Need some information about sheep...

[GeeseRCool]

Hello!

I wanted to ask all of the experts on here a few questions about sheep...

1. What kind of housing is okay for them to use?

2. Are they very likely to be eaten by predators?

3. Is it hard to raise and kill lambs?

4. Is there a market for them?

5. What kind of food do they eat? Do they eat a lot of grass?

6. Are they over all hard to raise?

7. What kind of tools would you most likely need to do something like that?

If you have any other information then I would love to know it!!!

 

[sheep whisperer]

Hello!

I wanted to ask all of the experts on here a few questions about sheep...

1. What kind of housing is okay for them to use?

2. Are they very likely to be eaten by predators?

3. Is it hard to raise and kill lambs?

4. Is there a market for them?

5. What kind of food do they eat? Do they eat a lot of grass?

6. Are they over all hard to raise?

7. What kind of tools would you most likely need to do something like that?

1. i would get a sheep book for acurate info bu anything that protects them from the extrematives such as snow, wind hail and rain. also to protect them from predators and the young from draughts
2. unless the predators are really hungry or you have savage loose dogs and vicus birds then you may have a few minor problems. most likely to be attacked if the group is small or alone. most likely not to be eaten whole but can get injured and bitten which will most likely have them out down due to infection.
3. lambs can be problems if you arn't prepared but can be a plesure if you are. some lambs or meat sheep are going have to be put down if it is to be on the plate. can get other people to do it and can be hard if you have a strong connection.
4.there is a market for them if farmers around you have sheep. some markets may be a long way away but. markets are interesting. or you can give it to the selling farmer for them to take for you.
5. they eat anything that is good to eat for them. grass, pasture and some edible plants and trees. grain and mineral blocks are also needed if grass is not enough and may need grain when there is no grass.
6. they are not hard to rasie if you don't make it hard. experinced people find it no troubles but the novice may take time to say that it is easy
7. most of the tools can be found in sheep shops, catalouges or online. if you can get a book just about everyting you need can be bought or made no hassels

some breeds need special attention when feeding grain and grass when you change beetween them. merinos can get bloat from to much too early which can mean loss

If you have any other information then I would love to know it!!!

 

[GeeseRCool]

Thanks! I might look into that!

 

[patandchickens]

1. What kind of housing is okay for them to use?

Whatever keeps the rain/wind off 'em (when they choose to go in) and is VERY WELL VENTILATED. Closed into a barn is not good, even with windows open.

2. Are they very likely to be eaten by predators?

Oh yes. Most especially coyotes and peoples' loose dogs. Big issue in most places.

3. Is it hard to raise and kill lambs?

Not sure whether you mean technically hard (no, unless you do dumb things in which case yes) or aesthetically hard (which depends on the person). Most people do not slaughter and process them themselves, rather send them to a processing plant.

4. Is there a market for them?

I assume you mean "what price market" not "is there" -- depends MASSIVELY on where you are, what time of year, and what year (fluctuations in meat prices and in ratio of grain cost to meat prices). You need to investigate YOUR area, nobody else's answers are relevant.

5. What kind of food do they eat? Do they eat a lot of grass?

Grass (and some weeds and browse) when pasture is growing, sometimes benefiting from grain as well depending on situation (like, whether pregnant/lactating, and what breed). Good hay as replacement for pasture when it's winter or droughty. So, "it depends".

6. Are they over all hard to raise?

Depends what you're comparing them to?

7. What kind of tools would you most likely need to do something like that?

Not sure what you mean by tools. You need somewhere to keep them (sheep- and predatorproof fences, some kind of shelter, and preferably some kind of corral/chute/sorting type facility even if it is just something informally knocked together for five sheep). You need a totally reliable source of CLEAN FRESH water (they are remarkably picky). And you need ways of keeping the internal parasite "worm" load down. Plus some emergency-type medical supplies.

There's some good books, if you are totally in the dark about sheep it would be worth reading as many of them as you can get your hands on (NOT just one or two).

Dunno if that helps any, good luck, have fun,

Pat