Not only can raising sheep on a hobby farm be profitable, it can be fun too! Sheep can be raised for meat and/or wool as well as for milk. They are great for smaller farms. You can have four to six sheep per acre, as opposed to only one or two cows per acre. They are also social creatures and it is recommended you keep four to five sheep per farm.
Raising sheep is relatively inexpensive, all you need is the actual sheep, fencing, and shelter (if you don’t already have it). The main source of food for sheep is pasture grass and they can help control your farms weed population.
Depending on your goal, you can have sheep on your hobby farm for meat, wool, or milk. If you are looking to produce meat, sheep can either used for lamb or mutton. Lamb is sheep meat from an animal that is less than one year old. Mutton is from a sheep that is one year old and older. Sheep can also be used for producing and/or selling wool. There is also the possibility to use sheep for milk – more specifically cheese. Feta, Ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and Roquefort are all made from sheep milk.
Some popular sheep breeds for producing milk are Assaf, Awassi, Border Leicester, California Red, Clun Forest, Damara, Dorset, East Friesian (only used for milk), Karakul, Lacaune, Manchega, Racka, and St. Croix.
Most sheep breeds can be used for wool, but some specific breeds to consider are Black Welsh Mountain, Border Leicester, Charollais, Cheviot, Cotswold, Damara, Debouillet, English Leicester, Fat-tailed, Hampshire, Icelandic, Jacob, Katahdin, Lincoln, Merino, Ouessant, Romney, Shetland, Soay, and Wensleydale.
For sheep meat, here are some breeds you may want to add to your farm: Assaf, Barbados Blackbelly, Beltex, Border Leicester, Corriedale, Dorper, Gulf Coast Native, Hebridean, Iranian Red Oxford, Racka, Romanov, Ryeland, Scottish Blackface, Tunis, and Wilshire Horn.
Whether you are using sheep for monetary reasons or just to have some fun additions to your hobby farm, they are a great addition!
| Picture: | Breed: |
|---|---|
 | Assaf: Origin: Israel Coloring: White Production: Meat, Milk Breed Note: Yield 450 liters of milk per year |
 | Awassi: Origin: Europe Coloring: Multiple Production: Milk, Wool Breed Note: Usually produce 100 to 200 pounds of milk per lactation |
 | Barbados Blackbelly: Origin: Barbados Coloring: Black, Red, Brown Production: Meat Breed Note: Reaches maturity at about 2 years |
 | Beltex: Origin: Belgium Coloring: White, Black Production: Meat, Breeding Breed Note: Weigh anywhere between 150 to 200 pounds |
 | Black Welsh Mountain: Origin: Wales Coloring: Black Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Males have horns whereas females are polled |
 | Border Leicester: Origin: England Coloring: Shades Of White Production: Meat, Wool, Milk Breed Note: Shorn twice a year as their wool is highly prized among consumers |
 | California Red: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red, Brown, White Production: Meat, Wool, Milk Breed Note: Polled - no horns |
 | Cameroon: Origin: Africa Coloring: Brown, Black Production: Wool Breed Note: Have thick coat that isn't suitable for the African climate |
 | Charollais: Origin: France Coloring: Pink, Brown, White Production: Breeding, Wool Breed Note: Used as a terminal sire to increase muscle and growth rate of lambs |
 | Cheviot: Origin: Scotland Coloring: White, Gray Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Great to help out for dog training as they are very intelligent |
 | Clun Forest: Origin: England Coloring: White, Reddish Colors, Black Production: Meat, Wool, Milk Breed Note: Produce some of the highest butterfat of any sheep |
 | Columbia: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White Production: Wool, Breeding Breed Note: One of the first breeds of sheep developed in the U.S. |
 | Coopworth: Origin: New Zealand Coloring: White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Basically have no birthing problems |
 | Cormo: Origin: Australia Coloring: White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Sometimes birth twins |
 | Corriedale: Origin: Australia Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Adapt well to any climates |
 | Cotswold: Origin: England Coloring: White, Gray, Black Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Are susceptible to foot rot |
 | Damara: Origin: Egypt Coloring: Black, Brown, White Production: Milk, Wool Breed Note: High resistant to sheep diseases |
 | Debouillet: Origin: New Mexico Coloring: White, Gray Production: Wool Breed Note: Weigh between 125 and 160 at maturity |
 | Dorper: Origin: South Africa Coloring: Black, White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Thrive in hot and cold climates |
 | Dorset: Origin: England Coloring: White Production: Wool, Milk Breed Note: Have a dual breeding season in which they may raise more than one ewe |
 | East Friesian: Origin: Germany Coloring: White, Pink, Brown Production: Milk Breed Note: Produce 200 to 300 litters about every 250 days |
 | English Leicester: Origin: England Coloring: White, Black, Pink Production: Wool Breed Note: "endangered" as only 500 are registered in the world |
 | Fat-tailed: Origin: Iraq Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool Breed Note: Average weight is 60 pounds |
 | Gotland: Origin: Sweden Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Have no wool on head and legs |
 | Gulf Coast Native: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White, Black, Brown Production: Meat Breed Note: Adults weigh anywhere in between 100 to 190 pounds |
 | Hampshire: Origin: United Kingdom Coloring: White, Black Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Rams should weigh 300 pounds while females should weigh around 200 pounds |
 | Hebridean: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Black, Gray, Brown Production: Meat Breed Note: Usually have two sets of horns |
 | Herdwick: Origin: England Coloring: Gray, White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Born black but throughout life they lighten in color |
 | Hog Island: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White, Black Production: Wool Breed Note: 90% will be white in color well the remaining 10% will turn out black |
 | Icelandic: Origin: Iceland Coloring: Black, White, Brown Production: Wool Breed Note: Known to have 2, 3, even 4 offspring |
 | Iranian red: Origin: Iran Coloring: Brown, Black, White Production: Hunting, Meat Breed Note: Average life span is 18 years |
 | Jacob: Origin: Unknown Coloring: Black, White Production: Wool Breed Note: Have 4 horns instead of the usual two in most breeds |
 | Karakul: Origin: Central Asia Coloring: Black, White Production: Milk, Meat, Wool Breed Note: Wool changes color over time |
 | Katahdin: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Resistant to parasites |
 | Kerry Hill: Origin: Wales Coloring: Black, White Production: Wool, Milk Breed Note: Weigh between 125 and 150 at maturity |
 | Lacaune: Origin: France Coloring: White, Black, Brown, Gray Production: Milk, Wool Breed Note: Sheds its wool from the chest down |
 | Lincoln: Origin: England Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool Breed Note: Weigh between 200 to 300 pounds |
 | Manchega: Origin: France Coloring: White, Black Production: Milk, Meat Breed Note: Produces the most well known sheep cheeses |
 | Merino: Origin: Unknown Coloring: White, Brown Production: Wool Breed Note: Wool is soft and can be used with other fabrics for clothing |
 | Montadale: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Nearly all Montadale wool is colored white |
 | Navajo-Churro: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool Breed Note: Has a dual coat where the first is fleece and the second is of hair |
 | North Ronaldsay: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Multiple Production: Wool Breed Note: Can live by just eating seaweed |
 | Ouessant: Origin: France Coloring: Black, Brown, White Production: Wool Breed Note: One of the smallest breeds of sheep in the world |
 | Oxford: Origin: England Coloring: White, Black Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: One of the largest sheep breeds |
 | Polypay: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Ability to lamb more than once per year |
 | Racka: Origin: Hungary Coloring: Shades Of White, Black, Brown Production: Meat, Milk, Wool Breed Note: Known for their unusually spiraled horns |
 | Rambouillet: Origin: Spain Coloring: Shades Of White Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Wool weighs 8 to 12 pounds on average on their body |
 | Romanov: Origin: Russia Coloring: Black, Gray Production: Meat Breed Note: Born completely black but soon shade to gray |
 | Romney: Origin: England Coloring: White Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Should be between 140 to 200 pounds at maturity |
 | Royal White: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Weigh between 170 to 230 at maturity |
 | Ryeland: Origin: England Coloring: White, Black, Brown Production: Meat Breed Note: One of the oldest sheep breeds |
 | Scottish Blackface: Origin: United Kingdom Coloring: Black, White Production: Meat Breed Note: Very protective of young, often defend them from predators |
 | Shetland: Origin: Scotland Coloring: White, Black, Brown Production: Wool Breed Note: Wool usually weighs 2 to 4 pounds |
 | Shropshire: Origin: England Coloring: White, Cheery, Black Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Known as an easy keeper, fun to be around |
 | Soay: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Brown, Black, White Production: Wool Breed Note: Generally weigh 50 to 60 pounds |
 | Southdown: Origin: United Kingdom Coloring: White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Woolen the body weighs about 5 pounds |
 | St. Croix: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Brown, Black, White Production: Milk Breed Note: Very resistant to parasites due to their ability to shed their hair |
 | Suffolk: Origin: England Coloring: White, Black Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Weigh between 180 to 350 at maturity |
 | Swaledale: Origin: England Coloring: White, Black Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Known to have very little birthing problems |
 | Targhee: Origin: New Zealand Coloring: White, Black, Brown Production: Wool, Meat Breed Note: Weigh between 150 to 300 pounds |
 | Teeswater: Origin: England Coloring: Brown, Black, White Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Having brown and black spots on their nose and ears sets them apart from other long haired sheep breeds. |
 | Texel: Origin: Netherlands Coloring: Shades Of White, Black Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Extremely remarkable in leanness of the animal. not a lot of fat compared to muscle |
 | Tunis: Origin: Tunisia Coloring: Shades Of White And Red Production: Meat Breed Note: One of the oldest sheep breeds, originating in bible times |
 | Valais Blacknose: Origin: Switzerland Coloring: White, Black Production: Meat, Wool Breed Note: Both male and females are polled - have horns |
 | Welsh Mountain: Origin: Wales Coloring: White, Black Production: Breed Note: Have no wool on the face or legs |
 | Wensleydale: Origin: England Coloring: Black, Grey, White, Tan Production: Breeding, Wool Breed Note: Weigh between 250 to 300 pounds at maturity |
 | Wiltshire Horn: Origin: England Coloring: White Production: Meat Breed Note: Both male and females are polled - have horns |
Recent Comments