FAQ's
Q: I am thinking of breeding Kune Kunes for meat to sell. Do they make good eating and is there a market for Kune Kune meat?A: We have never slaughtered a Kune Kune so cannot speak from experience. Some breeders that have tried Kune Kune meat tell us that they always seem to be too fat; but that of course could be due to not taking enough care to finish them properly. There are, however, one or two breeders who keep them specifically to market the meat and they seem to have successful enterprises. Kune meat is definitely a niche market and you have to persuade your customers that it is a delicacy and something special. If they don't agree with you they won't come back and you can't run a business exclusively on first time customers.
It would be much less of a gamble to keep some of the old traditional breeds and rear them in the old fashioned way. You can guarantee to get quality pork, ham, bacon and lots of loyal, returning customers.
Q: I would like to keep some Herdwick sheep but we are a long way away from Suffolk so getting them from you would be difficult.
A: If you look on the breed society's web site www.herdwick-sheep.com you should be able find some breeders who are within striking distance of where you live. The Society Secretary should be able to advise you.
I can certainly recommend the Herdwick. They are very hardy and cope well with poor grazing. They are docile and friendly once they know you and the lambs are particularly attractive.
Herdwick meat is much sought after by enthusiasts as it is extremely good and considered to be something special. We have a butcher in our area who supplies meat for formal dinners at Cambridge Colleges and the London livery companies and he brings Herdwicks down from the Lake District every year and finishes them down here in order to meet this demand. You will be lucky to finish a Herdwick for the butcher in its first year unless it was a very early lamb. They tend to stay small over winter and then rush ahead once the spring grass arrives and they then make an excellent hogget carcass.
Q: I would like to buy some ewes with a view to producing my own lamb. I have never kept sheep before though I am experienced with other livstock.
We could supply you with ewe lambs next year and, if you want stock that is friendly, getting them as lambs and raising them in your own environment will ensure that they are docile. Mature stock brought in from elsewhere rarely settle down if they have been allowed to go wild in a previous home.
You will find that many breed societies have web sites which maintain a list of breeders with stock for sale. If you can't find a web site for a breed that you are looking for, the RBST web site www.rare-breeds.com will tell you how to contact the various society secretaries who will probably keep a list of breeders with stock available.