Selecting bree
ds that are well adapted or native to your climate reduces the amount of management that is required to keep them warm or cool. While any breed of goat or sheep can technically be raised in any geographic location, it is sensible to select breeds which are best adapted to the climate in which they will be raised. Location of origin is a clue as to their tolerance level for hot weather. For example, sheep breeds developed in the Caribbean and in Africa tend to have fine wool or hair that sheds in the summer rather than thick wool that requires shearing. At The Micro Farm Project, we raised Dorpers, bred for the arid regions of South Africa, and Barbados Blackbelly crosses. Neither breed required shearing, but our ram really appreciated a brushing to help remove his winter coat.
Check out Getting Goats 101: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started on the From Scratch Magazine website.
Or for information about sheep breeds, take a look at A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Sheep: Selecting a Breed of Sheep.
