Grab life by the horns
Country Smallholding|October 2020
Horned sheep are easy to handle, hardy and relatively self-sufficient. Carefully managed, they are fantastic for smallholdings, suggests vet Charlotte Mouland
Charlotte Mouland
Grab life by the horns

WE HAVE more than 60 different breeds of sheep in the UK alone, more variation than any other country in the world. There are many ways to categorise these different breeds, for example, by where they have adapted to live (hill, upland or lowland), their fleece type (fine, medium, naturally coloured) and whether they have horns or not (horned or polled). Some of the horned breeds are particularly popular on smallholdings, and it is worth thinking about how the management of horned sheep differs from their polled relatives.

WHY KEEP HORNED SHEEP?

Carefully managed, there are some fantastic horned breeds that are suitable for smallholdings, including Shetlands, Portlands and Hebrideans. Their temperament and size can make them easy to handle, hardy and relatively self-sufficient.

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