Why sheep?I do love goats, but I'd like to take a moment to make the case for sheep.Like goats, sheep are adorable and have delightful, bouncy young but…
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Why Gulf Coast Sheep?
Best suited for the South |
Sheep owners want to know they are providing a habitat in which their sheep can thrive, and GCNS are one of the few breeds adapted to the hot and humid climate of the Southeast. The GCNS is descended from flocks first brought from Spain in the 1500's. Over the centuries they evolved in the Southeast, adapting over time to this climate. Because they don't have wool on their face, legs, and bellies, they can better handle what the Southeast can dole out.
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Superior health |
What especially attracted us to the GCNS is their superior health. Most sheep breeds have been bred almost exclusively for either size (more meat per animal) or for specialized wool, but breeding primarily for such traits often means sacrificing health to some degree. For example, only one of the more common breeds of sheep, the French Rambouillet, is considered to have a high degree of hardiness (David L. Thomas, University of Wisconsin-Madison). Studies at Louisiana State University demonstrated that GCNS are genetically resistant to internal parasites and they are also resistant to foot rot and other common foot issues. One article I read noted, “A number of years ago I met with other small ruminant specialists to make some recommendations on breeds to collect semen or embryo's from to save in a germplasma bank. The unanimous first choice was the Native, primarily due to the parasite resistance and the potential good it could do the sheep industry in years to come with technology to incorporate that trait into improved breeds.”
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Multi-purpose |
Many individuals are looking for a smaller, more manageable sheep who is multipurpose. The GCNS fits the bill. It is commonly considered both a wool and a meat sheep, but it is even starting to gain attention for the quality of its milk.
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Excellent wool |
Laura Walters of the GCS group states, “Be aware that there is a large market out there for Gulf Coast roving for handspinners. We just had Judith MacKenzie judge the fleeces at SAFF this year, and she had never seen a Gulf Coast fleece. She was delighted to get one of mine, saying she would be the envy of all her friends. Now, this is one of the leading experts in sheep and fleeces in the handspinning world. This tells me that we are not getting our fleeces out there. There is a significant movement among handspinners and knitters to try breed specific, local and endangered wool. So by all means, get your fleeces processed because there IS a market.”
According to the Gulf Coast Sheep Breeders Association, "Grease fleece weights range from 4-6 pounds per ewe. Average fiber diameter is 26-32 microns. Spinning count is 48-58. Gulf Coast fleeces are usually soft, open, low grease, wavy to crimpy and 2.5 to 4.0 inches staple length. This makes them suitable for many uses. Hand spinners say it is a delight to select fleeces for projects they have planned. It makes great fabric, blankets or knitted projects (sweaters, ect.) since it is not harsh to the skin. It also felts really well for making hats or felt pieces for sewing." |
Award winning meat |
Slow Food is a movement to, "link the the pleasures of the table with a commitment to protect the community, culture and environment." They maintain the well-known, "Ark of Taste," which features a list of foods that they deem to be exceptionally delicious, culturally significant, and worthy of celebrating and saving. The GCNS is honored in the Ark of Taste where they describe it as, "extremely tender, moist and balanced with a mild, clean earth flavor."
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And milk as well |
GCS are primarily thought of as meat and wool sheep, but they are beginning to be known for their milk as well. GCS are milked by well known sheep dairies such as Green Dirt Farm. A single cow may produce far too much milk per day for a small farm or homestead for their own use, but a sheep produces a more manageable amount. And unlike other milks, sheep milk can be frozen.
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Classic appearance |
What a pleasure it is to look out at a field of sheep, especially sheep with that classic sheep look. GCS have clean faces, bellies, and legs. They are generally white but sometimes brown or black or with spotted faces or legs. If you love the beautiful horns, many have them, but many are also naturally polled, so you can have your choice. We generally breed only naturally polled sheep.
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Perfect size |
Ewes weigh 90-160 pounds. Smaller ewes are available for those who are looking for pet sheep and larger for those who want a larger sheep. Even the largest GC sheep are a size that isn't difficult to handle.
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Quality compost |
Sheep manure makes exceptional compost. It is lower in nitrogen than chicken manure, which makes it especially useful in the garden, plus it is high in phosphorus and potassium. It is low odor and conveniently pelleted, much like rabbit droppings only a little larger.
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Be a part of preserving a critically endangered breed |
According to the SFV Foundation, who seeks out endangered heritage breeds with exceptional characteristics to protect, "What is consistent among the breed is their exquisite adaptation to environments that are generally difficult for the ovine species. They have an extended breeding season, which means they lamb almost year round. Gulf Coast ewes make excellent mothers, most often pasture-lambing without assistance. Gulf Coast sheep are also well known for their inherent resistance to internal parasites and to foot rot. This natural protection from common afflictions of sheep makes them an important breed to preserve... The Gulf Coast Native is growing in popularity for its use in crossbreeding programs. The breed’s remarkable genetic resistance to internal parasites is passed on to a certain extent to its cross-bred offspring. Breeders are crossing Gulf Coast with meat-production breeds, such as the Dorper or Katahdin, resulting in fast-growing lambs with reduced susceptibility to parasites. However, the Gulf Coast breed is still critically endangered. It is important, therefore, to maintain a large enough purebred population of these sheep so as not to lose them all to hybridization."
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