Thread: Sheep on small acreage - are they low maintenance ?

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I'd use a slightly lower temperature, but I guess it depends a bit on your oven!

John

And if it's fan forced, lower again

Originally Posted by numpty

Damaras and Dorpers are, from what I've been told, worse than most goats, as escape artists. Wiltshires might be worth looking into though.

My brother has a few goats and very good, brand new Feral fencing, which doesn't keep them in . You should have electric fencing as well.

There are better cattle than Dexters around and you need a damn good 3 acres to keep one cow in feed. Unless you have extremely good grass, or are prepared to buy lots of feed, I would forget dairy cattle.

Which is why I suggested Dexta, Numpty.
Someone suggested that the three acres was improved grass, but it seems more like lawn than pasture feed. I reckon any stock on only three acres will need supliment feeding.

Cows can and often do destroy fences especially if spooked which depending on the cow doesn't take much. Plus cows love chewing everything to see if its food, ours even like the paint on the cars and cow crap around the house in summer stinks to high heavan. Cows also like to rub up against things and what ever they rub against ends up broken or bent eventually.

Sheep like to congregate in areas out of the weather and that area ends up stinking of urine really bad as well depending on the ground cover. From what I have seen round here the sheep don't get to much maintanance and seem to last ok.

If I had a small property I would have a couple of sheep providing there were no local dog problems. As for new born lambs round here maybe one in three survives more then a week because of foxs, its a case of you see new borns one day and they are often gone the next.


cheers,
Terry

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Which is why I suggested Dexta, Numpty.
.

Dexter or not, I stand by my comment of supplementary feeding with only 3 acres.

Unless of course you are referring to a Fordson Dexta

Originally Posted by dullbird

Scott don't get goats unless you dont like your neighbours.... if you got great fences fine if you haven't dont bother because they will go to your neighbours yard where the grass is better

Is that a paddock shelter in the back field of yours? I'll have it and in exchange I will bring some horses around to mow your grass once I buy them.

See how helpful I am hahahahahah

Our neighbor's Angora goat got into out place and ate all our young fruit trees. We were not happy, so get a goat and upset your new neighbors.

Originally Posted by MickS

Scott.........ALPACAS!!!!

agree, Alpacas. If you get sheep get one alpaca and run him with your sheep. they are said to chase dogs away--get very protective. Otherwise go for Chinese geese--Chinese geese are great. However you can have only one male as at breeding time they fight all night keeping everyone awake--or you can have all males and no females.

Sheep may be high maintainance, but we have had petrol lawnmowers that were very high Maintainance--always repairing the tings

Originally Posted by numpty

Dexter or not, I stand by my comment of supplementary feeding with only 3 acres.

Unless of course you are referring to a Fordson Dexta

Agreed, but the four legged Dexta will require less supliment.
Even the Fordson will need its own type of feed, albeit on an 'as required' basis.

Originally Posted by JohnF

agree, Alpacas. If you get sheep get one alpaca and run him with your sheep. they are said to chase dogs away--get very protective. Otherwise go for Chinese geese--Chinese geese are great. However you can have only one male as at breeding time they fight all night keeping everyone awake--or you can have all males and no females.

Sheep may be high maintainance, but we have had petrol lawnmowers that were very high Maintainance--always repairing the tings

You see one or two long neck sheep in with quite a few of the flocks down here to ward off dogs and foxs.

On three acres maybe just get a couple of the long neck variety and not worry about the sheep?

cheers,
Terry