Which Sheep breed is short but have lots of meat?

[meloout831]

I've decided to sell my mini-herd of large sheep, and would like a smaller breed of meat sheep. I live in Texas so non-shearing would be ideal. Any ideas on which breed will work for me? Btw, I like polled sheep, so Barbado is out. Thanks guys.

 

[SheepGirl]

I know you said you wanted a hair sheep, but I have a 2 yr old Texel ram. He's short & meaty I've never owned any Texel ewes so I don't have any experience with how their maternal traits are. However I love how big my ram's butt is! One-third of the carcass comes from the leg, and I think my ram has a pretty good sized leg/butt for how thin he is The first picture was taken a couple weekends ago. The second picture is of his beautiful meaty butt! <3

(I am 5'3" if that gives you an idea of his height)

Look at how deep his twist is!

My ewe base is Babydoll Southdown x Montadale crosses. They get their height & muscle from the Babydoll but their maternal traits from the Montadale. Babydolls are the style Southdown people used to raise in the 60s before the Southdown was "modernized" and made super tall. The Babydoll is almost identical to the British Southdown, however, many people breed Babydolls for pets only not for commercial meat qualities so you need to find someone who is using them for meat. My lambs are 'finished' at about 60-70 lbs, about 6 months old.

Look at how deep this ewe's twist is...she is a six year old ewe who has had one single and three sets of twins. I'm expecting another set of twins (or more) from her this year because she is just as big (if not bigger) as she was when she's had twins before.

This is her 2009 son....he has a beautiful bum! Too bad he had a bad attitude and had to be shipped....(sire/uncle to the ewe lamb below)

Look at how nicely muscled and stocky this 2-3 wk old ewe lamb is! I loveee this girl she has filled out so nicely.

Here she is back in December, at 7 months old and already bred & due to lamb 5/18

 

[PendergrassRanch]

What is the "twist"?

 

[goodolboy]

I'd look into the Katahdins. Click on our website shortcut and you can read some about them.

 

[SheepGirl]

What is the "twist"?

The twist is basically the V shape where the thighs meet. A deep twist will have more space between the vulva and/or anus and the point of the V. It shows the depth of muscling, which is important on meat sheep (any meat animal, really) since it's the muscles you eat!

 

[PendergrassRanch]

What is the "twist"?

The twist is basically the V shape where the thighs meet. A deep twist will have more space between the vulva and/or anus and the point of the V. It shows the depth of muscling, which is important on meat sheep (any meat animal, really) since it's the muscles you eat!

Okay that is what I thought but I wasn't sure! Thanks!

 

[Remuda1]

Gotta cast my vote for dorpers . At the time of this picture, the lambs were five weeks old.

These were also five weeks at the time of this photo. They were born the day after the ones above.

Meaty

I'm 5'1" and most of the adult sheeps backs reach somewhere around mid thigh

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Sorry Sheepgirl and goodolboy but I'm voting Dorper.

 

[goodolboy]

I always tought the perfect commercial flock would be a 50% Katahdin 50% Dorper ewes, and a wool terminal sire.

Easy keepers, best meat producers.

 

[meloout831]

Nice sheep guys! Sheepgirl your ram is nice! Is he tame? How's the temperament?