Raising sheep isn’t something I’ve ever experienced. However, I have heard many stories from my mother about how much my great grandfather enjoyed raising them. I know he raised them for both meat and wool. I’ve done quite a bit of research and didn’t realize how many different breeds there were. I also didn’t know that there were certain types of sheep only bred for meat and others solely for wool. I’ve listed below the breeds suitable for a small prepper farm looking to raise sheep for both meat and wool production.
Rambouillet
These sheep have a strong flocking instinct, so they stay together instead of wandering off in different directions. The rams have long horns that stick out to the sides and curl slightly. Rams can weigh up to 300 pounds and ewes are generally closer to 200 pounds. This breed is great for people who have ranches with grasslands, instead of needing to haul in extra food to feed sheep. Ewes of this breed bond strongly with their young, are good milkers, and keep a close eye on their offspring too. In short; they make excellent mothers.
Border Leicesters
Leicesters, which come in a variety of colors, have wool that is sought after by wool spinners. They seem to like its crimp and luster and it’s perfect for making heavy weight garments out of it. This breed of sheep is rather large, but very docile. A mature ram can weigh up to 390 pounds and a ewe can weigh up to 260 pounds. I love the way their ears stick upright, similar to a rabbit’s. Lambs will produce about 4 pounds of wool at shearing, while a yearling will produce closer to 7 pounds of wool. Border Leicester lambs are active shortly after birth and can reach over 100 pounds during the first 4 months. This breed of hornless sheep is also known for their excellent foraging abilities.
Targhee
This breed is one of the youngest around today and are popular in the western states. These hornless sheep were developed in 1926 in Idaho and are a combination of Rambouillet, Lincoln, and Corriedale sheep. They have good meat production and heavy wool of medium quality. Rams can weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. Targhee ewes have great maternal skills. These ewes can weigh between 125 and 200 pounds and produce between 10 and 14 pounds of wool. The wool comes all the way up onto their heads and nearly covers their eyes.
Columbia
For those who want and all-American breed of sheep, this is the one. They were developed in 1912 by crossing Lincoln and Rambouillet sheep. The original reason for creating this type of sheep was to find a breed that would produce more wool, more lambs, and endure specific range conditions. Columbia sheep have hardy lambs that grow quickly and they also produce heavy, medium wool. This type of sheep will also do well on grasslands and need less feed.
So Many Sheep to Choose from!
There are multiple breeds of dual-purpose sheep out there, but I thought the four I mentioned above seemed to be the best suited for small farms. Things to consider before starting up a sheep herd of your own might be; how much land you have, the climate in which you live, and the food sources you have available already for your sheep. Whatever you decide…happy farming!
What are you looking for in a sheep breed?
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Susan says
Your article was very helpful..thanks
Rozanne Ohmes says
Something you didn’t mention about Rambouillet was the softness of their wool. Great for handspinners, and those who use it for felting. I loved mine.
pandabear says
those who intend to use sheep to clear land, and to mow the lawn must realize that these are two different things. most sheep will eat up your trees as well as the grass. however, the baby dolls won’t. this is essential for those who are limited in land and must stack uses of it. i found this info from the california wineries who found baby dolls to be the perfect lawn mowers for their vineyards.
Aida says
Also with the Ramboulietts, if you don’t want to mess with horns you can get them polled (hornless). That is actually what I grew up raising. Horned sheep even of the same breed always seemed more crazy than polled lol. Both my grandfather, and dad did not like horned so we raised polled. If you have a good bloodline you never have to worry about horn care. This breed is also a very hardy breed in both cold and hot weather. Just make sure after the last snow you sheer them or if you get hot summers, there is a possibility of them overheating and dying.
Nancy says
What an interesting article! We have a small flock that started out as a 4-H project. We have had Montendales which are a dual purpose white face, sulfolk – black face meat breed , and Dorset a white faced dual purpose. The 4-Her has grown up and left us with the sheep. I haven’t decided if we should retire from the sheep or investigate a smaller breed that would be easier to handle as we get old. Any thoughts out their!
Jennifer Courtemanche says
Rather disappointed that you did not include any of the primitive breeds. We raise Icelandics on small acreage and they are fantastic. Hardy, short but stocky, majorly multi colored, double coated with two fleeces each year, good meat sheep and even have dairy lines.
Kimmie says
Yep, I would have thought dairy breeds would be mentioned. Many go to goats for dairy on a homestead, but buck goats are gross. Ram sheep generally may get a little musky in the fall but overall they aren’t gross at all. Dairy breeds often have ok wool and of course could be eaten. I plan to get a trio this coming Spring.