While the pasture grass is growing, sheep can feed themselves without supplements, but in the winter or if there is a drought, you will need to supplement their diet with hay and/or grain. In general, one acre of good quality pasture can support four sheep. Pastures for sheep can include a mixture of grasses, brush, and trees. They can thrive quite nicely if they are fed nothing but good pasture grasses, salt, a vitamin and mineral supplement, and fresh water. Sheep are ruminant animals, which means they eat predominantly plants such fresh grass and hay. Having a vet inspect any sheep you want to purchase can help you choose the best sheep. If buying an adult ewe, make sure the udder is healthy and not lumpy-this can indicate mastitis and can damage her milk production for future lambs.Potbellies can indicate worm infestation. The sheep should have a wide back and deep body and not be too thin or too fat.(Make sure other sheep in the flock are not limping either, because this may mean they have foot rot, which can infect your sheep.) The sheep's hooves should be trimmed properly and the sheep should not be limping.Check the head and neck for lumps or swelling, which may mean an untreated worm infestation or abscess.The lower jaw must not be undershot or overshot. Look at the flock the sheep comes from, talk with the farmer about the history of the animal and its parents.Ĭheck the sheep's physical condition, especially the following details: Make sure that you purchase sheep directly from the person who raised them. Suffolk (a popular meat breed in the U.S.)Īfter deciding on a breed, careful selection of individual animals is critical.Columbia (large breed with dense off-white wool).Polypay (lambs are produced frequently and grow quickly).Dorset (medium size, with dense white wool).Corriedale (large species, with plentiful meat and lustrous wool).There are over 200 breeds of sheep, but the list of those most commonly raised is fairly small. You will also need to consider your local climate, so ask around locally as to what breeds are being raised by other farmers in the area Are you raising them for meat or wool, or just as pet lawnmowers? Or are you taking the less common route and raising them for milk? Although sheep don't yield nearly as much milk as cows or goats, some people do enjoy the taste of sheep's milk, and it can be used to make delicious cheeses and yogurts. When selecting the right sheep breed, the first thing to consider is the purpose of the sheep. Pictured is a Dorper hair sheep, a South African breed of domestic sheep.
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