What Breed of Sheep Are These Babies? Photos Page 3

[Southern by choice]

Thanks for posting the video! I've bookmarked it to watch when I have more reliable Internet access. I do need to learn to do this. I have one goat (dry doe, herd queen) who gets fat looking at grass. Then I have my mini alpines who truly need some grain to look good (in my eyes). I might have to feed them separately... Although I'm not breeding the fat one (even though everyone asks me if she's pregnant) so it's not as big of a problem.

I do think there are some goats that will stay on the leaner side no matter what. They are animals and will still be unique.
I do think years ago dairy goats were much leaner but there has been a good deal of discussion on the subject and the consensus is that the wacko animal rights people thought everyone was starving their goats and that is when the pounds started packing on.
I have heard this from dairy goat people that have been in goats forever and several of my vets have said the same thing. My one vet said the show goats are far fatter then they should be.

 

[thailand]

Thanks Southern for the video...that was great! I've bookmarked it for future reference too. At the moment I have a broken foot so I'm hobbling about a bit for the next 3 weeks. But as soon as I can I will definitely be going over my goats looking at body condition. In the meantime I will just have to do a bit of visual.

Thanks also Goat Whisperer and Babsbag for the straight forward advice.

I should say that I never intended to keep sheep WITH goats. I was thinking we could build them a small enclosure just for them... Also, sheep (and even goats to some extent) are a bit of a rarity here in Thailand. Kinda classified as exotic pets LOL. So, there are not many around. I don't know if we would get the chance again to buy some pet lambs if we waited on these ones It is my understanding that the guy selling these babies is a vet/breeder.

Does that make any difference about getting a couple or not?

There is a very good agriculture university very close to us and we have yet to delve indepth into what they may be able to offer us advice-wise with our 'farm' and animals.

Goats - ok, if I understand everyone correctly, my plan then will be to check BCS for everyone, then use that to gauge if I need to up food amounts or not. Within that, DON'T feed the young buck dairy pellets or BOSS but do feed him the Leucaena and other forage available here, as well as all the Pangola hay he wants, minerals and kelp. I probably don't need to add Ammonium Chloride. (By the way our goats get 3-4 banana skins almost daily, as well as 3-4 banana leaves which they love.)

The does, do give 1/4 cup dairy pellets if needed (but maybe less than the 16% protein?), do included BOSS for the girls, and forage as above, hay, minerals and kelp.

Have I understood correctly?

 

[Southern by choice]

Our baby Nigerian Dwarfs get more than 1/4 cup of feed so it that is all why bother. Again go by what you see with the goats. If your buck is fine then good. If he is skinny feed him. Keep it simple. 16% is fine.

Sorry about your broken foot!

Glad you found there is a university that may assist.

As far as sheep... do you have the land to support them? Do you have the support? Will you be raising the goats and sheep for meat animals for the village?

 

[thailand]

Ok thanks Southern I will try to get either photos or videos posted here showing my goats on the milk stand. I've just been and had a quick look at them with your posted video in mind....actually I think after all they are looking pretty good...maybe a 3?

We have an acre of land with the hope of buying more surrounding land in the future. The goats are only being raised for milk, and the sheep would simply be much loved pets with the added benefit of keeping the grass a little trim. Which would you recommend - pet whethers or ewes?

 

[TAH]

For grass I would do sheep. Sheep are grazers goats are browsers.

SBC and GW how do you leave grain for your bucks? (Our goats would gorge themselves to death).

 

[babsbag]

My bucks don't get grain as there is no way to feed multiple bucks in one pen without them killing each other. But the hay I feed is tested and is dairy quality alfalfa, they get almost 5 lbs a day each. The TDN in the hay is about 65% and my goats look better this year than they ever have. Probably the big goats get more as the little goats don't eat 5 lbs of hay. I am sure it wouldn't hurt my growing kids to get some grain, but again, no way to feed 50 kids without causing major battles and a few of them being major hogs.

@thailand, I think your feeding plan sounds good. 1/4 c. of grain is not much but if the body condition is good I wouldn't worry about it until they go back into milk and then up the grain. I think the protein is ok.

If you have a way to house the sheep and grass for them and they are healthy I would get them if you want them. Life is too short to say "what if".

 

[thailand]

Thanks Babs So.....whethers or ewes? Which make the better pets? And, I take it we are better to have 2 x or will one be ok considering we have goats they can be friends with?

 

[babsbag]

I know nothing about sheep so I have no suggestion on personality, maybe ask the breeder. But I would get two just because I seem to own everything in pairs.

 

[TAH]

I had two ewes mother daughter pair, mom was very sweet and mild tampered daughter was bouncing ball of joy. We named them peace and joy.

I would get either two wethers or two ewes. @norseofcourse @Sheepshape

 

[norseofcourse]

For sheep, I would get two of the same gender, too. How they are handled will make more difference in how friendly they are, than their gender. The only difference I can think of is that with ewes, you won't have to worry about possible urinary calculi.

What breed are the sheep?