Sheep husbandry

Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk. Some farmers specialize in breeding sheep to sell to other farmers.

Animal care

Shelter and Environment: Sheep are kept in flocks — in pens, in a barn or on pasture. In cold climates sheep need shelter in the winter. Sheep need shelter from rain for a day before shearing so that the fleece is manageable.

Health Care: Sheep, particularly those kept inside, are vaccinated when they are newborn lambs. Farmers work with animal nutritionists and veterinarians to keep sheep healthy and to manage animal health problems. Lambs may be castrated and have their tails shortened for cleanliness and to protect them from biting insects. Shearers or farmers need to remove wool from the hindquartes, around the anus, so that droppings do not adhere. In the southern hemisphere this is called dagging or crutching.

Water, Food and Air: Sheep need fresh water from troughs or ponds, except that in some countries, such as New Zealand, there is enough moisture in the grass to satisfy them much of the time.

Upon being weaned from ewe's milk, they eat hay, grains and grasses. Sheep are active grazers where such feed is available at ground or low levels. They are usually given feed twice a day from troughs or they are allowed to graze in a pasture.

Sheep are most comfortable when the temperature is moderate, so fans may be needed for fresh air if sheep are kept in barns during hot weather. In Australia, sheep in pasture are often subjected to 40 °C (104 °F), and higher, daytime temperatures without deleterious effects. In New Zealand sheep are kept on pasture in snow for periods of 3 or 4 days before they have to have supplemental feeding.

Management of flocks

A sheep farmer is concerned with keeping the correct ratio of male to female sheep, selecting traits for breeding, and controlling under-/over-breeding based on the size and genetic diversity of the flock. Other tasks include sheep shearing, crutching and lambing the sheep.

Sheep breeders look for such traits in their flocks as high wool quality, consistent muscle development, quick conception rate (for females), multiple births and quick physical development.

Another concern of a sheep farmer is the protection of livestock. Sheep have many natural enemies, such as coyotes (North America), foxes (Europe), dingoes (Australia), keas (New Zealand high country) and dogs.

Sheep may be kept in a fenced-in field or paddock. The farmer must ensure that the fences are maintained in order to prevent the sheep from wandering onto roads or neighbours' property. Alternatively, they may be "hefted" (trained to stay in a certain area without the need for fences).

A shepherd and a sheep dog may be employed for protection of the flock. On large farms, dogs or riders on horseback or motorcycles may herd sheep.

Lambing

Lambing is term for the management of birth in domestic sheep. In agriculture it often requires assistance from the farmer or shepherd because of breeding, climate or the individual physiology of the ewe.

Australian farmers generally arrange for all the ewes in a mob to give birth (the lambing season) within a period of a few weeks often in early Autumn. As ewes sometimes fail to bond with newborn lambs, especially after delivering twins or triplets, it is important to minimize disturbances during this period.

Life cycle

The female sheep is called a ewe. Ewes are pregnant for just under five months before they lamb, and may have anywhere from one to three lambs per birth. Some ewes can have seven or eight lambs. Single lambs are most common, twins and triplets less common. A ewe may lamb once or twice a year. Lambs are weaned at three months. Sheep are full grown at one year weighing between 70 and 125 kilograms. Sheep can live to eleven or twelve years of age.