Choosing the Right Breed of Sheep
There are many breeds of sheep all around the world. What you plan to get from them is of high importance on which breed you choose, unless you just want them to eat your grass or for the pure enjoyment of having them. Some of these breeds only do well in certain climates. Therefore, having these as a starting point in choosing which breed to get us, becomes very important.
Sheep can provide three basic things. The first and most thought of is wool, or fiber. But did you know that there are hair sheep? These sheep shed their hair and do not need to be shaven, considered a chore for some. The second is meat. Certain breeds do really well on this front, growing faster and may be known for having better meat quality. The third main product of sheep is milk. Many do not consider this aspect but a milk sheep produce more milk fat per liter than a cow or goat. Meaning you can get more cheese per liter from them than either a cow or goat. Let’s look at a few different breeds and how each fairs on those three points.
Before raising any sheep on your farm or yard, I found analyzing the climatic condition of my area and the sheep that fit this weather condition of great benefit. Sheep can be raised for their meat, wool, milk, or as a pet. Many breeds are usually dual purpose. This means that although your main intention of raising the sheep is for its meat, you will be in a position to get wool or milk from the same breed.
Having an idea of the reason why you want to raise sheep is of great benefit when it comes to choosing the right breed of sheep. Since there are many breeds of sheep, crossing out prolific breed when looking for grass based sheep range should ne the case. I found that when looking for sheep for dairy purposes, crossing out meat breeds is advisable. The hair breeds are not necessary when looking for wool breeds and the common breeds should not feature in a list of the rare breeds when looking for the latter. This is what helped me in choosing the right breeds for meat production.
When you have selected the breeds you want for your farm, caring for them will not be a hard task when you stick to the rules of caring for the different breeds of sheep. The food you feed them is quite affordable and when you compare it to the benefits gained from raising the sheep, your move to have sheep was not in vain. This however does not mean that sheep are meant only for people who want to keep them for commercial purposes. There are breeds that you can raise as pet. The space you need for this pet is minimal and you will be in a position to train your pet, as sheep are trainable.
