Anyone keep sheep as companions (and don't eat them!!)

[canteron]

Thinking of getting a couple of sheep to help my grass management.

Questions for everyone, I know that my sheep will become pets, so ....

What breed do you recommend for relatively easy keeping and good temperament
How long do they live - and how do you help their end when the time comes
Do you have to register with DEFRA if you have only 2.
All other sheep hints!!
Do you have to get them shorn - and can you do it with the horse clippers?

Thanks.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Shearing ..... there are some Easycare sheep available, try buying Smallholder Magazine
Pet sheep.... all sheep live to quite an age [or find a quick way to die] so make sure you get nice ones, try not to pet them as they can take over your life!
Get a small breed as a big type like Leicester can easily knock over an adult.
They should not be fed horse feed as they have strange mineral needs.
Do not use sheep netting as horses can get caught in it, for this reason you can anticipate lots of chasing them out of your garden etc.
If you have to shear them it would be best to get a farmer to do it, but you need coarse clipper blades, they are very greasy [lanolin] and need to be sat on their bottoms for clipping. It might be easier to use hand shears which are exceedingly sharp. You need to "dag" ie clip off the wool round their bums to keep them clean.

 

[Cahill]

i am not sure,but i think you will need to have some kind of licence and a holding number and keep stock control books,you cannot take them to be sheared unless you fill in all the paperwork so some one will have to come to you.
we used to have some texel X`s and had a farmers rams for a while before all these regs came in.

they all have their own peronalities and make great pets .
i`m sure you will find all the info you need on the defra site.

(dont pat rams on the head,it makes them cross lol )

ps. only dowm side is they can be prone to fly-strike but easily treatable when spotted quick

 

[Merry Crisis]

I have had Henry since 1999, he survived F&M and was the only sheep left in Cumbria for miles. He is a companion to my TB, he goes out with him during the day and comes back into the stable at night. God nows what I shall do when he finally turns up his toes as the horse wont settle without him. Yes you need a holding number from DEFRA, and they will need shearing, worming, feet trimmed etc. You want to get a quiet breed, texel cross, dorset or suffolk cross. The smaller the breed the wilder they are! I love my sheep used to have 2,000 of them! I would wait until the spring and get a couple of pet lambs to rear so they will be tame, oh and a nuisence!