thinkin about gettn' me some sheep

[crop/hail]

I live in central Texas. Lots of people around here have cattle and sheep and they all say that the sheep have always made them money. I cant always say that about cattle!! Im thinking about getting me a little herd of dorper sheep (20-30) to keep around my house. Problem is that i dont know anything about sheep. Do any of yall have any? What can you tell me about em?

 

[backhoeboogie]

I hear they are baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

ask ole Hussain. He's more familiar than anyone else.

 

[skyhightree1]

I wish you luck in your venture but those things eat too much grass for me. There is a farm here that they have I know atleast 150 + and all there pastures are like carpet and they have a lot of land.

 

[callmefence]

I have no clue what the he'll he means by the Hussein thing??wrong thread maybe? ;-)

You probably should be running sheep were your located. I've had some sheep or goats nearly all my life. Till last year. Usually had around a hundred and they made money on land cattle would starve on. I sold out last year. Coyotes were the biggest problem. The sheep had to be penned at night. With work, the cattle etc. I didn't have time to pen sheep and hunt coyotes. They closed the sales at jarrell and lometa. Goldthwaite is 70 miles. I don't travel well. Something had to go. I guarantee that they will be back on this place.

Being new with sheep, consider running barbado x dorper ewes. You want take much of a hit. You can't hardly kill the lambs with a hammer if they got barbadoe in em. And they eat ANYTHING. Thorns and all

 

[crop/hail]

I hoped you would reply fence. I know youre close and thought you might have some sheep. Im gonna put em right around my house in 2 5 acre traps. Its open wheat fields all around me no brush for a half mile or so, so i dont think predators will be a problem. the traps are planted in klien grass and in the fall i plant oats on them. How many ewes do you think i could run? ive had people tell me 2-3 per acre if its all grass or grain fields does that sound right? also goldthwaite is the next town north so hauling wont be a big issue. thanks for the input

 

[Ebenezer]

We run St. Croix hair sheep. Good balance on income with cows, timber and hunting leases. Would be in same ballpark as Barbados with more size, less flight and more worm resistance. If pastures are a problem it is a management or input issue. Got to manage whether it is cows or sheep. But the sheep are good for brush control and a lot of weeds, too. We use guard donkeys: one per group and try not to let the donkeys have a chance to buddy up across a fence either.

 

[callmefence]

I hoped you would reply fence. I know youre close and thought you might have some sheep. Im gonna put em right around my house in 2 5 acre traps. Its open wheat fields all around me no brush for a half mile or so, so i dont think predators will be a problem. the traps are planted in klien grass and in the fall i plant oats on them. How many ewes do you think i could run? ive had people tell me 2-3 per acre if its all grass or grain fields does that sound right? also goldthwaite is the next town north so hauling wont be a big issue. thanks for the input

It sounds good I think you could probably run 7 to 12 per acre on ground like that. The only thing is hair sheep's advantage is being able to make a living in the brush pasture that doesn't have much to give cattle. Also tamu advises against running sheep on Klein or haygrazer.
I've done both without issue but beware. I'll say do your own research on that.

 

[Rafter S]

I've also read that kleingrass can be toxic to horses, goats, and sheep. Other than that, about all I know about sheep is that if mutton was the only kind of meat I could get I might consider becoming a vegetarian.

 

[Son of Butch]

Years ago drove past a beautiful show place hobby farm with a small pasture holding 6 or 8 sheep and a new million dollar brick Mc-Mansion home. My 10 yr old nephew in all seriousness perked up "WOW look at that farm! Dad's gotta get some sheep, that's where the money's at."

 

[crop/hail]

yeah ive heard that klien could be toxic to a horse too but my cow horse stays on it all summer and hasnt had a problem yet. I have to agree with the mutton thing too. Most of the guys that raise em dont eat em!!!!!!!

 

[wbvs58]

Yeh I'm going to be in the market for a few sheep, about half a dozen. My new border collie bitch was born Sunday before last and I plan to start her off on a few sheep towards the end of the year, won't hurt my kelpie dog to have a bit of a refresher course on them either. I'll eat them when I've finished with them, probably get dorpers. I love lamb or mutton leg roasts.
Ken

 

[callmefence]

There's a fair bit of info out there on Klein grass toxicity in sheep. Here's a article black livestock weekly in San Angelo. I ,to shows producers regularly graze Klein. Just like grazing cows on haygrazer it requires some management, no big deal.
My horses get haygrazer hay all winter as well. Always have.
I can't imagine anyone who likes venison, not liking lamb or even mutton
http://www.livestockweekly.com/papers/9 ... lklein.asp

 

[dun]

I can't imagine anyone who likes venison, not liking lamb or even mutton

You have go to be kidding.

 

[callmefence]

How so

 

[Dave]

It hasn't been said so someone has to say it. Range maggots.

You know that is Montana it is still against the law for a single man town sheep......

 

[Bestoutwest]

I've heard that the wool, unless done in huge quantities, is worthless. I hope that's not the case, but the world is a changing and quality clothing is not what it used to be.

 

[Dave]

I've heard that the wool, unless done in huge quantities, is worthless. I hope that's not the case, but the world is a changing and quality clothing is not what it used to be.

I read a write up a few years ago by a guy who put a pencil to the wool deal. He figured the health cost if he didn't shear the sheep. He figured the cost to shear and prepare the wool for sale. It came down to the point where the best thing for his bottom line was to shear the sheep and toss the wool on to the manure pile.

 

[callmefence]

You don't shear hair sheep. They have hair not wool. Crop/hail is in the Texas hill country. There is nothing wrong with a man getting the most out of his land. And hair sheep fit that bill. They also eat browse and many weeds before grass. Now you know.
Texas is the number 1 producing state of lamb. Texas is also the number one producing state of beef. Sheep are a valuable crop in all western states.
There's not many in the east. They are to busy raising beneficial crops. Like tobacco

 

[Rafter S]

I can't imagine anyone who likes venison, not liking lamb or even mutton

There's no comparison. I like venison, but the longer I chew sheep meat the bigger it gets.

 

[callmefence]

Rafter, I'll bet you butcher your deer, but not your sheep. I'll also bet you ain't give lamb a fair shake
There's a difference in lamb and mutton. . I've had horrible venison , beef and lamb. We eat venison at least 3 nights a week and used to eat lamb weekly when we had em.
I don't have a dog in this fight.( no sheep) but I speak from experience. There's certain topics here that seem to draw response based on hearsay or following the popular opinion. This is one. I'll invite you to dinner rafter , we'll fix lamb. Well also fix venison or catfish as a backup. Anyone else wanna come, come on.

Respectfully..
FENCE