Last year we spent some time discussing topics like selecting breeding stock and using terminal sires to make your flock more productive and profitable. Today we are going to be discussing another important part of improving your flock: culling. Culling is something that makes many people uncomfortable, and for good reason. Its not a pleasant…
Category: Sheep
Flushing Sheep To Maximize Reproductive Performance
Today we are going to talk about the concept of flushing sheep. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you haven’t. If you haven’t, flushing is strategically feeding your sheep extra feed at certain times to increase productivity of your flock (this also applies directly to goats!). It is something we have done for 2 seasons…
Copper and Sheep. Is Copper Going To Kill My Sheep?
Copper and sheep. Is copper going to kill my sheep? The title says it all. There isn’t a more misunderstood, maligned nutrient in sheep. You’ve probably heard that copper is evil. Sheep can’t have any copper. If sheep have copper in their diet they will die. Unfortunately, while sheep can and do die of copper…
How To Trim Sheep Hooves
Today we are going to show you how to trim sheep hooves. Depending on your soil and the activity level of your sheep, you will likely need to trim their hooves at some point. For some people it’s a 2x a year task, for some its more or less frequently than that, and for the…
How To Help A Sheep With Bottle Jaw
If you own sheep or goats for any length of time, there is a good chance that you will encounter bottle jaw at some point. As a small ruminant owner, it is essential to know what it is, and what to do about it. Bottle jaw is a puffy accumulation of fluid below the chin…
How To Build A DIY Automatic Waterer
Are you sick of dragging hoses and carrying water? If you’re like us, the answer is a resounding YES! Have you have frequently wished you had automatic waterers? But also felt like upwards of $1k per waterer was unaffordable or unjustifiable? Particularly if you’re rotationally grazing and need waterers in many locations throughout your farm….
Using Jump Gates To Help Your Livestock Guardian Dog
If you have a livestock guardian dog, or are thinking about getting one, you may know that the logistics of getting everything to work can be tricky. One issue you may come across is how to give your dogs access to different areas of your pastures without letting your livestock run loose wherever they want….
The Best Round Bale Feeder For Sheep
In a previous article we wrote about the no waste hay feeders we use with our flock. These feeders were designed to hold small amounts of hay like square bales or hay that we peeled off of round bales. But what if you have enough sheep and equipment to warrant the labor savings of feeding…
Slashing Your Feed Bill With Locally Sourced Feed
I’m sure you probably already know that feeding livestock can get expensive. This is particularly true if you are feeding high production animals that cannot perform off hay or pasture alone. A small flock of sheep eating 1-2lb/head a day of grain will burn through a 50 lb bag of feed in no time. What…
What To Look For When Selecting A Dairy Katahdin
A question we see posed fairly frequently on various forums and Facebook groups we are members of is about milking Katahdins. People often ask if they can milk Katahdins. Of course the answer is yes. However, Katahdins are meat sheep. Saying you can milk them doesn’t tell you much about how to find one suitable…