Down sides to the sheep I have raised, over many, many years... Humm....
Babydoll southdowns,, can't run overly fast, can go wool blind.
Needs to be sheared. Rams can be extremely aggressive. Ewes need to be watch because they do have birthing problems.
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But, most ewes and wethers are very gentle and very easy to handle. They are a quiet sheep. Wool is very soft.
Jacob,,, really noisey, could not find a Ram to meet my standards on temperament and conformation. Very aggressive with dogs, so I find that a plus.
Some ewes can be friendly, but some are not. Wool can run from very course to medium soft. Ewes are good mother, birth without much help.
BWM,,, at the time I had them, found out they were too inbreed. And having the problems inbreed sheep can have.
Need to watch birthings,, at the time, but things should be improving with the UK blood.
Some Ewes will tame down if handle young, can be flightly,, Rams,,, could find not find that met my standards at the time.
Wethers were easy to gentle.
Brecknock Hill Cheviot... Some can be flightly, but will tame down, easy to halter train when young. Very hardy, and birth on their own,, never had a problem. Both ewes and Rams very gentle,but alert,, (But never make a pet out of a Ram), they get used to and like their caretakers,, but will disappear when strangers come around. Fleece is wonderful to spin, slight luster and nice spring to it. It runs from Medium to medium course, but blends very well with other fibers. My favorite blends in 60% BHC and 40% super soft llama.
This breed I raise for years,, until my health, and my husbands father passing away, made it not possible for me to breed sheep any more.
Boy, was that hard to give up.
So I am down to two Soay wethers,, who are partly halter trained. Training Has been halted due to horse stepping on my foot. :?
And the two BWM/BHC who are both very well halter trained.
A strong word of caution about dogs and sheep. They just do not mix. (unless a train guardian dog) Please understand that even though your dogs a great around you, doesn't mean they will be this way with sheep.
Dogs that chase sheep are not playing.
I have seen too many people find out the hard way, even after I cautioned them about dogs and sheep,, to have the new sheep owner find there sheep multalated in their own pasture, dying a slow horrible death,, and their dogs did it.