Sheep

Raising Sheep Sheep are multi-purpose animals, raised for meat, milk, and wool. They are also valued for their skins and hides. While sheep have been used to control unwanted vegetation for centuries, grazing as a fee-based service is a relative new opportunity.

One of the first and most important decisions a shepherd must make is to decide what aspect of sheep production to focus on. While most sheep are multi-purpose, there are breeds which are better suited to meat, milk, or wool. Production practices will also vary according to the emphasis of the flock.

What this species produces Sheep produce two major crops: Wool Lambs/meat 1. The wool is sold for use in making clothes, etc. Fireproof Warm Breathable Absorbant (oil spills) 2. The lambs are fed for slaughter to produce meat. 3. Some sheep are kept as pets or for show.

Meat Sheep In the United States, most sheep and lambs are meat-type animals kept primarily for the production of lambs for meat or dual purpose breeds kept for both meat and wool production. Meat sheep producers sell either slaughter lambs or feeder lambs. In a meat sheep enterprise, the primary factors which determine profitability are percent lamb crop, lamb growth rates, and market prices. Unless feed costs are very low, it is difficult to make a profit from a ewe that produces just one lamb.

Wool Production Wool was the first commodity to be traded internationally and is the product the public most commonly associates with sheep. However, the importance of wool (as a product) relative to meat has declined dramatically. In the early 1900's, the majority of income from a sheep operation was from the sale of wool. Today, it is the other way around; lambs contribute the majority of income to the operator. Selling wool in the commercial wool market has limited profit potential, but niche marketing wool can pay big dividends. For example, while wool sold commercially may bring only 75 cents per pound, fleeces sold to hand spinners could bring as much as $15 per pound. Many producers process their own wool into yarn, roving, blankets, or crafts and market value-added products. Fleeces sold to hand spinners need to be of high quality. Feeding, housing, health care, and handling are all critical to the production of good quality wool. Fleeces should have the belly wool, tags, stained wool, coarse wool, cotted wool, and short wool removed.

Hair Sheep The declining value of wool relative to meat, along with the decreasing number of sheep shearers, has contributed to an expansion of hair sheep. It is estimated that approximately 10 percent of the world's sheep population is hair sheep. Hair sheep do not produce a fleece. They naturally shed their coats (mixtures of hair and wool fibres) and do not require shearing, crutching, or docking. Hair sheep tend to be more resistant to internal parasites (gastro-intestinal worms) and other pests than wooled sheep. In addition, hair sheep breeds possess many desirable reproductive characteristics, such as early puberty, out-of-season breeding, and prolificacy. Hair sheep are promoted as an "easy-care" alternative to wooled sheep and traditional production systems. Hair sheep ewes are often lambed on pasture. Lambs are commonly grass- finished. Because hair sheep production continues to grow, there may be a good market for hair sheep breeding stock.

Sheep Dairying Sheep have been milked for thousands of years and were milked long before cows were. The world's commercial dairy sheep industry is concentrated in Europe and the countries on or near the Mediterranean Sea. The dairy sheep industry is very small in the United States, but growing. Sheep's milk is usually made into cheese. Some milk is made into yogurt and ice cream. Fresh sheep's milk is seldom consumed. While any breed of sheep can be milked, there are specialized dairy sheep breeds, much like there are specialized breeds of cattle and goats for dairy production. Dairy ewes have the highest water requirement of any class of sheep at approximately three gallons per head per day. Milking facilities and equipment will be the biggest expense in a dairy sheep operation.

Seedstock Many sheep farms specialize in the production and sale of seedstock or breeding stock. Breeding stock includes ewes and rams, purebred registered animals as well as commercial crossbreds. Customers for breeding stock may be other seedstock producers or commercial sheep producers. In areas where there is a large commercial sheep industry, producers may find ready markets for rams. Record keeping is an important aspect of seedstock production. The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) is a computerized performance record keeping system for small ruminant producers. National Sheep Improvement Program

Basic Life Cycle Mature female sheep (called ewes) are usually bred (mated) in the fall. After a 5-months pregnancy (gestation), an average of 1.5 lambs per ewe are born in the spring. The lambs nurse their mothers for a variable time (several months), are weaned and then are kept as breeding replacements or fed for slaughter (at about 100 pounds).

Dietary Facts Sheep are ruminants with a complex, 4-compartmented "stomach". They eat grass at pasture as well as grain.

Economic Traditionally, sheep have been raised on farms and ranches for the purpose of generating an income for the farm. While some farms make a majority of their income from their sheep enterprise, sheep raising is more often a secondary or tertiary enterprise on a farm. In fact, sheep raising compliments many other farming enterprises. Sheep are popular enterprises for many part-time farmers. There can be numerous tax advantages to raising sheep or engaging in similar agricultural activities. Some people raise sheep for the primary purpose of having their land holdings taxed at agricultural rates.

Environmental Some people keep sheep to maintain their landscapes. Due to their small size, upland grazing preferences, and desire for a mixed diet, sheep are ideal for vegetation control. In fact, the opportunities for fee-based grazing by sheep and goats are expanding. Sheep and other livestock grazing is a way to keep land open and preserve agricultural landscapes.

Quality of life Many families enjoy the agricultural lifestyle and wish to expose their children to plant cultivation, animal husbandry, and other aspects of the rural way of life. Sheep are an ideal project for children, due to their small size and gentle nature. Exhibiting sheep can be an enjoyable activity for people of all ages, but especially youth. Sheep and lambs make excellent 4-H and FFA projects. In fact, 4-H and FFA is how many people get started in the sheep business. There is a certain satisfaction to growing your own food and fiber. Many people keep a few sheep to provide meat and/or fiber for their family. Some people wish to support livestock conservation efforts by raising and propogating a rare or heritage breed of sheep.

Many people raise sheep because of their desire to train and trial herding dogs, usually Border Collies. It is hard to train and work a herding dog without having access to a flock of sheep. Hair sheep are usually kept for this task, as they are more tolerant of the heat and rigorous workout.

Sheep raising can be an enjoyable activity for retired persons. Sheep are easier to work with than larger animals and the investment in breeding stock and equipment is much less. In some situations, the sheep enterprise can supplement the retirement income. Empty-nesters and single people may keep sheep so they have something to take care of.