They are truly multi-purpose Pingback: How to Start a Backyard Farm - One Acre Farm, Pingback: Raising Shetland Sheep: Guide To Starting A Flock, Pingback: What To Raise On Your Homestead or Backyard Farm - One Acre Farm, hi , i’m here in Northern Nichigan with aa small flock of shetland sheeep. The Shetland Isles is located off the northeast coast of Scotland. Be aware of state and local wetland laws, for activity may be limited or prohibited within a certain distance from streams, swamps, vernal pools, etc. level land, and better quality grass mean less money spent on hay, and probably happier sheep. The Icelandic sheep are of medium size with mature ewes weighing 150-160 lbs. I have a 2 week old ram lamb who is being bottle fed. All rights reserved. Do not leave their feed hay on the ground. Swap his bottles for a bucket feeder and let him have contact with the sheep around him so that he knows he is still a sheep and learns the sheep ways. Shetland comes in one of the widest ranges of colors of any breed. Shetland ewes often have twin lambs which are born easily and sustained on prolific milk from their mothers. Top quality fleeces and registered animals can bring in some money. The Shetland is the smallest of the British breeds and it retains many of the characteristics of wild sheep. She has never calculated her expenses and income, but thinks her greatest source of income is the prize money she brings in from showing her sheep. They keep 4-5 breeding ewes, two yearling ewes for showing, and a ram. But carefully evaluate your own situation to determine how best to protect your flock. Information on adding new breeds or updating existing information. A word of caution to start with. Shetland sheep are very hardy, good mothers, easy lambers and produce plenty of milk. Wholesale shetland hogget for sale. 's (2002 Could you give me some advice. As for whether or not to get a ram, obviously you need one if you want to breed them, unless you plan to breed the ewes with someone else’s ram. Carol, her mom, uses the fleeces for hand spinning and weaving. Montana suggests that you look for “bright eyes, energy, and perked ears…don’t pick any sheep with weird legs or weak backs.”. The Shetland will finish within 30 months off poor quality forage with generally low production costs. Currently the Shetland sheep is raised mainly for wool production. Jones Family Farm in Indiana dedicated to raising our Nigerian Dwarf Milk Goats ( which we use their milk to make homemade soap), Shetland Sheep, (which we use their fiber to make felted products). So learn which ones do prowl your area, and how to deter them. They are now classed as a minority breed under the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) having previously been a rare breed. They have a double coated fleece. Shetland Sheepdogs (or Shelties) are high energy bundles of long, silky fur. Located in Central Washington State, our focus is on dairy quality and milk production. -->
But will not escape like goats. Fleeces usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds (1-1 1/2 kg) and have a staple length of 2 to 4.5 inches (50-120mm). They are small, hardy, long-lived, and do very well on a poor diet. The ewes are excellent mothers and produce ample milk for their babies. Montana and Carol are quick to point out that any commercial feed should be labeled specifically for sheep because sheep are easily poisoned by the higher copper content of pig, cattle, and some goat feeds. Good luck! This ewe was shorn earlier in spring, and already her fleece is long. Kinaldy Shetland Sheep, Pitlochry. This also makes it easier for those diy sheep shearers who only keep a few dairy sheep for milk and can't see the benefit of paying a shearer to shear half an animal. To find your sheep, search online and attend Fiber Festivals. Be aware that while breeding quality offspring of registered animals will command higher prices, their meat or wool will not. The soft but slightly crisp feel, and the rich variety of natural colors make Shetland fleeces in demand among hand spinners, knitters, and weavers. In her breeding program, she selects for “sound bodies, kind personalities” and soft fleeces in shades of gray to black, with a medium to loose crimp. They are highly adaptive, prolific and offer soft succulent meat and a myriad of colorful fine quality wool. You should, however, be aware of a few common health care issues: Spring shearing keeps this ewe cool for the summer. Get registered sheep if you want to contribute to breed conservation, or if you want to breed them seriously. Any thoughts? I have plenty of pasture but would like them to help my husband clean up and maintain the wooded area of our proptery. And home grown veggies 404 likes. Meat from older Shetland sheep is considered mutton, and is usually marinaded and slowly cooked. The other breed that I have looked closely at is babydoll. Besides the white, the sheep produce several shades of wool including moorit(reddy/brown), shaela (silvery grey), fawn, grey, dark brown and black. The Aireys’ sheep get hay to supplement their small pasture, as well as commercial sheep feed to ensure good nutrition. You may also like to read Shetland Sheep. Their light weight reduces the risk of poaching in wet areas. All Shetland Sheepdog found here are from AKC-Registered parents. After careful consideration (and a close contest with Icelandic sheep), we settled on Shetland sheep, who seemed to fit the bill perfectly. please. Pregnant or The Airey’s have an interesting system that works well for them. X. Dogs, coyotes, wolves, foxes, bears, cougars, bobcats, and eagles take sheep, especially lambs. Montana chose Shetlands for their beauty, charm, small size, and gorgeous colorful fleeces. Purebred Shetland meat is highly regarded on taste, but is slow to mature and wethers are often run through to shearlings. Now that Native Shetland Lamb is more widely available the name is also used to clarify the origin of the meat in a number of countries where flocks of pure bred Shetland sheep can be found. The Airey’s ram enjoys the 1 acre pasture where their horse grazes. Copyright © 1995-2015 Oklahoma State University Board of Regents. Numerous ailments can afflict sheep, but you don’t need to learn them all from the outset. Then un-registered Shetlands, or even hybrids, are fine. Shetland sheep can show almost all possible sheep colours and patterns (some of which are still being catalogued), although solid white and solid moorit (reddish-brown) or black are most common. In the US the East Friesian and Lacaune are often crossed to produce mixed breed that generally produces less milk the the East Friesian Sheep but of higher quality, with higher fat and solids like the Lacaune Sheep milk. Hardy, thrifty Shetlands thrive on forage, but if you have insufficient pasture, or if you’re under snow during winter, you will have to supplement with hay for at least part of the year. I learned a lot about them during my years as a fiber festival junky, but because I don’t have first hand experienced raising Shetland sheep, I interviewed our neighbors right here in Bolton, Massachusetts: Montana and Carol Airey of Wild Air Farm. Raising Shetland Sheep: Guide to Starting a Flock. East Friesian milk sheep Peterborough 18/11/2020 Two east friesian ewes and one east friesian cross shetland ewe for sale. They have few problems, and the need to bottle feed a lamb is rare. I was just curious if we had to administer the ivermectin via subcutaneous injection (they have the injectable version), or could we simply add it to the feed for oral administration? The breed has both polled and horned individual of both sexes but it Keeping the food clean is a must. When the ewes and lambs rotate into the pasture, the ram is hay fed in the smaller enclosure. Your email address will not be published. There are 11 main colors as well as 30 markings, many still bearing their Shetland dialect names. Shetland sheep are very hardy, good mothers, easy lambers and produce plenty of milk. Some individuals are patterned, such as the “panda” lamb in front. As for being 2 week old..it is now too late to band him properly (if you are in the uk) it supposed to be done by day 11. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Want a few sheep for pets and fiber that you won’t be breeding? document.write('animal-science-mail-form');
I will bookmark and referr back to it as I explore the possibility of adding a small flock of sheep to our farm. Shetland Sheep are a triple purpose sheep, producing wool, meat, and milk. Do you happen to know anything about this breeds usefulness for underbrush control ? animal-science-mail-form
One ewe (2 years old) isn’t accepting her twins …..I will have to milk her and don’t know how …… They usually get about 8 lambs per year, which both Montana and Carol show (and often win!). Shetland sheep are part of the Northern European short-tailed group, which also includes Finns, Icelandics, and Romanovs. They At Sheepless Nights, we raise fine wooled Shetland sheep and crosses, along with Jersey dairy cows A stranger stopped by the farm the other day and asked to take pictures of the Shetland lambs for her grandchildren. Shetland sheep breed information The Shetland sheep are small … The breed is noted mainly for their use in crofting in Shetland. They keep 2 female lambs for future showing and breeding. Check it out, and contact her if you are interested in purchasing fleeces or animals. The Shetland will calve easily to most bulls, even of the large continental breeds. On the mainland UK the Shetland Sheep Breeders Group (SSBG) act as the breed society and also have foreign members (mainly US). Before buying, determine your goals with the animals, because you need to know whether the expense of registered Shetland sheep is worth it. Sheep Milk Production: The average lactation period for a dairy breed of sheep can be up to 240 or around 8 months. Around 600 litres of milk has been distributed to local schools per week, the milk production of about four local cows. Also we are only going to be getting a small trailer but I don’t know whether to get 3 or 4? They are fine boned with open face and legs and udders. Dirty feed can spread diseases and parasites. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When crossed with an early maturing terminal sire (such as a Ryeland) the fat lambs make excellent eating and dress out well. Or you can stand, face the opposite direction of the sheep, and bend over to reach the udder. For a Shetland, she has an unusually long and loose fleece. The Shetland Sheep originate from the Shetland Islands in Scotland. Can a Spring lamb still be tamed if not handled as of yet as it’s already mid July. The breed society for the Shetland Islands is the Shetland Flock Book Society. They come in all sorts of colors and pattrens They require lower fences compared to the larger breeds. To constantly improve their breeding stock, they occasionally replace older breeding ewes with yearlings. Many sheep producers use guardian animals with great success. If you are looking for good quality fleece, educate yourself on fleeces. Your email address will not be published. “Many times I have gone out in the morning and found lambs dried and running around, ” says Montana, but she advises close observation, nonetheless: “All sheep no matter how healthy they may seem can have health issues. Animals are well suited to most conservation grazing projects and will browse and graze most species. Does anyone shear twice a year – spring and fall? If not, then perhaps you should get your own. When is the best time to neuter a ram lamb? Feb 7, 2017 - White Musket (pale cream to brown/grey) Grey Mioget (rose gold to yellow gold) Grey katmoget (pale grey to very dark grey/black) Fawn Katmoget (shades of … Trees around the enclosure provide needed shade. Sheep will not eat anything sullied by urine or droppings, and for good reason. See the Sources at the end of this post, for a calendar of fiber festival events. Cows have a relatively low yield, around 2500 litres per lactation but the milk is rich in butterfat. They are suitable for milk and meat production and also good for draft. Shetland sheep fleeces come in a range of natural browns and grays, as well as black and white. Though Shetland sheep are small and hardy, there are some basic necessities, as well as some conveniences that you might want. Here are the most commonly used ones: Montana demonstrates showing her sheep. Find Shetland Sheepdog Puppies and Breeders in your area and helpful Shetland Sheepdog information. Rams usually weigh 90 to 125 pounds and ewes about 75 to 100 pounds. Meat from 1-2 year old Shetland sheep (called a “hogget”) is more flavorfu, but delicate enough to be cooked as lamb. Shetland cattle, known natively in the Scots language as Shetland kye are a small, hardy cattle breed from the Shetland Islands to the north of mainland Scotland. I’m not very familiar with other small breeds.
The meat is slow-grown and tasty, and is often eaten as hogget (over one year old). Project initiated April, 1994 - Initial web site opened February 22, 1995. The Shetland cattle are a multi-purpose breed of cattle from the Shetland Isles. Fleeces average two to four pounds and vary in crimp from wavy to straight. Because sheep can be hay fed, there is really no minimum pasture area per animal. As long time hobby homesteaders, the Aireys had horses, chickens, and a large vegetable garden for years before starting their flock of Shetlands. Don’t get your hopes up until you check the local laws and regulations for restrictions on types of livestock, limitations on numbers of animals, distance of structures from property lines, etc. They are often patterned such as krunet (white crown), katmoget (dark belly) and gulmoget (light underneath). They do not keep rams over 2 years old, because aggression begins to rise by then. Because sheep are flock animals, you need at least two of them to satisfy their social needs. Shetland meat is lean, tender and mild flavored. Read 10 Myths About Wild Predators to deepen your understanding of predator behavior. Milk – The Aireys don’t milk their sheep, but Shetlands can be milked. Whatever you do, avoid livestock auctions, where many of the animals have serious health problems. The nice thing about lambs is that you can raise them to be really tame if you handle them a lot when young. They belong to the Northern European short-tailed group which also contains the Finnsheep, Norwegian Spaelsau, Icelandics, Romanovs and others. Woven, knitted, or felted decor, and soap or artisan cheese made from sheep milk are possibilities. Unlike commercial sheep which have been intensively bred for production, Shetland ewes have retained the ability to lamb with little to no human assistance. As a passionate knitter, I longed to raise Shetland sheep for years…Alas, time, money, and space have been used for other endeavors, and Shetlands are probably not in my future. Great fleece for Spinning, Felting, Weaving and other Crafts. You will have to learn which ones grow in your area, and remove them from your pasture. You can milk them there not a milking breed which means they wont have as much as the milking sheep will but they have a high butter fat in the milk. Purebred Shetland meat is highly regarded on taste, but is slow to mature and wethers are often run through to shearlings. Please provide a description of this breed as well
Montana Airey chose Shetland sheep for their beauty, charm, small size, and gorgeous fleeces. The long silky outer layer is called the ‘Tog’, these fibers can be up to 20cm long. Shetland wool has a Bradford count usually in the upper 50's to lower 60's and a fiber diameter range of 20 -25 microns. North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association, P.O. Their ram must be kept separate from the ewes and lambs, so the ram and the flock of ewes/lambs rotate between the pasture and the smaller enclosure. One Acre Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertizing program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. It is vitally important to always be watchful of a ewe in labor/going into labor so any warning signs can be perceived and dealt with as early as possible.” Mark the words of a responsible shepherdess! This small, hardy, heritage sheep breed is a great choice for a small farm, whether you’re interested in a few sheep as pets, and/or a source of fiber, meat, or even milk. The hay on the ground here is fine for litter, but feed hay must be elevated to keep it clean. Most dairy sheep farmers will milk each ewe for about 6 months which is about 180 days of lactation.