Babydoll Southdown Sheep
Have you ever seen a sheep smile? If not you have definitely come to the right place! Babydolls also known as Babydoll Southdown Sheep are a smiling breed!
Besides being adorable these sheep are incredible. Babydolls were once a very popular dual purpose breed. They have lovely medium fine wool that comes naturally in several different colors. Their nicely muscled carcasses offered wonderful meat for their small size.
As demand for larger cuts of meat grew Babydolls were crossbred with larger varieties of sheep almost to the point of extinction.
Lucky for us the breed has been making a come back. With dedicated breeders maintaining the old world characteristics, the Babydolls have taken on new jobs. Babydolls are gaining popularity not only for their wool and meat but also for their gentle nature. These sheep are known for not challenging fencing and being easy on their environments. Babydolls are often used in orchards and vineyards for mowing grass and cleaning up fallen fruit minimal damage to trees and plants. Care should be taken how ever with new buds as they are after all, still sheep! Even the best sometimes want to sample the sweet new growth. These small sheep require less space than their larger counterparts making them a great option for small farms. Their gentle attitudes also makes them great companion animals for families wanting a more docile breed of livestock. I truly believe these little sheep are the ideal starter livestock. They have wonderful attitudes, are easy to house and make a great introduction into animal husbandry.
Things to Know
Nothing is cuter that a Babydoll's smile. Even with all that cuteness, there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy.
Have you ever seen a sheep smile? If not you have definitely come to the right place! Babydolls also known as Babydoll Southdown Sheep are a smiling breed!
Besides being adorable these sheep are incredible. Babydolls were once a very popular dual purpose breed. They have lovely medium fine wool that comes naturally in several different colors. Their nicely muscled carcasses offered wonderful meat for their small size.
As demand for larger cuts of meat grew Babydolls were crossbred with larger varieties of sheep almost to the point of extinction.
Lucky for us the breed has been making a come back. With dedicated breeders maintaining the old world characteristics, the Babydolls have taken on new jobs. Babydolls are gaining popularity not only for their wool and meat but also for their gentle nature. These sheep are known for not challenging fencing and being easy on their environments. Babydolls are often used in orchards and vineyards for mowing grass and cleaning up fallen fruit minimal damage to trees and plants. Care should be taken how ever with new buds as they are after all, still sheep! Even the best sometimes want to sample the sweet new growth. These small sheep require less space than their larger counterparts making them a great option for small farms. Their gentle attitudes also makes them great companion animals for families wanting a more docile breed of livestock. I truly believe these little sheep are the ideal starter livestock. They have wonderful attitudes, are easy to house and make a great introduction into animal husbandry.
Things to Know
Nothing is cuter that a Babydoll's smile. Even with all that cuteness, there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy.
- Sheep are flock animals, not loners. Other species of animals do not provide the same companionship as another sheep. As with our goats we will NOT sell single Babydolls to homes that do not already have another sheep. If numbers are an issue get a wether!
- Sheep are not stupid! However, sheep can easily be misunderstood. Sheep are naturally at the bottom of the food chain and as a result act in a manner that they believe will keep them safe. If sheep are not handled properly or regularly they can be very flighty.
- Shearing is no joke. As with most sheep breeds (hair sheep not included) Babydolls need shearing annually. Shearing can be a lot of work for any sheep owner. We would suggest that a professional be hired to shear sheep, unless you have been properly trained.
- Copper and sheep don't mix. Unlike other species of livestock, copper can be a fatal mistake. Foods designed for other animals or multi-species products should have the ingredients label checked thoroughly for copper content. This is the same for salt/mineral, products that are not specifically made for sheep are often not a good idea.
- As with any livestock sheep require routine care, quality food and shelter.
For more breed information please click on the image below to be connected with the NABSSAR website. NABSSAR has an excellent page on conformation complete with pictures! Please click here to be connected with the conformation page.
We participate in the basic Eradicate Scrapie Certification Program. We will be working towards our export certification once our base flock is well established.
For more information about Scrapie and other disease control please click on the logo to be connected with USDA web site.
For more information about Scrapie and other disease control please click on the logo to be connected with USDA web site.