Cheviots, with their low labour requirements and ability to look after themselves, are the ideal sheep for small holders. When I purchased my small farm a few years ago, the demands of my job influenced the use to which I put my land. My research work takes me away from home a lot, often for several days at a time. So I had to be able to go away with the confidence that the stock would be able to look after themselves. Cheviot sheep were the obvious answer.

My family has a long association with Cheviot sheep. My great uncle started a Cheviot stud in Australia in 1948, my father has been breeding Cheviots since 1974, and I have inherited the family enthusiasm for the breed. I started my stud in 1994, and now have 30 stud Cheviot ewes and replacements on my 5 hectare holding.

My Cheviots need very little handling. I don't drench them much, because their tendency for worm resistance means they don't seem to need it. Their clean heads mean they don't need wigging. I rarely crutch them and have had only two cases of fly strike in 4 years. They are vigorous foragers when feed is scarce, so even during the hot dry summers and cold winters they still have plenty of condition on them. You hardly ever see a skinny one.

With their pricked ears and alert manner, they are a very attractive sheep. My "townie" friends love the look of them. I know of someone selling their small holding who borrowed some Cheviots to put in the paddock "to make the place look better"!

Here's a picture of some of them. One day I'll take a better picture.

And here's a link, to the Cheviot sheep page in Oklahoma State University's livestock breeds pages. When I looked up "Cheviot" in Alta Vista, and saw the first couple of lines of Oklahoma'a Cheviot entry, I felt a sense of deja vu. Sure enough, I had written the text a few years before, when I was Vice President of the Cheviot Sheepbreeders' Association of Australia. And yes, they did acknowledge us on the page. But it's a scary feeling seeing something you wrote appear unexpectedly on the other side of the world! By the way, the bits that don't flow well I didn't write, they are parts that have been added by someone at Oklahoma.

If you are more interested in cattle, try this link to someone who breeds Belted Galloways, my favourite cattle breed. Must get some one day! And, still in the cattle line, try the Australian Poll Hereford Society site.