Looking for a smaller animal to graze your pastures? Sheep can be a versatile and rewarding choice.

Sheep can convert grass and weedy plants into fiber, meat, milk, or a combination of these three products, offering fun and profit to all but the very smallest farms. But before getting started, you will need to a choose a breed that fits your goals and environment.

This guide covers some of the sheep breeds available to American homesteaders today, both common and uncommon. Along the way, you will learn about the history, uses, temperament, and health of each breed. These posts also conclude with a list of pros and cons to help you choose the right sheep for your unique circumstances.

Happy sheep-keeping!

Meat Breeds

Barbados Blackbelly

Barbados Blackbelly

Dual-Purpose Breeds

Cheviot

Cheviot

Corriedale

Corriedale

Cotswold

Cotswold