Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep at Mutiny Bay Farm
In
reflecting upon the hardiness, fine wool, and efficiency of the
Babydoll Southdown, one cannot but wonder what lies in the future
as they remain on the rare breeds register today (Rare Breeds Survival
Trust lists "at risk"). The Babydoll Sheep is the most
docile, hardy and manageable sheep of all my breeds and produces
a wool of the highest quality, which at one time was rivaled only
by the Spanish Merino. My son wore knitted hats of various colored
Babydoll wool throughout his childhood, grays, black, shell white,
pink grey and striped. The breed was developed in England in the
1770's and became the forerunner of other Downs breeds, and famous
for improving sheep breeds as far a field as New Zealand, Australia,
and Argentina. In the early years of the 20th century in the United
States, the Olde English Southdown were still winning prizes in
the show rings, but after this their numbers rapidly declined. As
sustainability and rural lifestyle were increasingly valued and
estates looked for the perfect sheep and smallness was viewed as
an asset, these little sheep were rediscovered.
My
specialty in the Babydoll Southdown is not only a hardy animal,
but the more rare colored wool. My ewes often birth deep chocolate
colored lambs, or black lambs whose wool lightens over the years.
Photos of these lambs speak many words. I am happy to send photos
and pedigrees of all lambs and sheep I have for sale and discuss
your breeding needs. I am in complete agreement with John Ellman,
the Englishman who developed the breed, that these animals are adapted
to easy "folding", and are not prone to injure young trees
nor grasslands nor fences. They are easy keepers, a beautiful sheep.
My breeding program over the last ten years enables me to offer
the best of breeding stock in a few lambs and sheep.
In
reflecting upon the hardiness, fine wool, and efficiency of the
Babydoll Southdown, one cannot but wonder what lies in the future
as they remain on the rare breeds register today (Rare Breeds Survival
Trust lists "at risk"). The Babydoll Sheep is the most
docile, hardy and manageable sheep of all my breeds and produces
a wool of the highest quality, which at one time was rivaled only
by the Spanish Merino. My son wore knitted hats of various colored
Babydoll wool throughout his childhood, grays, black, shell white,
pink grey and striped. The breed was developed in England in the
1770's and became the forerunner of other Downs breeds, and famous
for improving sheep breeds as far a field as New Zealand, Australia,
and Argentina. In the early years of the 20th century in the United
States, the Olde English Southdown were still winning prizes in
the show rings, but after this their numbers rapidly declined. As
sustainability and rural lifestyle were increasingly valued and
estates looked for the perfect sheep and smallness was viewed as
an asset, these little sheep were rediscovered. 
My
specialty in the Babydoll Southdown is not only a hardy animal,
but the more rare colored wool. My ewes often birth deep chocolate
colored lambs, or black lambs whose wool lightens over the years.
Photos of these lambs speak many words. I am happy to send photos
and pedigrees of all lambs and sheep I have for sale and discuss
your breeding needs. I am in complete agreement with John Ellman,
the Englishman who developed the breed, that these animals are adapted
to easy "folding", and are not prone to injure young trees
nor grasslands nor fences. They are easy keepers, a beautiful sheep.
My breeding program over the last ten years enables me to offer
the best of breeding stock in a few lambs and sheep.