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The Suffolk breed
The sheep we raise in La Fontaine Pataux belong to the breed of Suffolk, which carries its name from the breed's birthplace in East England. It is a solid, hardy breed, light brown with a handsome black head and black legs. The ewes are excellent mothers which often give birth to twins, and which supply their offspring with generous quantities of milk, supporting rapid growth. The meat of Suffolk sheep is considered to be among the finest, with a firm but tender texture, dark colour and very little fat. Some of our lambs are crossbred between Suffolk and the local Swiss variety Blanc des Alpes. The rich and natural feed on which our lambs are raised guarantees excellent taste. |
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Our herd
Our herd of sheep is small, and the only customers for the top quality lamb are our own family and clients who order in advance. We have about a dozen ewes which will give birth to 15-20 lambs every year. Our sheep spend the entire summer grazing on the lush pastures of our farm. In winter they have a stable with permanent access to the outside field, where they will spend many hours on mild winter days. Their winter feed consists of the hay made on our pastures, organic maize and barley, as well as the pumpkins grown on our compost, which supply precious vitamins. Therefore their feed is entirely natural, without artificial, medical or hormonal supplements. Since the herd is small and contact with the keepers is daily, our animals are very tame. To take them from one pasture to the next, we do not need to chase them, but simply ask them to follow us. | |
