This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions I get from folks who are looking to add sheep to their acreage. I always ask them why they want sheep in the first place. Their answers can provide some great insight into my recommendations. If they are only looking for meat, that’s easy. There are meat breeds of sheep that basically have hair and not wool. Shearing adds a lot of extras to the work involved with being a shepherd. It takes time and expertise. Yes, it is possible to shear the sheep yourself, but if you have a significant number in your flock, it will take a significant amount of your time. I once sheared my flock of 17 with a pair of Fiskars spring-loaded scissors. I could do 3 sheep a day. I put them on a stanchion and skirted the wool as I “sheared” if from the sheep. Labor-intensive, yes, but I didn’t have an option. My shearer had passed away and I didn’t know of another. Thankfully we now have this method of instant communication and connection and finding a shearer has been less of a problem than it once was.
Are you wanting sheep specifically for their fiber? If your answer is yes, then you need to decide what you will be using that fiber for. There are over 200 breeds of sheep in the world and each breed has different characteristics, including their fiber. Even within a flock of the same type of sheep, their fiber can be vastly different. If you want to knit nice, soft baby items and offer them for sale or gifts, you wouldn’t use Karakul wool. It’s coarse and wiry and more suited for making rugs. A fine-wool breed would suit you much better.
I know people who have sheep because they love the way the look. Fiber comes after the meat side for them and is not what they are primarily concerned with, although the fiber is a bonus byproduct. I also know people who have sheep for the fiber side and don’t eat lamb or sell the meat. And of course, I know a lot of people who do both.
So ask yourself why you want them, what fiber you may or may not be looking to use and go from there.
Comments