Professional Documents
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Guide to Raising
SI NG ANIMA
AI LS
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Healthy Sheep
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Aerica Opatik
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CH AL ince the end of World War II, the Snow can replace water in winter months,
ING RUR
S number of sheep in the United States
has declined from an all-time high of
56 million in 1942 to 6.2 million in 2007.
but ewes must have fresh water daily for 6
weeks prior to lambing. To prevent water
in the tank from freezing in the winter,
Several factors have contributed to this install a simple tank heater from a local
sharp decline, including competition from farm supply store.
Livestock Team overseas producers and from other meat
and fiber industries. Pasture
However, the sheep industry is changing. Sheep require little shelter, because they
For more information contact: An increasing number of sheep are being have wool to insulate them. They tend to
raised on small farms instead of on large take advantage of natural windbreaks such
Aerica Opatik
ranches. The decline in the number of as trees, shrubs, and hills. If sheep are
Extension agriculture educator
sheep is slowing, and new and emerging housed in an open field with no natural
920-388-7141
specialty markets, such as “locally grown” windbreaks, it is advisable to construct
aerica.opatik@ces.uwex.edu
food, high-quality sheep cheese, and spe- some. Simple windbreaks such as large
Dave Thomas cialty wools, offer new possibilities for the roundbales or hay feeders work well.
Extension sheep specialist
Facilities
industry. Another option is to install permanent
608-263-4306 windbreaks, such as sheets of plywood or
dlthomas@wisc.edu sheet metal anchored in the ground.
2
G U I D E T O R A I S I N G H E A L T H Y S H E E P
Subsequently, this may lead to the death While there are various methods of
of the lambs and even the ewe. During lac- docking lambs, the most common and safe
Disease/biosecurity
Biosecurity involves taking measures to
tation, ewes can be fed a diet similar to are an elastrator and a docker knife (similar
prevent the introduction of disease agents
that administered during late gestation. It to scissors). The elastrator simply stretches
and their spread to and from animal popu-
is important to supply a ewe with a very small rubber band over the tail. The
lations or their proximity.
adequate nutrition depending on how band eventually cuts off circulation in the
Breeds
many lambs she is raising. tail, causing it to die and fall off. A docker Biosecurity has three main components:
knife is used in a similar manner as • isolation, or the confinement of animals
scissors, whereby you simply cut the tail at away from other animals
the point at which you want it docked. • traffic control, or controlling the
Common breeds raised primarily for meat
Electric docker knives cauterize the tail movement of people, animals, and
are Suffolk, Hampshire, Texel, Dorset, and
and seal the open wound. Both the elastra- equipment
Shouthdown. Common breeds raised pri-
tor and docker knife can also be used for
marily for wool are Lincoln, Romney, • sanitation/husbandry, involving the
castrating ram lambs. Castration should be
Merino, and Rambouillet. Breeds that excel cleanliness and care of animals and
done before 2 weeks of age.
in both meat and wool are Columbia, their environment
Finnsheep, Polypay, and Targhee. If you are
planning to start a milking sheep opera- Shearing The most common way in which new
Sheep must be shorn at least once a year. diseases are introduced into a flock is
tion, the best breeds for milk are East
A common time to shear is shortly before through new animal additions. In order to
Fresian and Lacaune. Another sheep
ewes lamb. It is important to note, though, prevent transmission of new diseases, work
variety is hair sheep, the most common
if you choose to shear at this time you with your veterinarian to design a biosecu-
breeds being Barbados Blackbelly,
must provide ewes with enough shelter to rity protocol.
Health
Katahdin, and St. Croix.
stay warm. There are electric and manual One health concern for sheep is parasite
and biosecurity
shearers. As shearing sheep takes a lot of control. The most serious parasites reside
skill, it is best to rely on a professional until in the forages that sheep graze on. Areas
you learn the skills to shear a sheep on receiving significant rainfall have higher
your own. Professional sheep shearers are occurrences of excessive parasite
available to come to your farm to shear.
Docking problems. In order to disrupt the life cycle
Sheep have unique health requirements of the parasites, use anthelmintics
when compared to other typical farm Hoof trimming (dewormers) in combination with pasture
animals. Sheep must have their tails docked Hoof maintenance is very important for management strategies. It is most
for several reasons, the most important of sheep. Depending on the particular common to worm sheep every 6 months,
which is to prevent fly-strike. When a animal, hooves may require trimming two usually in the spring and fall. Lambs on
sheep’s tail is not docked, heavy build-up of or more times each year. Although some pasture should be wormed once each
wool and manure is literally a breeding sheep will wear down their hooves just month.
ground for flies. Fly-strike occurs when from everyday walking, some will need Another major health concern is scrapie, a
blowflies lay their eggs in the manure and regular trimming. Trimming hooves is an fatal, degenerative disease affecting the
wool of a sheep’s dock area. Maggots hatch acquired skill and must be done correctly. central nervous system of sheep and
from the eggs and feed on the sheep’s Do not attempt to trim a hoof unless you goats. Scrapie damages nerve cells and
flesh. By simply docking a lamb at an early have taken a class or been shown by an causes behavioral changes. Indicators
age, fly-strike can usually be prevented. expert. Incorrectly trimming a hoof can be include hopping like a rabbit, stepping
Lambs should be docked by 2 weeks of very painful to a sheep and may cause high of forelegs, swaying of hind end,
age. The earlier the lamb is docked, the less them to become lame. Hoof trimming tremmoring, rubbing on fences or build-
stressful it is on the tools are rather ings, and gait abnormalities. If you suspect
animal. Be sure to inexpensive and scrapie in your flock, contact your veteri-
leave the docked can be pur- narian immediately. State departments of
tail long enough to chased at your agriculture, trade, and consumer protec-
cover the ewe local farm tion have programs available to identify
lamb’s vulva. Dock supply store. sheep with a special scrapie tag. Contact
the tail the same your local state office to obtain free tags.
length on males.
3
Manure Behavior/handling Additional resources
S M A L L F A R M S : R A I S I N G A N I M A L S — E N R I C H I N G R U R A L L I F E
Copyright ©2008 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System doing business as the division of Cooperative
Extension of the University of Wisconsin–Extension. All rights reserved. Send copyright inquiries to: Cooperative Extension Publishing,
432 N. Lake St., Rm. 231, Madison, WI 53706.
Author: Aerica Opatik is an agriculture educator in Kewaunee County with University of Wisconsin–Extension, Cooperative Extension.
Produced by Cooperative Extension Publishing, University of Wisconsin–Extension.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.
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Guide to Raising Healthy Sheep (A3858-2) I-09-2008