About Baby Dolls—Miniature Southdown Sheep
The South Down breed of sheep originated in the South Down (hills) of Sussex County, England. The English farms kept these sheep for their flavorful meat and fine fleece. In the early 1800s the South Downs were crossed with bigger sheep to produce a larger animal. They are the South Downs of modern day. Around 1990 small flocks of the original smaller South Downs were rediscovered and labeled Old English Babydoll Miniature Sheep to differentiate them from the larger modern breed.
Currently people raise these docile sheep for their wool, as pets, and grass trimmers perfect for today’s smaller acreage farms. They are one of the oldest known down sheep.
Babydolls are usually between 18 – 24 inches tall. As adults their weight averages 70-150 lbs. They breed once a year with ewe having 1-2 lambs in the spring. Occasionally, ewes will have triplets–but not that often.
I am interested in Baby doll sheep. I live in Louisiana and wonder about the sheep’s heat tolerance and general health maintenance. I do not want to do anything that would harm them.
It was 100 degrees most of the summer 2011 here in Georgia. They did surprisingly well. They should be sheared more than once in year is hot climates.