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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I'm new here and was wondering if anyone raises southdowns? Not the baby dolls, but the regular sized white faced ones. I breed and show them, and I've noticed a decline in their popularity lately, in favor of the smaller, cuter baby dolls. Also, is anyone interested in buying? I've got a yearling ram, previously a 4-h project (with many champions and reserves to show for it) and a newborn ewe for sale. Both are registered.
 

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jumper_girl said:
I'm new here and was wondering if anyone raises southdowns? Not the baby dolls, but the regular sized white faced ones. I breed and show them, and I've noticed a decline in their popularity lately, in favor of the smaller, cuter baby dolls. Also, is anyone interested in buying? I've got a yearling ram, previously a 4-h project (with many champions and reserves to show for it) and a newborn ewe for sale. Both are registered.
Southdowns are good sheep. :) Where are you at? There's a free email list for rarelivestock @ yahoogroups - Southdowns are on the ALBC list of rare breeds. The baby doll are cute but not big enough to do much with...too little to be worth shearing yet they need done; not really big enough to be used for meat. Too little to do more than be pets or food for roaming dogs. :( I prefer the full sized sheep and I know many do.
 

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Southdown are rare? They used to be very popular in NZ crossed with other breeds to get just the right sort of meat lamb for the British market. However they are much reduced in numbers here too now.

Great little sheep and those rams can pack a nasty butt! :)
 

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JanH- I live in Florida just outside of Tampa. I'll have to check out that mailing list. I definitely agree with you about the baby dolls. Though I can understand using them as project animals for young children who can't really handle full sized sheep yet, I don't really see their point beyond that.
John Hill- A few people out here have unregstered and crossbreds for breeding market lambs, but no one is really interested in using them for breeding stock anymore. I had twin rams this year, and managed to get one of them sold rather quickly, but I had to wait 3 months to sell the other one. I thought I was gonna be stuck with him forever. I've also had 3 people show an interest in my ewe, thank goodness. I didn't know if I was gonna be able to find a buyer for her, but ewes sell much easier. That's too bad for me though since I've always prefered raising rams. They do butt pretty hard, though I've somehow managed to avoid being severly hurt by them. My pregnant ewe did run over me and break my finger though :) I'll get you those pictures as soon as I can Mouse.
 
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