Why St Croix Sheep?…Are They the Silver Bullet Grass-Fed Homestead Breed???

Some candid thoughts based on our 3+ years of experience with St Croix sheep.

[@bryansmith1871]

you really helped convince me w St Croix. have an opportunity here in FL to start and i’m very grateful for your info.

[@birchfieldfarming]

They’re a wonderful breed - best of luck in Florida, Bryan! Thanks for watching.

[@appalachianheartsong5487]

What a great episode Jason, and really timely for us as we had a false swarm a week ago and several days ago began our first hive. A bear or something got into our hive the first night but the damage, fortunately, was minimal. All the animals on your place look very content, although I don’t recall you speaking about losing lambs previously. Sorry to hear that my brother. God bless, Dan and Elle

[@birchfieldfarming]

We had lamb trouble at 60 days old last year - many factors, most out of our control (very dry, then wet), which is why we lambed early this year and so far so good. Congrats on your 1st hive, that’s great! Look forward to seeing your set-up!!

[@SundryTalesOfConstance79WESTY]

Thanks for making this! It helps us in considering sheep for our homestead. Just scribed because this video is Nooice! 😎 STOC

[@birchfieldfarming]

Hey, thanks for being here and commenting! Best to you on your sheep journey! 🐑 🐑

[@SundryTalesOfConstance79WESTY]

@@birchfieldfarming Thanks for responding. I appreciate you sharing and look forward to following along! With warmest personal regards 😎 STOC

[@nerissametcalf6888]

Do you plant out and seed your fields with the fodder they are eating, or do you luckily have naturally occurring vegetation?

[@birchfieldfarming]

All natural when this video was taken, although we have started using cover crops just within the last few years. We’re up above 3% organic matter in our soil and get 35”+ annual precip, so we can grow some pretty good perennial pastures with just what’s there.

[@jktedder4cac]

What is the rotation schedule? i.e., how many acres per rotation, and how many days per rotation? Thanks for any info. Just a beginner here. Thanks.

[@birchfieldfarming]

I currently have quantity of 10 paddocks that are 1/4 acre each, rotating every 3 days. At the end of the rotation, I run animals in a wooded area of 1.5 acres for about a week, depending on pasture conditions. Goal is 30+ days of rest. 7 head of Red Devon cattle and 15 St. Croix all running on under 5 acres. I did a video a few weeks back detailing the set-up as well (“7 cattle, 24 sheep, 40 chickens”). Hope this helps! Good luck to ya!

[@kalsprite]

do you have to do any grain in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy? i have to with katahdins... i wasnt expecting that. mine are very prolific though, twins to triplets. the mommas will starve without it. :(

[@birchfieldfarming]

I do not do the grain with pregnancy. My St Croix are probably not as large as your Katahdins tho.

[@marcus3457]

Do St. Croix also average higher on the number of lambs each season vs. Dorpers, or is it about the same?

[@birchfieldfarming]

That’s a great question and one I cannot answer, as we have no experience with Dorpers. I’d also enjoy knowing if you find out, so feel free to circle back.

[@xxfaction6xx]

great!

[@johnfolk1448]

Do you know anything about milking St. Croix ?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Yes, we’ve milked St. Croix. What questions do you have?

[@apostlerobbiegray]

Bless you man, thanks for the video. I’m thinking of going this route, yes Greg just has really put this bread out there! Try letting the ewes ween their own babies. That is what I do with my cattle as Greg Judy does with his, it’ resembles nature, that is our goal right. I’m not sure if he weens his sheep though do you know ?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Bless you as well, thanks for following along. I’m not sure if Greg weans sheep. We had a tough time post 60 days with large rams wearing mammas down. Don’t want to cull, as the lambs are big and beautiful. The Lord bless you and your land, brother!

[@dankletti1557]

Greg allows the ewes to wean on their own, he has talked about it in a couple videos. Lord willing my wife and I will be moving this spring to a hobby farm, where I'd like to get started with sheep also! Thanks for the info, God bless you and your family!

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@dankletti1557 Hey, best of luck with your new farm adventure in the Spring! Maybe some St. Croix lambs in your future, eh?

[@dankletti1557]

@@birchfieldfarming Thanks! Yes that is the plan! 🤠 🐑 🐏

[@bassnerd4918]

How hard is it find buyers for st croix. Can’t decide if I want st croix or dorper. A lot of pro dorper people say you can’t find buyers for st croix. Because of the carcass size. What are your thoughts on that?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Dorper definitely have a size advantage, no doubt. I always say what we give up in carcass size, though, we gain in parasite resistance. It all depends on your farm goals - personally, I didn’t want to mess with worming sheep, for many different reasons. As far as buyers go, I’m booked out for 3 years on St. Croix breeding stock. I wish I would’ve bought twice as many starting out. There’s a huge shift in agriculture happening from high input industrial breeds back to low input homesteading breeds. Making meat, milk, and more lambs off of GRASS alone with minimal inputs were our goals, and I believe those were realistic. Best of luck to ya!

[@michaelflores9796]

Do you have to trim there hoofs?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Yes, I do trim hooves once or twice a year.

[@wallacewimmer5191]

👍👍

[@yoopermann7942]

in my way of thinking i dont think its so much of the breed its how they fit into/onto your farming practices,, that is just my way of thinking that there are individual animalsthat will work and some that wont work for you

[@birchfieldfarming]

Absolutely, it certainly all depends on farm goals to begin with. That being said, within the regenerative ag camp I think we’re seeing an agrarian renaissance of sorts that many times trends toward something of a modern homesteading. The breeds behind it are capable of supporting small independent farms requiring minimal outside inputs. My point: St. Croix are very capable within these expectations, but like anything else we should expect a learning curve…I think it’s hopeful.