to be in your proximity.

 

[Southern by choice]

Goats

 

[hikerfrog99]

Sheeeeeeeep.

I have several bottle baby ewes who love to just walk around behind you...They don't need to be the center of your whole world they just want to be in your proximity.

After a talk with my husband he has decided sheep as well!!!!!! Love it lol

 

[Womwotai]

Yay! One step closer. Now all you need to do is decide on a breed. Again, sheep come in a variety of functions. We wanted to raise ours for meat and didn't want to have to learn to shear or find someone to do it for us so we got hair sheep that are also meat breeds. Prior to deciding to raise sheep, I had never seen them in our area and was fully prepared to have to drive to get them. But I joined a farm swap group on Facebook and started scouring Craigslist and they started coming out of the wood work. Now I have a small network of people in my area I know are raising sheep and it is nice to have them as a resource.

 

[hikerfrog99]

Yes yay! Closer...Ok so hair breed... I live in the upstate of SC. Also I am keeping them as an addition to my hobby farm so it will not matter if they are a meat breed Hough my hubby will beg to differ as he would love to breed them. Again thank all of you for your advice and help. It is making this difficult decision so much easier to make as the responses continue!

 

[Southern by choice]

Visit lots of farms if you can.