Which Breed of Sheep???

[manybirds]

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.

I like my hampshire

 

[Ms. Research]

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.

I like my hampshire

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]

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]

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

Thanks Manybirds. Another breed to look into.

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]

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.