Olde English "Babydoll" Southdown Sheep: Registered with BSSBA Registry
These miniature sheep originated around the late 1700’s in the Southdown hills of Sussex County, England. They were popular because of their extreme hardiness and they produced a carcass with tenderness and good flavored meat unmatched by any other breed. They are considered a heritage breed and are one of the oldest of the English breeds of sheep. The Babydoll is very well natured and easy to handle with an affectionate disposition. They are easy keepers and a highly sought after breed for small fiber flocks as well as pasture pets.
Southdown Sheep were imported to the United States in 1803. However, as refrigeration became readily available, the demand for larger sheep increased and the American Southdown that grew into a much larger version of the popular British sheep was preferred. By the 1900’s, the miniature Southdown breed was almost forced into extinction. In 1986, Robert Mock began searching for the small Southdown sheep with the bloodlines of the original Southdown. After a four year search, only 350 purebred Southdown sheep were all that could be traced to still exist and many of these still maintained their original Southdown registration papers. To distinguish these small sheep from the larger American Southdown, Mr. Mock named them “Olde English Babydoll Southdowns”. To keep this line pure, the original OEBSR registry was formed in 1991. The registry followed strict guidelines in admitting animals and only registered adults two years and older that were judged against a standard and verified by a veterinarian. Once a small number of foundation animals were established, the registry closed to outside bloodlines. By doing this, the bloodlines of small sized Southdowns were kept pure. The registry was able to preserve the original Southdown breed, eventually leading to Babydoll Southdowns being returned to England in January of 1999 to rebuild the breed in its homeland. Only after many exhaustive efforts of a small group of dedicated breeders who have fought to preserve the original bloodlines have the numbers of Babydoll Southdown sheep gained resurgence.
The BSSBA registry was formed in 2018 as the demand for an updated registry with better use of technology and timely management of the registration paperwork was needed. The BSSBA breed standards are a height of 24 inches or less at the shoulder without wool when fully mature at age two. Babydolls get their name from their attractive teddy bear faces. Neither males nor females have horns. Off-White is the predominant color, however, there are a few black sheep, and spotted lambs, which are very rare. Their wool is short, stapled and fine. Fleece tests at 19-22 microns which puts it in the class of cashmere. It has more barbs per inch than any other wool types and makes it ideal to blend with mohair, angora, or alpaca to make a stronger yarn without losing softness. It also felts very well.
2018 Lambs for sale, pick up end of July:
1 ram - "Artemus" off white coloring $550*
1 ram - "Alvin" off white coloring $550*
* Out of state purchases will require additional health certificate fees for transportation at the buyers expense.
These miniature sheep originated around the late 1700’s in the Southdown hills of Sussex County, England. They were popular because of their extreme hardiness and they produced a carcass with tenderness and good flavored meat unmatched by any other breed. They are considered a heritage breed and are one of the oldest of the English breeds of sheep. The Babydoll is very well natured and easy to handle with an affectionate disposition. They are easy keepers and a highly sought after breed for small fiber flocks as well as pasture pets.
Southdown Sheep were imported to the United States in 1803. However, as refrigeration became readily available, the demand for larger sheep increased and the American Southdown that grew into a much larger version of the popular British sheep was preferred. By the 1900’s, the miniature Southdown breed was almost forced into extinction. In 1986, Robert Mock began searching for the small Southdown sheep with the bloodlines of the original Southdown. After a four year search, only 350 purebred Southdown sheep were all that could be traced to still exist and many of these still maintained their original Southdown registration papers. To distinguish these small sheep from the larger American Southdown, Mr. Mock named them “Olde English Babydoll Southdowns”. To keep this line pure, the original OEBSR registry was formed in 1991. The registry followed strict guidelines in admitting animals and only registered adults two years and older that were judged against a standard and verified by a veterinarian. Once a small number of foundation animals were established, the registry closed to outside bloodlines. By doing this, the bloodlines of small sized Southdowns were kept pure. The registry was able to preserve the original Southdown breed, eventually leading to Babydoll Southdowns being returned to England in January of 1999 to rebuild the breed in its homeland. Only after many exhaustive efforts of a small group of dedicated breeders who have fought to preserve the original bloodlines have the numbers of Babydoll Southdown sheep gained resurgence.
The BSSBA registry was formed in 2018 as the demand for an updated registry with better use of technology and timely management of the registration paperwork was needed. The BSSBA breed standards are a height of 24 inches or less at the shoulder without wool when fully mature at age two. Babydolls get their name from their attractive teddy bear faces. Neither males nor females have horns. Off-White is the predominant color, however, there are a few black sheep, and spotted lambs, which are very rare. Their wool is short, stapled and fine. Fleece tests at 19-22 microns which puts it in the class of cashmere. It has more barbs per inch than any other wool types and makes it ideal to blend with mohair, angora, or alpaca to make a stronger yarn without losing softness. It also felts very well.
2018 Lambs for sale, pick up end of July:
1 ram - "Artemus" off white coloring $550*
1 ram - "Alvin" off white coloring $550*
* Out of state purchases will require additional health certificate fees for transportation at the buyers expense.
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Royal White Sheep:
Royal White sheep are a hair breed, privately funded and developed in the United States by William Hoag, in Hermleigh, Texas. The Royal White sheep breed is the first new sheep breed in the United States in over 25 years, developed for high performance and low maintenance. They were developed and selected for adaptability, easy-care, flocking ability, low stress, and parasite resistance. The Royal White sheep is frame to height weigh proportionate, designed to be off the ground far enough not to effect body temperature. They grow a longer hair coat in the fall and the shed it off naturally in the spring. The Royal White is pure white. Ewes and rams are polled or naturally hornless. They are highly intelligent for sheep, and the ewes excel in mothering abilities and protection of their lambs. Royals can breed year around, thus allowing lamb production to meet specific markets when the producers want them to meet the demands. The lamb survival is excellent, often having twins, triplets and even quadruplets. The ewes are height to weight proportionate for better lamb carrying capacity, better browsing capabilities, well sized udders off the ground and less lambing problems. The rams are protective and well off the ground to keep their lower body areas cooler from hot soil conditions that could effect breeding performance in hotter climates. Royal White sheep prefer routine. Their flocking traits enable easier management by producers and make rotational grazing more effective, as they stay close together while grazing versus going off grazing in small groups. Royals are somewhat docile, but not too docile, they adapt well to new environments.
Meat is tender and lean, 2.1 on the Bratzler Shear Force Instrument, per Texas Tech University. As a hair sheep, they do not have the high concentrations of lanolin that wool breeds have and therefore have a mild flavor and do not have the gamey taste that some wool breeds produce. The pelts are splittable and grade as garment quality leather. Demand for these sheep seems to exceed the supply of breeding stock and commercial demands, as well as the emerging ethnic markets. Hair sheep production has been on a steady rise for the past 50 years, due to easy-care, no shearing needed, no docking, and no crutching.
Baker Ranch Royal White Grass-fed Lamb:
2017 - Sold Out
2018 - Two, Grass-fed lambs remaining.
2019 - Taking Reservations for whole lamb orders.
Contact Autumn Baker at 208-241-7038.
Whole lamb processing:
Lambs are processed at 7-8 months of age (weight range 90-110 lbs on the hoof, average 54 pounds hanging weight). Lamb is delivered to the butcher of your choice within a 50 mile radius of Lava Hot Springs, the furthest north we deliver is to Hopkins Packing in Blackfoot, Idaho. Whole lamb is $175, 1/2 lamb is $100. You select your cuts and pay the butcher for your cut and wrap separately.
Royal White Breeding Stock:
2017 - Sold out
2018 - 1 Royal White Ram available.
Royal White sheep are a hair breed, privately funded and developed in the United States by William Hoag, in Hermleigh, Texas. The Royal White sheep breed is the first new sheep breed in the United States in over 25 years, developed for high performance and low maintenance. They were developed and selected for adaptability, easy-care, flocking ability, low stress, and parasite resistance. The Royal White sheep is frame to height weigh proportionate, designed to be off the ground far enough not to effect body temperature. They grow a longer hair coat in the fall and the shed it off naturally in the spring. The Royal White is pure white. Ewes and rams are polled or naturally hornless. They are highly intelligent for sheep, and the ewes excel in mothering abilities and protection of their lambs. Royals can breed year around, thus allowing lamb production to meet specific markets when the producers want them to meet the demands. The lamb survival is excellent, often having twins, triplets and even quadruplets. The ewes are height to weight proportionate for better lamb carrying capacity, better browsing capabilities, well sized udders off the ground and less lambing problems. The rams are protective and well off the ground to keep their lower body areas cooler from hot soil conditions that could effect breeding performance in hotter climates. Royal White sheep prefer routine. Their flocking traits enable easier management by producers and make rotational grazing more effective, as they stay close together while grazing versus going off grazing in small groups. Royals are somewhat docile, but not too docile, they adapt well to new environments.
Meat is tender and lean, 2.1 on the Bratzler Shear Force Instrument, per Texas Tech University. As a hair sheep, they do not have the high concentrations of lanolin that wool breeds have and therefore have a mild flavor and do not have the gamey taste that some wool breeds produce. The pelts are splittable and grade as garment quality leather. Demand for these sheep seems to exceed the supply of breeding stock and commercial demands, as well as the emerging ethnic markets. Hair sheep production has been on a steady rise for the past 50 years, due to easy-care, no shearing needed, no docking, and no crutching.
Baker Ranch Royal White Grass-fed Lamb:
2017 - Sold Out
2018 - Two, Grass-fed lambs remaining.
2019 - Taking Reservations for whole lamb orders.
Contact Autumn Baker at 208-241-7038.
Whole lamb processing:
Lambs are processed at 7-8 months of age (weight range 90-110 lbs on the hoof, average 54 pounds hanging weight). Lamb is delivered to the butcher of your choice within a 50 mile radius of Lava Hot Springs, the furthest north we deliver is to Hopkins Packing in Blackfoot, Idaho. Whole lamb is $175, 1/2 lamb is $100. You select your cuts and pay the butcher for your cut and wrap separately.
Royal White Breeding Stock:
2017 - Sold out
2018 - 1 Royal White Ram available.