Buyer question
Are Columbia sheep good for beginners?
It can be: our Animal Library rates the Columbia sheep 3 out of 5 for beginners (large for beginners).
Source: the Columbia sheep page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Columbia sheep in the Animal Library
The detail
Columbias were developed by the USDA starting in 1912 from Lincoln rams and Rambouillet ewes, for western range flocks. They are large, white-faced, dual-purpose sheep with heavy fleeces and good growth.
- Temperament
- Calm, flocking
- Best fit
- Range and farm flocks
- Docility
- 4 out of 5 (Calm, strong flocking)
- Hardiness
- 5 out of 5 (Bred for the range)
What to weigh
Columbias are big and need plenty of feed and sturdy handling gear. Their heavy fleeces are valuable but take work to shear and skirt well.