Fencing the blighters in

[Tremyfro]

We have finally managed to get enough fencing done to get some sheep on the land. We have fenced off an area near the pond and replaced some long fences. Slowly getting rid of the barbed wire. Expensive getting done though.
Now the question is what breed of sheep to get?
My daughter wants something pretty to look at...I want something which looks pretty on the plate...lol.
After all the expense of fencing they will have to be cheap sheep!
However....the sward improvement will be worth it and a few fat lambs to suppliment the table would be good.

 

[yeogi75]

Im no farmer, but I believe Dorset sheep are the best to keep as they are no problem lambing, but check it out further as im not 100% sure good luck

 

[Millet]

Have a read up on Beltex they are well known for there extreme muscling, a farmer that i do work for buys a load in at the auctions and fattens them up over winter they remind me of bulldogs with a sheep's head..

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes both the Texel and beltex are very popular ATM...double muscle I think in gigot. However...rather pricey and really meant for the commercial farmer. I only want to run about 10 ewes...until we have more of our land sheep proof fenced. We have some long stretches of hedges...but the way they are trimmed these days means the bottoms grow out of them so not much good for sheep. The days of layer hedges is long gone. As we have horses too the fencing is all electrified. I don't want anything flighty. So I've been thinking of ryelands or the Dorset poll or the Hampshire downs. Depends very much on cost...ha ha...probably end up with some broken mouth ewes this year until I can afford to improve them...

 

[Swarm]

Balwens, great little sheep and pretty to look at.

 

[Millet]

Yes both the Texel and beltex are very popular ATM...double muscle I think in gigot. However...rather pricey and really meant for the commercial farmer. I only want to run about 10 ewes...until we have more of our land sheep proof fenced. We have some long stretches of hedges...but the way they are trimmed these days means the bottoms grow out of them so not much good for sheep. The days of layer hedges is long gone. As we have horses too the fencing is all electrified. I don't want anything flighty. So I've been thinking of ryelands or the Dorset poll or the Hampshire downs. Depends very much on cost...ha ha...probably end up with some broken mouth ewes this year until I can afford to improve them...

Wait till the lambing season Trem a lot of farmers have that many pet lambs they do not have the time or want to mess on feeding them and they can not give them away quick enough, it would obviously slow you down but feeding them is easier these day's with multiple teat feeders that you just top up and let them get on with it which lessens the bond which you get when feeding them one at a time with a bottle, they sharp grow and once you get them on fresh grass they start piling the weight on.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wait till the lambing season Trem a lot of farmers have that many pet lambs they do not have the time or want to mess on feeding them and they can not give them away quick enough, it would obviously slow you down but feeding them is easier these day's with multiple teat feeders that you just top up and let them get on with it which lessens the bond which you get when feeding them one at a time with a bottle, they sharp grow and once you get them on fresh grass they start piling the weight on.

We have finally managed to get enough fencing done to get some sheep on the land. We have fenced off an area near the pond and replaced some long fences. Slowly getting rid of the barbed wire. Expensive getting done though.
Now the question is what breed of sheep to get?
My daughter wants something pretty to look at...I want something which looks pretty on the plate...lol.
After all the expense of fencing they will have to be cheap sheep!
However....the sward improvement will be worth it and a few fat lambs to suppliment the table would be good.

Braver than me
I’d love a couple of ewes in our little field but Stan says NO!!! Because he knows what would happen

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes...orphan lambs...I have lots of neighbours who have sheep...so I am hoping to pick up a few next year. Most farmers are glad to pass them on especially if they are ram lambs. We have raised pet lambs before...they are great when you want to get them all in for doing their feet etc...just stand by the gate and call them...all the others follow too...ha ha don't need a sheep dog!
Balwens are lovely...but again a bit pricey around here.
I'm going to check out our local markets in the next few weeks...I might be able to pick up a few of this years ewe lambs...it's worth growing them on for tupping next year.
We have had so much grass this year....I had to strip graze the summer paddock for the horses. There is still a small part of the paddock to graze off and I also have two paddocks which didn't get grazed at all this year....and now are too soft underfoot for the horses to graze. I wanted to put a few sheep in them for the winter...they are such great cross grazers with horses.

 

[Tremyfro]

Braver than me
I’d love a couple of ewes in our little field but Stan says NO!!! Because he knows what would happen

Stan the Meany..lol....it's not as if you want an entire flock...just a few little woolly sheep....did you know you can get miniature sheep now? Ouesant...or something they are called....and they don't need shearing either.
I used to breed and show sheep...some years ago now though. This time I mainly want them for clean up in the paddocks after the horses...which are such wasteful grazers. Of course, filling the freezer with some yummy lamb would be great too.

 

[theeggman]

I think Dorsets will lamb just about any time and are very docile (thick). The lady that rents our grass at present runs Dorset Down and Zwartbles (however it's spelt). She does not have a dog and the black b's really give them the run around.

In a previous life we used to put Ryeland rams on to Border Leicester ewes for an early lamb crop. The lambs were born at about 1/4 slaughter weight. We started lambing mid dec and would put lambs into the Devon Dounty Show for judging live and then dead. Maybe put a ryeland ram onto a Dorset!

 

[Tremyfro]

I think Dorsets will lamb just about any time and are very docile (thick). The lady that rents our grass at present runs Dorset Down and Zwartbles (however it's spelt). She does not have a dog and the black b's really give them the run around.

In a previous life we used to put Ryeland rams on to Border Leicester ewes for an early lamb crop. The lambs were born at about 1/4 slaughter weight. We started lambing mid dec and would put lambs into the Devon Dounty Show for judging live and then dead. Maybe put a ryeland ram onto a Dorset!

That's a good combination and I know of several people who have ryeland tups for their Welsh X ewes. One of our local farmers runs Leicesters...they have fallen out of favour somewhat around here. I know he has been thinking of changing as the market for his surplus stock is shrinking. I'll probably have to leave it for fate...see what happens this spring. I do have the chance of some Texel ewe lambs...not too expensive but I haven't seen them yet.

 

[B+.]

I’d love a couple of ewes in our little field but Stan says NO!!! Because he knows what would happen

Didn't you tell him that ewes don't swarm
Even if they did, they`d never be able to climb the 30 foot ladder

 

[pargyle]

Braver than me
I’d love a couple of ewes in our little field but Stan says NO!!! Because he knows what would happen

As a former Vet you should know what most sheep farmers say about sheep - they spend most of their time trying to find creative ways to die .... at the earliest opportunity...

So - Stan is probably right ... even with a resident vet on site the time, effort and required medicinal assistance would probably work out more expensive than buying a hill raised and bred carcass ready to be jointed. !!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Balwens, great little sheep and pretty to look at.

Or badgerface

 

[colinc]

As a former Vet you should know what most sheep farmers say about sheep - they spend most of their time trying to find creative ways to die .... at the earliest opportunity...



So - Stan is probably right ... even with a resident vet on site the time, effort and required medicinal assistance would probably work out more expensive than buying a hill raised and bred carcass ready to be jointed. !!

The holy grail of sheep death is to curl up your toes, with no warning at all, when you are the strongest prize sheep in the field. As stated it will be like keeping bees the rewards are good and, well butchered, will taste amazing no doubt due to more fat in the meat no doubt, but with bills and expenses it will be a loss making exercise.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Gilberdyke John]

As a former Vet you should know what most sheep farmers say about sheep - they spend most of their time trying to find creative ways to die .... at the earliest opportunity...

So - Stan is probably right ... even with a resident vet on site the time, effort and required medicinal assistance would probably work out more expensive than buying a hill raised and bred carcass ready to be jointed. !!

Not always the earliest opportunity- often this criteria is changed to the most inopportune moment.

 

[Tremyfro]

I bought a prize winning ram lamb years ago...cost a fortune...it was on its back two days after getting it home...dead as a door nail! Luckily I had some insurance on it from the sale.
I have run a MV pedigree flock before and it is expensive but this time it's really as clean up grazers and for the table. So I suppose breed is not so important...though flavour is.
The badger face sheep are cute. Welsh blacks are good too.
A couple of years ago I salted a leg of lamb...and that was scrumptious. Like an iberica ham only with the flavour of lamb.

 

[Worldsend]

Jacob sheep 2 or 4 horned so they have handles

Lamb well

After the shearer has called they look like goats!

Been a member of the Jacob sheep society for about 20 years

 

[pargyle]

The holy grail of sheep death is to curl up your toes, with no warning at all, when you are the strongest prize sheep in the field. As stated it will be like keeping bees the rewards are good and, well butchered, will taste amazing no doubt due to more fat in the meat no doubt, but with bills and expenses it will be a loss making exercise.

Not always the earliest opportunity- often this criteria is changed to the most inopportune moment.

Ohhh .... the voices of experience !! One of my former school friends farms sheep in Cumbria and he reckons that sheep are so intent on dying that given the choice of an open gate and a noose of barbed wire or an impossibly small gap they will alwsys choose the one that results in either a slow prolonged death or a huge vets bill in revenge if they manage to survive ...

 

[MartinL]

You don't say what condition the land is you're wanting to keep them on.

I'm assuming there aren't many mountains but are you near the coast?

How about some rare breeds, Soay, Manx Loaghtan or Castlemilk-moorits?

You'd be able to spot them in with the neighbours if /when they escaped too.