HELP! Having Trouble Deciding! (with pics)

mikiz

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So I've narrowed it down to 3 breeds I want to keep, 2 are hair breeds and one is a wool breed:

Damara
Wiltshire Horn
Cheviot

I want to at least attempt to milk, and obviously have meat, however I'm undecided about wool, but don't think it would be a bad thing to have as an extra. I want to be able to use all of the animals I slaughter so the horns are a plus when it comes to using skulls on the hair sheep, but not good for wool, so Cheviots are polled. I really do like the look of Wiltshires and Cheviots, but I want the colour of the Damaras for killer sheep because I utilise the hides.

I want as low maintenance as I can get, so year-round breeding isn't a priority, and I know how to shear so that's not a big deal either, just a bit more work, but I'd be getting wool out of it once a year. All are flystrike and worm resistant.
A good return is a plus though, and all three breeds have majority multiple births and strong mothering instincts.

I can crossbreed the two hair breeds, but I don't know how to fit the third breed in without keeping an entirely separate flock which means I would have to have twice as many paddocks, which is more work. And also considering the ease of moving the sheep, Damaras have excellent flocking ability, whereas Wiltshires are friendly and trainable, but I don't know about Cheviots.

I don't know what hair sheep taste like either, unless that's what they use in the shops. One of my friends raises mixed breed wool sheep and says that hair sheep just don't taste right. (I have a feeling that sheep taste like sheep)I've also heard it said that hair breeds you don't have to castrate the killer ram lambs because they don't develop a bad taste in the 5-6 months they're alive? But then I suppose wool breeds couldn't taste all that bad by 6 months surely?

The land I'm looking for will have enough pasture for minimal assisted feeding, so pasture year round. The area's climate ranges from dry 30*C in summer to soggy wet below 0*C in winter. Sometimes frost. So I'm worried about the hair sheep getting too fat even on pasture, as they're more suited to sparser forage diets.

What I'm actually asking is if anyone has any insight to the pros and cons of each of these breeds? Will the wool breed do "better" on lush pasture year round than the hair sheep?
Help?
 

promiseacres

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Not familiar with these breeds but wool type breeds have a distinct taste due to the lanolin in the wool. Hair sheep is milder and what my family prefers. Look at rate of gain also if looking to butcher, if not a true meat breed you may have to feed longer to get a reasonable amount of meat. Another factor needs to be how easily it is to get breeding stock in your location. Transportation can be costly.
 

purplequeenvt

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I only have limited experience with Cheviots and none with the other 2 breeds. From my experience, Cheviots tend to be very high-strung/spooky animals and their wool isn't the best.

Did you pick these breeds because you like what you've read about them or because you've worked with them before? Are they easily found in your area or at least within a traveling distance you are comfortable with?

As far as I'm aware, none of those breeds are generally used for milk.

There's a huge debate among sheep growers over the flavor of hair vs. wool sheep.

What I've heard is that less lanolin = milder flavor. I raise long (coarse) wool sheep and I love the flavor. I actually prefer the older sheep (mutton) flavor and we've eaten 6+ years old sheep.
 

mikiz

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I picked them because we have no real milking sheep in Aus that I know of. Awassi and Katahdins are about the only breeds and they're IMPOSSIBLE to find.
I figured if they have multiples they should have enough milk, and I'd select for good udders as I went along (or give up and get a goat). I really like the horns, shape, and temperament of Wiltshires, and they're much more accessible, as are the Damaras, who are flighty and very wary. According to some breeders nothing phases a Wiltshire. I'd probably just cross out some Wiltshire ewes to a Damara ram for the colour.
Only issue with that^ is that Wilts are EXPENSIVE. $200+ for a ewe and $400+ for a ram and that's only commercial grade, stud grade is even higher, whereas I can get Damaras for $100 each. So would I be better off selecting a few nice friendly Damara ewes and outcrossing to a Wilt for horns and friendliness?

I haven't enquired about the Cheviots yet but I know there are studs in the country, I like their size and clean extremities, and the hardiness. They're said to grow extremely quickly, which would be a good turnover for me. But if they're genetically flighty that might prove to be a bit of a hassle. According to the breed websites, Cheviot wool is very fine, they're supposedly used for crossing to merinos and can be used for near-skin garments as well as being hardy enough for rugs, which to me seems a bit contradictory? I probably wouldn't be inclined to use a wool breed for milk though, so they would only be wool/hides and meat.

The problem with breed representation associations is that they list NONE of the true cons to these animals, and they play them up to make them seem like pros.
Pretty sure the taste won't really bother me either way, I love really "sheepy" meat, as well as more mild lamb.
 

mikiz

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Since no thread is complete without pics!
This might give a better idea why I can't decide.
Wiltshire are regular meat sheep, Damara are a hardier drought style fat-tailed meat sheep, they come horned or polled, and Cheviots are supposed to be a dual meat/wool sheep.

Wiltshire
P6170429_1.jpg


Damara
damaras4.jpg


Cheviot
BABB_01minilongtailanddaughter.jpg


(note none of these pics are mine, just courtesy of a Google search)
 

animalmom

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Wow! That is a problem worthy of BYH... I like the look of those Wiltshire husky lads, and the Cheviot mom and lamb are just adorable and the Damara are so colorful... they look like mischief looking for a place to happen. Glad I'm not in your shoes as I'd end up with all three varieties and the pay merry hob making it work.

Keep us posted with what you decide, please and thank you.
 

norseofcourse

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Being on the second year of experimenting with milking my sheep, I'd lean towards the Wiltshire for a couple reasons - their nice build, but mostly their temperament. If they truly are that calm, it should be much easier to milk them. But I'd check out some of each breed in person, since not all animals behave as their breed is 'supposed to'.

Wiltshire ewes to a Damara ram sounds like a cross worth considering for all the reasons you're wanting sheep.
 

purplequeenvt

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I'd try to find the breeds you are interested in and visit them to get a better idea of their qualities.

I'm in the US so when I talk about Cheviots, I could be talking about a completely different breed, so to speak. In my experience, Cheviots tend to be high strung. AUS Cheviots might not be.

Question, you talked about the hassle of 3 breeds being that you'd need double the paddocks. Are you planning on pasturing each breed separately? We have 5 breeds and they all live together. Granted, they are all wool sheep. I've heard that hair sheep will shed their hair and the little stiff hairs will get into a wool sheep's fleece, reducing it's value.

I'm thinking that you will be disappointed with the amount of mik that you'll get from those breeds. A lot of labor for a little return. You could definitely try breeding up to a milkier sheep though. It could be a near project.

There is only 1 sheep in our barn that it would be worth milking and she is 1/4 Friesian.
 
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