sheep

[Bear Foot Farm]

We're looking at miniature cattle because we like the idea of our own milk and beef, but we don't use enough to justify a full-size animal

I'd like to have a couple of small cattle myself.

I really don't need a huge cow, but I already have enough pasture to support some smaller ones​

 

[RabbitMage]

That too. I don't know how much land we'll end up with, but it probably won't be huge. So if we can save some space...

 

[nop169]

Just wanted to put in my 2 cents worth here..... first let me say you all have some beautiful & healthy appearing sheep! It was a treat to see them.
We have had several breeds over the years & I'd like to comment a little on each....
Suffolk - our first sheep were Suffolk - they were beautiful & had a great personality but were 4H raised.... then we got a ram! In reality even the ram wasn't too bad although he would knock you down anytime you went into the pasture with a bucket. I had few issues with them & we kept these for about 8 years but being in the south - the heat, deworming schedule & shearing became too much so eventually we chose to let them go due to their size, shearing & the worsening summer heat.
I also had some Jacob's 4 horn for a very short time - I loved their color pattern & horns but the rams were all too aggressive so I let them go as we had a small child.
I now keep Soay sheep - we have had Soay for about 7 years now. For us - these guys are the best choice for several reasons.... 1) they are a smaller breed of sheep with females weighing around 55 to 65 lbs & rams at 65 to 75 lbs. 2) They are hair sheep - so no shearing - and they seem to adapt fine to the heat. 3) They are parasitic resistant - I do deworm but not nearly as often as I had to with the Suffolk. I DO ROTATE pastures & also use some holistic/natural dewormers rather than synthetic dewormers. 4) I have had no foot issues at all & rarely have to trim feet - again I do have a couple of "piles" of large rock in the paddocks that they like to climb on & our land is sandy with rock outcrops so that helps to wear them down also - but still I do not have foot rot or overgrown hooves like I did with the Suffolk. 5) Lambing is no problem with the soay - although twins are not uncommon - single healthy lambs are usual - although my bloodlines throw twins mainly. No more pulling or untangling lambs in utero as with the Suffolk. 6) Soay thrive on "dust and spit" as my supplier originally told me.... Although I do supplement winter feeding & have decent pastures - I know of herds that are supplemented little... and I use a 10% feed supplement & fescue hay rather than needing a 16% feed & alfalfa hay. My pastures are native grass/fescue with some legumes & the soay keep it "manicured" about 3 inches high - they have eradicated most of the native weeds I used to have to spray yearly (dogfennel/poke/rabbit tobacco/honeysuckle). They also trim the low branches of the trees in the wooded sections without eating the bark on the trunks which keeps it looking well tended & prevents predators (coyotes here) from sneaking up on my animals. 7) These sheep - or at least my herd - will group defensively & fight off coyote attacks - my suffolk simply ran in all directions & we lost several to coyotes. Of course I have herd protectors but my suffolk would not stay with their protectors - my soay have bonded with the protectors. I keep 2 distinct herds of around a dozen animals each (different bloodlines that I rotate rams in) one set are with an alpaca the other set are with a pair of donkeys.

Originally our herd was the normal dark color - but we have added some sheep over the years with naturally occuring color variation so we now have cinnamin colored & standard dark with white patches. Although our stock was originally registered - while I keep my flock pure - I do not register as we use our sheep for a food source. and that brings me to the best quality - taste - I found that I like the taste of soay better than Suffolk - I know it is a personal thing on taste but for us the soay are better.
So in retrospect I would encourage you to examine your constraints as far as economic, time available & reasons for wanting sheep along with environmental conditions of your area. Soay work best for me in most applications but to be honest what originally attracted me to them was their look & ease of management. If anyone is interested in Soay around SC & need a supplier - PM me & I will pass along my original supplier's info - she has several hundred with many bloodlines both registered & unregestired stock & is a wealth of information. Good Luck!

 

[ederob]

We have St.Croix sheep. They are very friendly. They each have their own little personality. They are easy keepers also. They have hair not wool so you do not have to shave them.