Hair Sheep

  • Hair Sheep

    Posted by Kh62 on November 28, 2022 at 11:57 am

    I know absolutely nothing about sheep but I’m thinking about them as a compromise. Nothing on my farm can have a single purpose so my questions start with what do they taste like? I’ve eaten mutton (lamb) and did not like it but I’ve heard that hair sheep are more like beef, is that true?

    TwistedPony replied 1 year, 3 months ago 5 Members · 14 Replies
  • 14 Replies
  • Fran-Moyer

    Member
    November 29, 2022 at 7:32 pm

    We are supposed to get 6 ewes that my husband wants. I have ate mutton years ago and did not like it. It was from a wool sheep. I was told that hair sheep does not taste the same as wool sheep. 🤷‍♀️

    • Kh62

      Member
      November 29, 2022 at 9:14 pm

      That’s what I’ve heard.

  • JDPFarm

    Member
    January 16, 2023 at 1:08 pm

    We raise Katahdin hair sheep. Ours are pasture raised, no grain other than occasional alfalfa/cracked corn mixture to lure them into the sorting pen. I’ve not noticed any off or strong flavors with ours. Ours are processed between 6-12 months old, both intact and whethered ram lambs. The meat is very much like rich beef. The lard we rendered out is excellent for cooking as well. I haven’t used any for baking yet as I rarely bake. Even when our rams are in full breeding mode during fall and winter, we don’t notice a smell like we do with our goats. If you process them yourself, be sure you don’t let the hair side of the hide touch the meat. Any lanolin in the hair gives the meat an off flavor. We butchered, cut into the cuts, packaged and freeze all the same day, no aging of the meat. I use the meat as I would beef. We never have older ones to butcher as they sell out to the local ethnic populations faster than I can raise them from our smaller herd. We’re in NE Alabama. Hope that helps.

    • Kh62

      Member
      January 16, 2023 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you! Confirmation.

    • TwistedPony

      Member
      January 17, 2023 at 12:08 pm

      Thank you! We have a young ram we are thinking of processing if he doesn’t sell. Reading all these comments I was a bit concerned. Thanks for the clarification.

  • Kh62

    Member
    November 28, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    It is my understanding that most lamb in the US is actually mutton. So honestly I don’t know what I ate. I just remember I didn’t like it.

  • Kh62

    Member
    November 29, 2022 at 3:12 am

    I would appreciate that very much.

  • Kh62

    Member
    November 30, 2022 at 9:12 pm

    Thank you. I really appreciate that.

  • Kh62

    Member
    December 3, 2022 at 10:49 am

    Thank you. I’ve saved them for the future.

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