Sheep 101

[rosti]

I’m considering getting a few sheep to start my dogs on. I don’t plan on keeping them for more than a few months(would prefer to borrow over buy), but want to take good care of them in the time I do have them.
I have no experience with sheep, but I do know they can’t have high copper feed or minerals. Other than that, is their basic care the same as with goats? How many sheep would 1/4 acre hold? It’s seeded with various grasses and alfalfa and is a very lush, thick pasture-are they as sensitive about fresh, lush grass as goats are? Our goats are always wanting to bloat on pasture, unless we feed ‘em hay before turning them out. I’m wanting the sheep to keep the pasture mowed... What diseases should I be aware of that sheep commonly carry that are contagious to goats? I imagine they’d be the same diseases that I’d watch out for when buying a goat... Are sheep fence jumpers and climbers like goats are?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Southern by choice]

Our sheep would get out of hotwire in a second! They were on a lot of land for 2 sheep. We had a primitive breed and they literally LIVED off the land. They were jacobs so they did get some copper but they tend to not have the issues like most sheep. They NEVER had parasites. I mean NEVER. EPG's showed 0-2 eggs every time.
OPP is similar to CAE
CL - but this is usually internal in sheep and you don't generally see lumps
Johnes
Orf (soremouth)-the biggest one we see with sheep and that is why we won't ever have them anywhere with our goats (our Jacobs didn't have this and we no longer have sheep) and it seems the sheep world doesn't see this as a big deal... is ORF! Having dairy goat- um NO. Highly contagious and zoonotic as well.
You also may want to buy or lease only sheep that have been DNA- scrapie and limit to RR and QR animals only

 

[Tamara]

Hello everyone!

I have a hay feeding question abut sheep. Im trying to gather more information about free choice hay. I have three sheep on a short grass large pasture. I have timothy hay and want to know what i can leave out at a time. A weeks worth or get a round bale and they pick from it. Let me know your suggestions. I have a new born and would love to cut back on extra work. Thanks

 

[Latestarter]

IMHO, the round bale would be the least work intensive but present the highest waste of hay. As long as that's no issue for you, I'd go that way. Congrats on your newborn!

 

[Tamara]

IMHO, the round bale would be the least work intensive but present the highest waste of hay. As long as that's no issue for you, I'd go that way. Congrats on your newborn!

Thank you so much!