Dairy sheep for Homestead Profit

​ I have heard that shepherding is one of the most stable professions in the homesteading world, and I can see why!  Sheep are like the swiss-army-knife of livestock, they provide a plethora of options and avenues for income and in an easily manageable package.  I genuinely believe dairy sheep are the cream of the crop, and here is why:

Personality.  You cannot beat the personality, gentleness, and relational bond that dairy sheep have offer their shepherd or shepherdess.  On a homestead or small dairy operation, having docile and fun livestock to work with will make a world of difference and may determine whether you stay in the business for 2 weeks or 40 years.  I am not joking.  It's hard enough trying to be a mom-of-all-trades on the farm, and the last thing you need is a big, wild, mean, skittish, angry creature from hell to try and tame while you're backpacking a baby and trying to cook from scratch sourdough on a wood stove. I said it because its true. 

​Options. If you search out the proper genetics, your flock can supply you with meat, milk, and wool.  There are not any animals I know of that offer so many wonderful options for living self-sufficiently.  A good dairy ewe can produce upwards of a gallon per day of the richest and most wonderful milk you’ve ever tasted, give you strong triplet lambs, and a luxurious 8-12lb wool coat to craft with all in a year.  This means you will be get up in the morning and take a shower with a wonderful bar of sheep milk soap, have a snack of cheese, yogurt, butter, or ice cream, a hearty lamb supper, and knit a sweater for yourself all winter long.  Dude.

Heartiness.  Again, proper genetics is key, and you’ll want to do the research and find which breeds thrive in your particular climate.  After many years trying out a number of purebreds and even registered stock, I decided my favorite for all-around multipurpose excellence is a Finn X Rideau Arcott cross.  I also have some Border Leicester EF crosses that would give any light-boned purebred dairy sheep a serious run for her money.  The muscle, the heartiness, the incredibly soft wool, the milk production…UGH. It’s a dream.

 Acuna Matata.  It means no worries, for the rest of your days.  This problem-free philosophy of dairy sheep might just save your homestead.  Particularly if you are a woman, or a beginner without a lot of livestock experience, there is no better animal to start with.  Except maybe chickens.  They respect fences, they love you, they follow you, they stand nicely for milking, they out-produce any other animal, and they do not require a lot of heavy lifting.  If they do get a wild hair or have a bad day, you won’t be headed for the hospital, so that’s always a plus.

Affordability.  This one.  The cool thing about dairy sheep is that they don’t require much to sustain themselves. If you have ample pasture and a mineral, they are going to be happy and healthy 99% of the time.  HOWEVER, you will notice on your shepherding journey that to get above average production, you’ll have to put in above average care.  I SO want you to understand that you cannot get out what you don’t put in.  An animal who puts so much energy into growing baby animals, beautiful fleece, and wonderful milk needs serious nutrition and careful attention. If you are interested, you can find more on sheep nutrition in other blog posts under “Dairy Sheep!”