Lean red meat Barbados Blackbelly lambs are purported to have less body fat than other breeds. As is the case with goats, they tend to deposit less subcutaneous fat than wooled breeds, while generally accumulating more fat around the heart and kidneys. Their meat is considered to have a milder, less muttony flavor than the lamb from wooled breeds. Some of the restaurants in Barbados feature local Barbados Blackbelly lamb on the menu this palate found it to be very tender and tasty, as good as any lamb I have ever tasted. It is difficult for local producers to compete on the basis of price and uniformity of supply with New Zealand.
Most sheep farms are small.
Profitability is hampered by high feed and veterinary costs. Barbados does not grow much of its own livestock feed. At one time, by-products from sugar cane, the country's number one cash crop, provided feed for livestock, but with mechanical harvesting replacing hand labor, the once potential feed is now returned to the field. Imported feeds are twice the price as in the U.S., due to high transportation costs. The price of hay is also high.