sheep breeds for working and for wool

[debp]

Hi all,

I'd like some feedback from you guys on what I should cross breed my wool sheep with. I acquired some border cheviots (ewes) who are great for their wool (I'm a beginning spinster ), but a bit flighty for training dogs on (we call them popcorn sheep). They are at my neighbors farm, and when worked with her hair sheep they are fine, but I'd like to look at breeding them with another wool breed this fall so I can still keep the wool and also have some good training sheep for my dogs. Some wool breed to slow them up a bit I have 3 border leicester ewes at home that I will not work any of my young dogs on because they will run them down. Only one of my dogs is at the level to deal with those buggers! But I'll keep them because I LOVE their wool. I'd like to breed those ewes also, perhaps a border cheviot for them to lighten them up!? My neighbor has a cheviot ram that I can use for all, which I will do if I have no other options.

Just thinking ahead and thought you guys might have some suggestions.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

NCC? Although they seem to be about the same as the Leisters (I have blueface crosses) - which I've never had much problems with but I suppose I might if I trained youngsters on them. The lambs have terrific survivability and the crosses are superior mothers. The wool will be about the same as the Border Cheviot. You can find flocks that select more for wool or more for carcass quality, depending on what your goal would be.

 

I love Dorsets - they are great mothers, cross well, are reasonably humble, and definitely will put some brains in your Cheviots. Your wool quality will go down slightly - they are not a wool breed. They will also increase the size of your sheep - good if you sell lambs for meat, but that might be a selling point if you prefer the convenient size of Cheviots. For me, I'd rather turn and work with a large calm sheep myself, than a nutso sheep like a Cheviot - but I'm used to my big girls. The same is true of the NCCs - those are quite large sheep.

 

And then of course there are Tunis. They won't go a super long way towards putting sense in your Cheviots, but they do calm a flighty flock down some. And they are nice long term working sheep. The crosses I've seen have very nice wool though I'm no expert, certainly.

[stockdogranch]

I'm not a spinner, so I am venturing into VERY unfamiliar territory here, but I have a close friend who IS a spinner, and have gotten some Romneys from her (among other assorted fine wool breeds and crosses), and they seem to be pretty middle of the road. I agree about the Border Cheviots--pretty nutso!

Anna

[juliepoudrier]

My shearer says the border cheviots are even worse than my Scottish blackface, and that's saying something.

 

Deb, I don't have a great answer to your question. I would guess some of the lowland breeds would add heaviness to your cheviots, although I've yet to see a cheviot cross that behaved much different than a purebred cheviot.

 

Romneys might be a good choice, and I love leicester longwools if you want wool quality, but the only one I knew was pretty squirrely herself. I agree with Becca that a blue-faced or border leicester might do the trick. I can tell you next year as I plan to cross my BFL/tunis ram on my cheviots this fall.

 

J.

[Black Watch Debatable]

Border Cheviots are much smarter than other sheep. They are independent thinkers. They are strong and healthy and beautiful. And unlike Dorsets, they are never dull

 

 

 

I love my Border Cheviots. "Watch this, you two -- I'm just going to stand here and stare at him, and that dog's going to turn tail and run out of the pasture."

 

 

I've seen it happen

[Pipedream Farm]

Deb,

 

We can talk our Romneys at the VBCA Summer trial; we also have a couple of pelts we can show you. Generally, they don't have the stamina of hair sheep or cheviots.

 

Mark

[debp]

Luisa - I love them too. We had babies this spring (the ewes were bred before bought) and they are probably the cutest lambs I've ever seen. AND they've grown fat fast! They're survivors for sure!

I'll keep them because they offer a challenge to the more experienced dogs like my Heather who needs to learn to stay off! BUT I'd like to breed them to get some offspring that are a bit easier to work. Romney's might do the trick - will talk to you Mark at the trial next week.

So, I'm learning to shear this year, and while my Border Leicesters were big, they didn't struggle like the little cheviots! Of course I'm doing it the hard way - getting them up on a stand to shear - don't laugh. It's saving my back, but I do need my husband get them on the stand. He just picks up the cheviots and carries them since they are so little. I should have taken videos.....