Choosing
a Breed
by Pegg Thomas
For those who have decided to purchase purebred sheep, how do you
determine what breed of sheep is best for you? There are so
many variables within the sheep breeds and lots to consider.
Let’s start with the ‘abilities’ you need
to take into account.
1) Affordability - this
includes not just the cost per head of the sheep, but also travel
expenses if a breeder is not in
your area and vet expenses if you are traveling across state
borders. Not all states require vet checks, but some
do. Be sure you know the
laws before you transport stock!
2) Availability -
sheep and lambs are not always available just where and when we want
them. Be prepared to wait if you are looking for lambs in the
off season, or if you want a particular age/sex /color of
sheep. Breeders don’t usually have a large
assortment of breeding stock for sale all year round.
3) Suitability - many
spinner’s flocks are
totally under the care of a woman shepherd. Thought should be
given
to the size and temperament of the sheep she is willing to try to
handle
by herself. Some breeds get very large and some small breeds
are
very flighty, making them hard to handle. Intermediate sized
breeds,
with ewes in the 140 lbs to 160 lbs range often work out best in this
situation.
4) Profitability - if
your sheep need to earn their own way, choosing a breed with a very
marketable wool and/or desirable lambs is important too.
Raising a small breed in an area where only meat sheep are in demand
will limit your sales and profit margin. Some breeds
routinely twin, some raise only singles, and some have mini
litters. There are extra costs involved in multiple births
such as extra feed and
supplements, but you also get twice as much lamb from the same amount
of
ewe. If the bottom line is important, be sure and look at
this aspect
if the breed.
To learn more about the different breeds of sheep and find listings
of breeders, visit the breed
association web pages. There is also a great page
on all the breeds of sheep sponsored by Oklahoma
State University.
Once you have a pretty good idea of what breed you are most interested
in purchasing, it’s a good idea to purchase wool from that
breed. I recommend that you purchase raw wool (not
processed roving) from 2 or 3 different breeders and get a
good sampling of what this breed will produce. Buying raw
wool enables you to evaluate the wool ‘as is’ and
not what a good fiber mill can make of it. You may find that
you prefer
one breeder’s wool above the others. It would make
sense to approach
that breeder for your breeding stock. If that breeder
doesn’t have
the sheep you want available, he/she will likely be able to recommend
other
breeders who produce a similar wool quality.
This also allows you a good opportunity to change your mind!
Should you decide that this breed’s wool is *not* what you
want to produce in your flock, you’ve saved a lot of time and
money by sampling first. Research is time consuming but
getting it right the first time is priceless.
All articles are copyright protected and may not be copied for any use without the author's written permission.
Home Page