Question 1

Why do you want to raise sheep?

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

There are many reasons to raise sheep. 
Most sheep are raised for the purpose of generating an income. 
Sheep grazing can be beneficial for the environment.
Raising sheep can improve quality of life.
Different sheep farms have different goals and objectives.

There are many reasons to raise sheep. The reasons are important, as they will have a significant impact on the type of sheep that are raised and the manner in which they are fed, managed, and marketed.

Economic

Traditionally, sheep have been raised on farms and ranches for the purpose of generating an income for the farm and family. While some farms make a majority of their income from raising sheep, sheep production is more often a secondary or tertiary enterprise on a farm. In fact, sheep-raising compliments many other agricultural enterprises. It is also a popular enterprise for many part-time and lifestyle farmers. Sheep production is an especially good undertaking for youth and retirees.

There can be numerous tax advantages to raising sheep or engaging in similar agricultural activities. Some people raise sheep for the primary purpose of having their properly taxed at (lower) agricultural rates. The legal definition of a farm (for real estate tax purposes) varies by state.

While all agricultural enterprises are expected to eventually generate a profit and pay taxes, many people raise sheep (and other livestock) as a "tax write-off." Farm expenditures, including capital purchases, can be written off against ordinary income. Most sheep-related purchases are exempt from sales tax. Rules can vary by state.

Environmental

Some people keep sheep to improve and/or maintain their landscapes. Due to their small size, upland grazing preferences, and preference for many weeds, sheep are ideal for vegetation control, especially where the primary vegetation is grass and forbs. Their small hooves minimize soil compaction and erosion. They shy away from fragile riparian areas. Overgrazing is almost always the result of poor grazing management (a people problem, not a sheep problem).

Opportunities for fee-based grazing by sheep (and goats) are expanding as society seeks more environmentally-friendly ways to control invasive weeds and other unwanted vegetation. Solar grazing with sheep is becoming especially popular. But even when sheep are not being used to clean up a landscape, sheep (and other livestock) help to keep land in open space and preserve rural landscapes. They recycle carbon. Grazing allows agrovoltaics, the production of energy and agricultural products from the same land.

Quality of life

Many families enjoy the rural lifestyle and wish to expose their children to plant cultivation, animal husbandry, and other aspects of agricultural production. Sheep are an ideal small farm (or ranch) enterprise. Because of their small size and gentle nature, sheep are especially suitable for women, children, older people, and people with some disabilities.

Showing (or exhibiting) sheep can be an enjoyable activity for people of all ages, but especially youth. Sheep and lambs make excellent 4-H and FFA projects. In fact, 4-H and FFA is the reason many people get started in the sheep business. Sheep are suitable projects for home schoolers. Many of life's lessons can be taught on the farm. There are many science fair projects that can be done with sheep and especially wool.

There is a certain satisfaction to growing your own food and fiber. Some people keep a few sheep to provide meat, dairy products, and/or fiber for their family. Small flock owners contribute to the supply of local food and fiber. They support local businesses. Some people wish to support livestock conservation efforts by raising and helping to preserve a rare or heritage breed of sheep.

Many people raise sheep because of their desire to train and trial herding dogs, usually Border Collies. It is hard to train and work a herding dog without having access to a flock of sheep. Hair sheep are usually kept for this task, as they are more tolerant of the heat and rigorous workouts. Wethers are often preferred because they can be worked on a year-round basis.

Sheep-raising can be an enjoyable activity for retired or disabled persons. Sheep are easier to handle than larger livestock and the investment in breeding stock, equipment, and facilities is usually much less than for other enterprises. In some situations, the sheep enterprise can supplement the retirement income. Empty-nesters and single people may keep sheep, so they have something to care for.

Increasingly, people are keeping sheep (and other farm animals) as pets or companions. Wethers and ewes should be chosen for this purpose. Intact males and horned animals should not be kept as pets. Hair sheep are a good choice because they do not require shearing. They are also more resistant to internal parasites (worms). Bum lambs (bottle babies) make the best pets because they will naturally bond to whoever feeds them. Sheep are social animals. Pet sheep should be kept in pairs or small flocks (ideally).

The love of sheep and animal husbandry is the motivation for many shepherds, both commercial producers and lifestyle farmers. In fact, if you do not genuinely like sheep, there are easier ways to make money or spend your leisure time.

Goal and objectives

Once you have decided to raise sheep and have defined your reason (or reasons) for raising them, you should set goals for the sheep operation, especially if it is a commercial undertaking. Goal-setting includes determining which aspect(s) of sheep production -- meat, fiber, dairy, and/or vegetation control -- will be the focus of the enterprise, what product(s) will be sold, how they will be sold, and who will be the primary customer(s). It is a good idea to have a business plan.

Success will be defined differently by different sheep owners. For the commercial producer, success will likely be to make a financial profit and return on investment, though the farm may have additional goals that pertain to quality-of-life and stewardship of their farm.

Winning shows or selling expensive breeding stock or club lambs may define success for some producers. For performance-minded seedstock producers, having the ram that ranks the highest in the breed's sire summary or has the best EBV (estimated breeding value) for a specific trait may be the mark of success.

Some producers will measure success by achieving certain production goals. Marketing a 200 percent lamb crop would be a worthy accomplishment for most producers. Not losing a single lamb during the lambing season may be a goal of some small-scale producers. Keeping pre-weaning death loss below 5 percent would be good accomplishment for large commercial growers. Not having to deworm is another great production goal.

Raising thoughtful, responsible children who have a healthy respect for animals and the environment could define success for the many families that undertake sheep raising as a 4-H, FFA, or home school project. Livestock production is an excellent way to enhance a child's science education and encourage science-related careers. It is also a way to encourage entrepreneurship.

Question 2

Meat, milk, or wool?

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

Most sheep in the US are raised predominantly for meat (lamb and mutton). 
Wool is less profitable (usually), but has niche marketing opportunities.
Hair sheep offer many advantages over wooled sheep and are increasing in numbers.
Dairy is a small segment of the sheep industry with potential for growth.
Using sheep to graze unwanted vegetation, especially under solar panels, is a growing financial opportunity.

Sheep are multi-purpose animals, raised for their meat, milk, wool, skins, and vegetation control. Grazing as a fee-based service is a relatively new opportunity for US sheep producers. Sheep are also a popular research model and some producers have developed businesses supplying animals or other products (e.g. blood) to bio-science. Farm animal-assisted therapy (with sheep) has proven to be a successful way to council at-risk youth.

One of the first and most important decisions a shepherd must make is to decide which aspect(s) of sheep production to focus on. While most sheep breeds are multi-purpose, most are best suited to either meat, milk, or wool production -- seldom all three. Production and marketing practices usually vary according to the purpose of the flock.

Meat Sheep

In the United States, most sheep and lambs are meat-type animals kept primarily for the production of lambs for meat or dual-purpose breeds kept for both meat and wool production. Meat production is also a significant profit center in sheep dairying.

Meat sheep producers sell either slaughter lambs or feeder lambs. Slaughter lambs are usually purchased for immediate harvest.  In the US, the average weight for a lamb processed in a federally-inspected plant is about 136 lbs. Lambs sold into ethnic markets tend to be much lighter, usually less than 100 lbs. and often less than 80 lbs. Increasingly, there is a market for slaughter lambs of any weight.

Feeder lambs are lambs that are usually fed or grazed to heavier weights before being harvested. Feeder lambs vary in weight, usually from 40 to 100 lbs., with 60 to 90 lb. lambs usually being the best option. Increasingly, commercial lamb feeders are having to compete with the ethnic markets for these light weight lambs.

In a meat sheep enterprise, the primary factors which determine profitability are percent lamb crop, lamb growth rates, and market prices. Unless forage resources are high quality and abundant or feed costs are very low, it is difficult to make a profit from a ewe that weans only one lamb, especially in areas where predation is high.

Lamb Feeding
Commercial lamb feeding is a traditional sheep enterprise in the US and is becoming more popular in other countries. In some parts of the US, lamb feeding is a seasonal enterprise, occurring primarily in the fall and winter, after pastures have stopped growing and crop residues are available for grazing. In other areas (e.g. Texas, Colorado, and the Corn Belt), lamb feed lots operate year-round. Many farmers feed their own lambs out.

In a lamb feeding enterprise, feeder lambs (40 to 100 lbs.) are purchased and fed to finish weights of 100 lbs. or more. Besides the purchase price of the lambs, the major cost of finishing lambs is obviously feed. Lambs can be finished on a variety of diets, such as complete pelleted rations, whole grain rations, and high-forage diets. Cheap gains can often be put on lambs on pasture or crop aftermaths. Lambs can also be finished on various by-products feeds. Distiller's grains and other co-products have been used to feed out lambs.

Hair Sheep
The declining value of wool relative to meat, along with the decreasing number of sheep shearers, has contributed to the expansion of hair sheep, not only in the United States, but other countries as well. It is estimated that approximately 10 percent of the world's sheep population is hair sheep.  However, this is an "old" estimate. In the US, 27 percent of sheep are now hair sheep or hair x wool crosses.  Over 90 percent of the lambs that are marketed through the sale barn in San Angelo, Texas are hair sheep. San Angelo is the largest lamb sale in the US.

Hair sheep naturally shed their coats (mixtures of hair and wool fibers) and typically do not require shearing, crutching, or tail docking. Hair sheep (of tropical origin) also tend to be more resistant to internal parasites (gastro-intestinal worms) and other pests than wooled sheep. This attribute is driving their popularity in the more humid regions of the US.  Hair sheep also possess many outstanding reproductive qualities, such as early puberty, out-of-season breeding, and prolificacy.

Hair sheep are usually promoted as an "easy-care" alternative to wooled sheep and traditional high-cost production systems. Hair sheep ewes are often lambed on pasture. Lambs are frequently grass-finished. Hair sheep lambs are usually better suited to the ethnic markets than the commodity markets, which tend to prefer heavy with more finish (fat cover). At the same time, hair sheep will also work in more intensive production systems.

Because hair sheep production continues to grow, there may be a good market for hair sheep breeding stock. Many hair sheep producers sell their ewe lambs as breeding stock and their male lambs for meat. Hair sheep seem to be the preference for solar grazing situations.

Wool Production

Wool was the first commodity to be traded internationally and is the product the public most commonly associates with sheep. However, the importance of wool (as a product) relative to meat has declined dramatically. In the early 1900's, the majority of income from a sheep enterprise was from the sale of wool. Today, it is the other way around. While wool is still important on many sheep farms and in many parts of the US, lambs almost always contribute the majority of income to the sheep farm. Fine white wool brings the most money in the commodity market.  Natural colored and coarser wools are often favored in niche markets.

Selling wool in the commercial wool market offers limited profit potential for most producers, but the niche marketing of wool can pay big dividends. For example, while wool sold commercially may bring only 50 cents per pound, fleeces sold to hand spinners could bring as much as $15 to $20 per pound. Many producers have their wool processed into yarn, roving, blankets, or crafts and market value-added products. There are several cooperative ventures in the US that will add value to a producer's clip.

Fleeces sold to hand spinners need to be of high quality. Feeding, housing, health care, handling, and harvesting are all critical to the production of high quality wool. It goes without saying that fleeces should be skirted. Skirting is when the undesirable parts of the fleece are removed: belly wool, top knots, leg clippings, tags, stained wool, cotted wool, and short wool.

Some producers put covers on their sheep to prevent the fleeces from getting dirty and guard against the sun's ultraviolet rays, which may cause fading at the tips of colored fleeces. Since wool grows more under covers, covers have to be changed repeatedly as the fleece grows.

The marketing of fine wools is also becoming more of a niche market, as farmers and ranchers are finding ways to add value to their wool clips.

Dairy

Sheep have been milked for thousands of years and were milked long before the first cow was milked. Almost 10 percent of the world's sheep are raised for dairy. The world's commercial dairy sheep industry is concentrated in Europe and the countries on or near the Mediterranean Sea. The dairy sheep industry is very small in the United States. Most sheep dairies are located in the Upper Midwest (Wisconsin and Minnesota), California, and the New England states.

Sheep's milk is usually made into gourmet cheeses. Some milk is made into yogurt and ice cream. Fresh sheep's milk is seldom consumed. Milk can be sold to a processor for conversion to cheese (or other products) or the milk can be processed on-farm by the producer and marketed as a value-added product.

While any breed of sheep can be milked, there are specialized dairy sheep breeds, much like there are specialized breeds of cattle and goats for dairy production. The two dairy sheep breeds raised in the US are the East Friesian and Lacaune. The Awassi, a dairy breed from the Middle East, was recently introduced to the US via embryos and semen.

Non-dairy breeds which are best adapted to dairy production are Dorset and Polypay. They only produce 100 to 200 pounds of milk per lactation, while crosses between domestic breeds and specialized dairy breeds average 250 to 650 pounds of milk per lactation. At one time, there was interest in creating a dairy hair sheep by crossing the Katahdin with the Lacaune. While not as heavy a milk producer, the Icelandic is a triple-purpose sheep.

The nutritional requirements of dairy ewes are significantly higher than for ewes being raised for meat and/or wool. Total feed requirements will depend upon genetics and length of lactation. It is important to note that some feeds can impart undesirable flavors to the milk (e.g. fish meal) and should not be fed in large quantities during lactation. Dairy ewes have the highest water requirement of any class of sheep at approximately three gallons per head per day.

While most non-dairy producers wean their lambs at 60 days of age or later, dairy lambs are usually weaned at 30 days of age or younger, so that the ewes can be milked when they are still producing significant amounts of milk. Milking facilities and equipment will be the biggest expense in a dairy sheep operation. The type of milking parlor may vary according to the size of the operation. Producers milking less than 50 ewes may utilize a platform for milking, whereas a "pit" parlor is desirable for larger operations.

After milk is cooled, it can be shipped to a processing plant or frozen for later use or shipment. While fresh milk may result in a product of slightly higher quality, frozen milk has been shown to produce very acceptable products. The ability to freeze milk on the farm and deliver large quantities to the processor at infrequent intervals allows the establishment of sheep dairies great distances from a processing plant.

Seedstock

Many sheep farms specialize in the production and sale of seedstock or breeding stock. Breeding stock may include ewes and rams, purebred registered animals, or commercial crossbreds. Customers for breeding stock may be other seedstock producers or commercial sheep producers.
In areas where there is a large commercial sheep industry, producers may be able to establish a demand for commercial rams.

One option for selling rams is to participate in Central Ram Performance Testing Programs. In a ram test, rams are evaluated for various traits including growth, feed efficiency, wool traits, parasite resistance, and breeding soundness. Rams that don't meet performance standards are not allowed to sell. Consignment sales, production sales, and private treaty sales are other means of selling breeding stock.

Record keeping is an important aspect of seedstock production. The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) is quantitative genetic evaluation program for small ruminant producers. It calculates EBVs (estimated breeding values) for various traits and allows the comparison of sheep from different flocks under different feeding and management systems. NSIP data is processed by Australia's LAMBPLAN. Producers can also do their own on-farm record keeping. There are various computer programs available for this purpose. A spreadsheet can also be used. There are apps for mobile devices.

Nowadays, it is recommended that breeding rams, especially those sold to other seedstock producers, be blood tested for scrapie genotype. Rams with susceptible genotypes (e.g. QQ) should probably not be sold for breeding, if progeny will be kept for breeding. QQ rams can be used to produce club lambs or as terminal sires in commercial flocks where all lambs will go to slaughter. Scrapie is not a genetic disease; however, an individual's genotype determines whether it will get scrapie if it is exposed to the infective agent.

Producers of breeding stock may also wish to enroll their flocks in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (VSFCP). The VSFCP is a monitoring program for scrapie administered by USDA-APHIS. It is usually a requirement for export of live animals.

Club Lambs

Some sheep farms specialize in the production and sale of club lambs. Club lambs are "feeder" lambs (ewes or wethers) that youth purchase to develop as market lamb projects to exhibit at county and state fairs, regional and national shows. Market lamb projects are usually "terminal," meaning they start with the purchase of a lamb and end with the sale of the lamb for slaughter.

While any lamb can be shown as a market lamb class, certain breeds will usually be more competitive, unless lambs are shown by breed. Heavy muscled lambs that finish over 125 lbs. are usually the most competitive in the show ring and in championship drives. Hampshires, Suffolks, and crosses between these two breeds are the most common type of club lamb, as well as the most competitive.

Dorsets, Southdowns, and Shropshires can also make good club lambs. Some shows separate lambs by weight increments, while others separate lambs by breed. Some shows collect carcass data on lambs and award additional prizes to youth participants. In live shows, judges don't always pick the lambs that will hang the best carcasses. Judging is very subjective and often the result of the latest fad(s).

Some practices often employed in the club lamb sector may be distasteful to some people, e.g. lack of forage in the diet, late castration, ultra-short tail docking, and forced exercise. The important thing to remember about a club lamb project is that it is a youth project intended to teach young people valuable life skills. To put winning (at all costs) above youth development is sadly missing the point.

Vegetation control

Using sheep for custom grazing could prove to be the most profitable sheep enterprise. While the demand for lamb and wool seems limited, society seems willing to spend "unlimited" amounts of money to enhance the environment. Increasingly sheep (and goats) are being viewed as a natural and environmentally-friendly way to manage landscapes. At the same time, land managers don't want to own sheep. They want to contract grazing services.

There are many factors to consider when developing a fee-based grazing business: cost of fencing, water supply, the need to check animals daily, and a place to keep the sheep when they're not on a job. Fencing is the usually the major constraint. Predators may present a problem in remote locations. If the site is in view of the public, the public may expect the sheep to have access to shelter. It is a good idea to vaccinate sheep for rabies; it may be required.

While any kind of sheep can be used for grazing and vegetation control can be combined with production, a flock of mature wethers could prove to be the best choice. They are easier to manage and can be pushed to eat undesirable plant species without adversely affecting productivity.

Over the years, sheep have been used to control unwanted vegetation in orchards, vineyards, cemeteries, and on Christmas tree plantations. They have grazed under power lines, in national parks and historic battlefields, at ski resorts, and in urban settings. They have been used for noxious weed control. Compared to goats, they are easier to contain, easier to handle, less destructive, and do a better job maintaining grassy landscapes. However, goats are a better choice to control brush, shrubs, and tree seedlings.

Question 3

Overview of breeds

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

Breed choice is very important. There are more than 50 breeds in the US.
There are no best breeds.  Each breed has pros and cons.
Sheep breeds are usually categorized by (primary) purpose, use, or fiber (or coat) type. 
While most breeds are multipurpose, they usually excel in one purpose.
Crossbred sheep tend to be hardier and more productive than purebreds.
 
It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 breeds of sheep worldwide and more than 50 in the United States. More breeds are being introduced to the US all the time, mostly via semen or embryos. While only a handful of breeds are probably of economic importance to the commercial sheep industry, all breeds have value, as they contribute to the genetic diversity of the species and national and worldwide industry.

Deciding which breed (or type) of sheep to raise is an important decision that each shepherd must make with thoughtful consideration. The reason(s) for raising sheep should be the primary consideration(s) when deciding upon breeds or types. This is because if you are interested in producing wool for the hand spinner's market, your breed choice should be much different than if meat will be your primary product to sell.

Conversely you should not choose "wool" breeds, if the majority of your income is going to be derived from the sale of lambs (meat) or dairy. If your children or grandchildren want to compete in 4-H or junior market lamb shows, breed will affect their competitiveness in the show ring, thus some of their satisfaction with the experience. Price and availability will also have a bearing on which breeds are chosen. Not all breeds are available in all geographic areas. It is not easy or inexpensive to import live animals, semen, and embryos from other countries

It is important to understand that there are no "best" breeds of sheep. All breeds have traits which may make them desirable or undesirable, depending upon the production system and marketing objectives. A breed may be "best" for one production environment or market and a poor choice for others. In addition, there is usually as much difference within breeds as between breeds.

Crossbred, Purebred, or Registered?

A crossbred is an animal whose sire (father) and dam (mother) are of different breeds or breed types, while a purebred animal's parents are of the same breed or type. A registered animal has a known ancestry with a documented pedigree. However, it could be crossbred (percentage purebred) or purebred (fullblood), depending upon the requirements of its breed association.

Most sheep breeds have closed flock books, meaning only 100 percent purebred animals with registered parents can be registered in the flock book. Some breed associations have open flock books (e.g. Katahdin and Dorper) which allow percentage animals to be recorded by the breed association. Percentage sheep are usually recorded as part of an upgrading program. Once they reach a certain percentage of purebreeding, they are eligible for full registration.

While purebred sheep usually sell for higher prices than crossbred sheep and registered animals tend to cost more than non-registered animals, breed type (or purity) or registration status is in no way indicative of quality and especially productivity. In fact, crossbred animals tend to be hardier and more productive than their purebred counterparts.

The "superiority" of crossbred animals is due primarily to "heterosis" or "hybrid vigor," a natural phenomenon whereby the performance of the crossbred offspring is superior to the average performance of the parent breeds. Heterosis is maximized when a crossbred ewe is mated to a crossbred ram. The effects of heterosis are additive: individual + dam + sire. Traits which response poorly to selection generally have higher levels of heterosis. Heterosis still occurs to some extent in the newer "composite" breeds, such as Katahdin and Polypay.

Another advantage to crossbreeding is breed complementarity. Breed complementarity is when the weaknesses of one breed are offset by the strengths of the other breed and vice versa. When utilizing breed complementarity, it is important utilize breeds in their appropriate roles. For example: crossing a Suffolk to Katahdin to produce crossbred lambs balances the superior growth and meat type of the Suffolk with the outstanding maternal characteristics of the Katahdin. The reverse cross would be the same genetically, but it would not be using the breeds in their appropriate roles.

Unless the objective is to raise and sell purebred and/or registered sheep, it is almost always better to raise crossbred or unregistered sheep. This is especially true for beginners. It is better to "practice" shepherding with hardier, less expensive animals. As shepherds, we also tend to make excuses for purebred or registered animals that we pay a lot for. Shepherds are more likely to cull a less expensive crossbred ewe or ram.

Breed Categories

Oftentimes, it is more useful to look at breed "types" rather than individual sheep breeds. Breed types tend to share common characteristics and can usually be substituted for one another in a breeding program. There are several ways in which sheep breeds can be categorized, including purpose, use, face color, fiber type, and various physical or performance attributes.

Purpose
The most useful way to categorize sheep breeds is according to their primary purpose: meat, wool, or dairy. While most sheep breeds are dual-purpose (i.e. they produce both meat and wool) and some are even triple-purpose (dairy, meat, and wool), most sheep breeds excel in either the production of meat, wool, or dairy -- seldom two or all three.

Thus, if you want to milk sheep, you should not choose a meat breed, even though it produces milk to feed its lambs. Nor should you choose a wool breed, if your primary purpose for raising sheep is meat production, even though wool breeds are harvested for meat.

Table:  Classification of US sheep breeds by their primary purpose
 
Source:  various, including breed associations

Use
Sheep breeds are often categorized as to whether they are more suitable as a ram or ewe in the breeding program. Ram or "sire" breeds excel in growth and carcass (meat) characteristics whereas ewe or "dam" (maternal) breeds excel in fitness (e.g. longevity, parasite resistance), reproductive traits (early puberty, prolificacy, milk production), and sometimes wool production (staple length, fiber diameter).

Sire breeds are often called "terminal sires" because the offspring from their matings are all marketed (terminated) whereas lambs sired by a maternal ram, such as Finnsheep, are usually kept as flock (ewe) replacements. The most popular terminal sire breed in the United States is still probably the Suffolk. Hampshires are also popular for this purpose. In Europe, the Texel is the most popular sire of market lambs. Texels are becoming increasing popular as a terminal sire breed in the US, especially if lambs are finished on pasture.

Some sheep breeds are considered dual-purpose because they have traits which make them suitable as either a ram or ewe breed. Examples of dual-purpose breeds include the Dorper, Dorset, Columbia, and North Country Cheviot.

Some breeds fall under the "landrace" category. A landrace is a breed that is locally-adapted, developing over time, under natural conditions. Landrace breeds are influenced more by natural selection than the artificial selection that has shaped most of today's more popular breeds. Landrace breeds represent a valuable genetic resource. Many of the rare or heritage breeds are landrace.

Face Color
Wooled sheep breeds are often classified by their face color. Black or non-whiteface breeds (e.g. Suffolk, Hampshire, Shropshire, Oxford, and Southdown) tend to excel in growth and carcass traits, whereas the white-face breeds (e.g. Rambouillet, Targhee, and Polypay) tend to have superior maternal and wool traits.

In some countries, black-face sheep are strongly discriminated against because the dark fibers and hairs in their fleeces can contaminate a wool clip. In Australia, they developed the White Suffolk breed to prevent this problem. There is some effort in the United States to develop a similar whiteface terminal sire breed.

Fiber or Coat Type

One of the most common ways to categorize sheep breeds is according to the type of fibers they grow or type of coat they have. All sheep grow both hair and wool fibers. Hair breeds have more hair fibers than woolly fibers and usually shed their coats annually. Some hair breeds have few if any wool fibers in their coats, especially if they are being raised in a warm climate. Hair sheep usually do not require shearing, crutching, or docking.

In contrast, wooled breeds have more woolly fibers and need to be sheared, usually at least once per year. Ideally, wooled sheep should be crutched, if they are not sheared prior to lambing. Crutching is the removal of wool around the vulva area and udder. Originally, all sheep were hair sheep. The soft, short undercoat ("down") of hair sheep was favored in selection programs and led to the development of the wooled breeds of today.

Ideally, hair sheep and wool sheep should not be raised together in the same pasture or pens, if high quality wool is the production objective. This is because hair fibers from the hair sheep may contaminate the fleeces of wool sheep. The risk of contamination may be low, but because it is possible, some wool mills will not purchase wool from flocks that comingle hair and wool sheep. The fleeces from hair x wool sheep should be discarded to prevent contamination of wool clips.
Fine wool sheep

Fine-wool sheep grow wool fibers with the smallest fiber diameter (usually less than 22 microns). A micron is one millionth of a meter, too small to be detected by the naked eye. Fine wool fleeces tend to be shorter in length and contain the most lanolin (wool wax or grease). Though some fine wool fleeces are high yielding, fine wool fleeces usually yield a lower percentage of clean fiber than longer, coarser fleeces. Fine wool is the most valuable wool in the commercial marketplace because it is used to make the highest quality wool garments and has the most versatility of use. Fine-wool is less likely to itch when it is used in garments that are close to the skin.

Fine-wool sheep tend to be hardy and long-lived. Most trace their ancestry to the Spanish Merino. Fine-wool sheep have a strong flocking instinct and are well-adapted to arid climates, such as South Africa, Australia, and the western United States and Canada. Fine wool sheep (mostly Rambouillet) and their crosses are the most numerous sheep in the U.S. sheep industry. Worldwide, fine wool sheep comprise approximately 50 percent of the sheep population.

Long wool sheep
At the other end of the spectrum are long or coarse wooled sheep. They grow wool fibers that have a larger fiber diameter (usually more than 30 microns) and longer staple length. Their fleeces tend to yield more clean fiber because they usually contain less lanolin. Carpet wool is even longer and coarser than long wool. Long wool sheep do best where feed resources are abundant.

Long wool sheep are most common to cool, wet climates such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the Falkland Islands. Many of the long wooled breeds in the U.S. can trace their ancestry to the British Isles. The fleeces from the long wooled breeds tend to be favored by hand spinners and weavers. Long wooled sheep are often favored by shepherds who want to niche market their fleeces.

Medium wool sheep
The length and fiber diameter of medium wool fibers is intermediate between fine and long. Most of the meat-type breeds grow medium wool. Medium-wool sheep comprise about 15 percent of the world sheep population and include some of the most popular US breeds.

Hair Sheep
It is estimated that hair sheep comprise about 10 percent of the world's sheep population, and their popularity is increasing in temperate climates such as North America and Europe. In the United States, there are two general types of hair sheep: "improved" and "unimproved" (or landrace) breeds. The unimproved breeds tend to be indigenous sheep breeds that have adapted well to the local environment in which they evolved. Examples include the Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix.

The American Blackbelly or "Barbado" is believed to be a cross between the Barbados Blackbelly, Mouflon, and Rambouillet. The Wiltshire Horn is a shedding sheep native to the British Isles. The improved hair breeds are crosses between hair sheep breeds and meat-type, wooled breeds. Examples include the Dorper, Katahdin, Royal White, and St. Augustine.

Hair sheep can also be differentiated by their place of origin. Some hair breeds originate from tropical climates (e.g. Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix). These breeds tend to be more resistant to internal parasites. Other breeds originate from arid regions and are best-adapted to similar conditions (e.g. Dorper and Damara).

Specialty wools
There are many breeds which produce specialty-type wools. Carpet wool is the coarsest wool produced by sheep. As the name implies, carpet wool is used to make carpets. Double-coated breeds grow a longer outer coat and a short fine undercoat. Primitive breeds have similar types of fleeces (inner and outer) that naturally shed. There are a few breeds whose fleeces are a specific color or color pattern. The Shetland breed produces wool in the widest range of colors of any breed. Jacobs produce a spotted fleece.

Table:  Classification of US sheep breeds by wool or coat type

Source:  various, including breed associations 
 
Other characteristics

Type of Tail
Some breeds are grouped together because they have a special kind of tail. Fat-tailed or fat-rump  breeds make up about 25 percent of the world sheep population. They are well-adapted to arid regions and are found mostly in Africa and Asia. Among U.S. breeds, the Karakul is fat-tailed, while the Tunis and Dorper have fat-tail origins. Though none of these breeds has a significant fat deposits in the tail. The Awassi (recently introduced via semen) is also a fat-tailed sheep.

The U.S. is home to several breeds of the Northern European short or rat-tail variety of sheep: Finnsheep, Romanov, East Friesian, Shetland, Icelandic, and Soay. The tails of these short-tailed breeds do not need to be docked. In addition to their unique tails, these breeds are known for their prolificacy (large litters).

Prolificacy
Some breeds of sheep are noted for their fecundity: birth of large litters. Prolific breeds of sheep include Finnsheep, Romanov, and Booroola Merino. Most of the hair sheep breeds also have good prolificacy. The Booroola Merino is noteworthy because it has a single gene that is responsible for its high reproductive rate. The "F" (fecundity) gene can be transferred to other breeds.

A single gene affecting prolificacy has also been isolated in Icelandic and Cambridge sheep, as well as the Chinese Hu. In most sheep breeds, litter size is a quantitative trait affected by many different genes. Despite its low heritability, prolificacy (or litter size) is a trait that most sheep producers should select for, assuming the production environment is conducive to the rearing of multiple lambs.

Rare and Heritage Breeds
There are organizations and individuals dedicated to the preservation of rare and heritage breeds of livestock. Heritage breeds are breeds raised historically -- breeds of a bygone era -- whereas rare breeds are breeds with limited animal numbers and registrations. Many heritage breeds are also rare breeds. The Livestock Conservancy classifies rare breeds into several categories: critical, threatened, watch, recovering, and study.

The Navajo Churro is considered to be the oldest breed of sheep in the United States. Gulf Coast Natives and Florida Crackers are also very old breeds. All three descend from the sheep brought to the New World by Spanish settlers. Churras are hardy sheep best suited to arid climates, whereas the Natives and Crackers are known for their parasite resistance, having developed naturally under the warm, moist climate characteristic of the Southeast US.

A British breed of historical significance is the Leicester Longwool. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation leads efforts to preserve this longwool breed. Hog Island sheep inhabited Virginia's barrier islands and are now raised at Mt. Vernon, home of George Washington. Santa Cruz is another breed that evolved via natural selection, on California's Channel Islands.

While rare and heritage breeds are usually no longer of commercial significance, it is important to preserve their genetics. In addition, some of the heritage breeds may be hardier than many of the more popular breeds that have been altered by the show ring or artificial selection. Heritage breeds are especially ideal for small, hobby farms or historical farms or estates.

Question 4

Choosing ewe and ram breeds

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

Many factors influence the selection of a ewe breed (or type).
Rams can have different purposes: sire replacements or sire market lambs.
There are pros and cons to using purebred versus crossbred rams.

Selecting ewes

When choosing a ewe breed or type, many factors are important.

Adaptability to the production environment
Type of coat or wool
Level of reproduction
Timing and frequency of lambing
 Level of care

Adaptability

While any breed of sheep can be raised in any geographic location, it makes sense to choose breeds which are best adapted to the environment in which they are going to be raised. For example, fine wool breeds and hair sheep (of desert origin) are good choices for hot, dry climates where feed may be scarce. Where it is hot and humid (moist), the Gulf Coast Native, Florida Cracker, or hair sheep (of tropical origins) are good choices, because of their heat tolerance and enhanced parasite resistance.

In cold, wet areas where feed is abundant, the long wool and meat breeds are good choices. Since dairy breeds and prolific breeds are usually raised under intensive management systems, environmental adaptation is usually less important. Some sheep are adaptable to different climates. For example, hair sheep will grow thicker coats (i.e. more wool) when they are raised in colder climates. Over time any sheep will adapt to the environment. Selection can hasten the development.

Type of Wool or Coat

The type of wool or coat desired is obviously an important consideration when establishing a ewe flock. If you do not want to shear your sheep, hair sheep (or goats) are your only choice. For the commercial wool market (sales to wool pools and mills), the fleeces from fine wool ewes and their crosses will bring more money. Due to the absence of dark hairs and fibers, the wool from white-faced breeds is more desirable than the wool from black or other non-white-faced breeds.

If commercial pelts are a consideration, the pelts from white faced sheep and fine wool breeds are more desirable in the commercial marketplace, though the value of commercial pelts has dropped significantly in recent years. If you are interested in producing wool for hand spinning, any breed of wool sheep can be raised, but the wool from the long wooled breeds and specialty breeds seems to be in the greatest demand. Natural colored fleeces and pelts are also desirable in niche markets. The leather market is an untapped market in the United States. The pelts from hair sheep produce the highest quality leather.

Level of Reproduction

Not all shepherds desire large litters of lambs. Nor can all production environments support prolific ewes. On the other hand, ewes that produce only one lamb (per year) are not usually profitable unless feed costs and overhead are very low. Breed choice can have a large impact on the reproductive rate of the flock. Prolific breed ewes will produce litters of lambs (3 or more).

Ewes containing 50 percent or more of a prolific breed will usually drop lamb crops in excess of 200 percent. Ewes containing 25 percent of a prolific breed are capable of producing 200 percent lamb crops. Hair sheep, of tropical origins, typically produce lamb crops in excess of 200 percent. Under proper management and nutrition, many other breeds are capable of producing close to a 200 percent lamb crop. Despite this potential, the national lambing rate is less than 110 percent. Some of the low output is due to significant lamb predator losses.

Any breed of sheep can be selected to produce larger lamb crops, though it requires a long-term commitment, as litter size is only about 10 percent heritable. In addition, a high litter size is only advantageous if quality lambs are produced and the extra lambs can be raised to market profitably. It is very important that reproductive rate be matched to the production environment and level (skill) of management.

When to Lamb

In temperate climates, most sheep are seasonal breeders, biologically "programmed" to mate in the fall when day length is shorter and to lamb in late winter or spring when the pasture begins to grow (and predators have babies to feed!). To produce "out-of-season" lambs, that go against this "norm," you need to select breeds (or individual sheep) that are able to breed at different times of the year.

In the US, the Dorset is best known for its ability to lamb year-round, though there are considerable differences for this trait within the breed. In fact, the Horned Dorset is usually considered to be superior to the Polled Dorset with respect to out-of-season breeding. This is because many Polled Dorsets have been bred for show ring qualities and not production traits.

Other breeds with extended breeding seasons include fine wool sheep (e.g. Rambouillet and Merino), hair sheep, Finnsheep, Polypay, and Karakul. The breeds which are most seasonal in their breeding habits are the long wool breeds and meat breeds of British origin.

As with prolificacy, any breed of sheep can be selected for the ability to lamb in the fall. Spring breeding can also be achieved with hormonal manipulation, light control and/or the ram effect.

Level of Care

Sheep raising is more labor intensive than raising beef cattle, but there are breeds of sheep which are naturally hardier and/or have been selected for their easy or self-care nature. Such breeds include hair sheep, Border and North County Cheviots, Coopworth, Clun Forest, fine wool breeds, and some of the rare or heritage breeds (e.g., Soay, Shetland, Icelandic).

Those breeds which generally require a higher level of care (or labor) include the British meat breeds, long wool breeds, prolific breeds, and dairy breeds. Of course, any flock of sheep can be selected and managed to minimize care (labor). In other words, if you want to work hard raising sheep, you can.

If you want the sheep to work for you, you can favor easy-care traits (e.g. unassisted lambing, minimal hoof trimming, minimal deworming) in your management and selection program. If you select animals that do not require extra care of pampering, eventually, you will have a productive easy-care flock. At the same time, it is not suggested that you ignore the needs of your sheep. It is not acceptable to deny proper care to sick or compromised individuals.

Selecting rams

Before choosing a breed of ram, you need to determine his primary purpose. Will he be used to sire market lambs or do you want him to sire ewe replacements? Or both? For producing replacements, you need a ram with the appropriate type of wool/coat, fitness, and reproductive characteristics.

For market lamb production, you need a ram that will sire lambs that are suitable for your target market(s). For example, if you want to produce lambs for the mainstream, heavy lamb (100 to 140 lbs.) markets, your choice of a ram breed would be very different from the ram breed you would choose to sire lambs for the hot house (35 to 50 lbs.) or ethnic markets (60 to 120 lbs.)

This is because lambs sired by large-framed breeds such as the Suffolk and Columbia are not very desirable at light weights because they have inadequate muscling and fat. Conversely, lambs sired by small and medium sized breeds such as the Dorset and Southdown, will likely get too fat if they are fed to heavy weights, as these lambs are more ideally suited to the lighter weight lamb markets.

Some producers have been able to create a demand for the meat from certain breeds of sheep. For example, many ethnic buyers like hair sheep lambs because they are accustomed to similar-looking sheep in their homelands. Hair sheep and coarse, long wooled breeds are ideally suited to the freezer market, because their meat has a milder flavor than lambs from fine-wool breeding. At the same time, it is important to remember than diet exerts a larger influence on lamb flavor than genetics, with grain-fed lamb usually being milder in flavor than pasture-finished lamb. Grain-fed lamb is not superior than grass-fed lamb. It is just different and vice versa.

In fact, diet should also be considered when choosing the sire of market lambs. Lambs sired by small and medium-sized breeds will fatten more easily on pasture diets than lambs sired by large framed breeds. Conversely, lambs with a higher genetic potential for growth should probably be favored in feed lot finishing systems.

Parasite resistance is another important trait to consider (in a ram breed) when the aim is to finish lambs on pasture. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the Texel breed is more resistant to internal parasites than most other wooled breeds. Thus, they are a good choice for siring lambs that will be pasture-finished.

Purebred rams are often favored over crossbred rams because there will be more uniformity in their offspring. However, crossbred rams tend to be superior in their breeding ability, especially with regards to out-of-season breeding. Crossbred rams may also allow you to achieve the desired breed composition in the crossbred lamb or ewe.

Question 5

Hair sheep primer

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

Hair sheep numbers are increasing in the US and elsewhere.
There are many breeds of hair (or shedding) breeds to choose from.
The two most popular hair sheep breeds in the  US are Katahdin and Dorper.
Hair sheep do not usually require shearing, crutching, or docking.
Some hair sheep breeds are naturally more resistant to internal parasites (worms).
Most hair sheep breeds excel in reproductive traits.
Some hair sheep fatten differently from wooled sheep:  from the inside out.
 
While it is estimated that hair sheep comprise only 10 percent of the world's sheep population, their numbers are growing, especially in temperate climates like the United States. In 2011, 21.7 percent of US sheep operations owned hair sheep, compared to only 4.6 percent in 2001 and 1 percent in 1996 (NAHMS).

According to the latest USDA statistics, twenty percent of US sheep are hair or hair x wool crosses. Over 90 percent of the lambs sold at Producers Livestock Auction (largest sheep auction in the US) in San Angelo, Texas are now hair sheep. The top two sheep breeds in terms of breed registrations and transfers are now hair sheep: Dorper and Katahdin.

Many factors are driving the increase in hair sheep numbers, including lack of profitability in the wool sector, lack of sheep shearers, widespread development of dewormer-resistant worms, and the overall desire (need) for easy-care sheep.

Originally, all sheep were hair sheep. The Mouflon, a sub-species of wild sheep, is the ancestor to most modern domestic sheep breeds. A horned sheep, it has a short, red-brown hair coat, with a soft, woolly undercoat and short tail. Wool-bearing animals, with long, woolly tails, were the result of selecting wild sheep for their soft woolly undercoat.

Hair sheep in the US

As with conventional wooled breeds, there is diversity in hair sheep breeds. In the U.S., hair sheep breeds include sheep with virtually no woolly fibers, sheep that shed their fleeces annually (and don't require shearing), and breeds whose fleeces contain too much hair to be suitable for the commercial wool market.

From a purely practical standpoint, a hair sheep is generally any sheep that doesn't require annual shearing. This can be a "pure" hair sheep, or it can be a shedding or composite breed. Some primitive sheep breeds also shed their coats (e.g. Soay, Shetland).

Hair sheep in the United States are almost all of African origin. Those that originate from the thin-tailed hair sheep of West Africa differ from those that originate from the fat-tail or fat-rump hair sheep of East and South Africa. The most popular breeds of hair sheep in the United States are composite breeds, crosses between pure hair sheep and conventional wooled breeds.

US Hair sheep breeds

American and American Australian White
The Australian White is a large white sheep with a self-shedding hair coat.  It is a composite breed comprised of White Dorper, Texel, Polled Dorset and Van Roy. It is often called the "Wagyu of the lamb industry," due its high intramuscular fat and the low melting point of its fat. The breed was introduced to the US in 2019 via embryos. The American White is the American version of the breed.

American and Barbados Blackbelly

The Barbados Blackbelly originated on the Caribbean island of Barbados. Although its exact origins are unknown, the breed likely has African origins. The Barbados Blackbelly is an attractive sheep of various shades of brown, with black underparts and points, and a badger face. The sheep are leggy and resemble a small deer or antelope in appearance.

In addition to being more resistant to internal parasites than wooled breeds, Barbados Blackbelly sheep are well-known for the reproductive qualities. They mature early, breed year-round, and are quite prolific. While lacking the growth rate and muscling of conventional sheep breeds, Blackbellies have value in crossbreeding programs to improve reproductive efficiency and parasite resistance. Their carcasses may also better suit some consumers.

Few "true" Barbados Blackbelly sheep remain in the United States, and so far, efforts to restore the integrity of the original breed by importing fresh genetics from the Caribbean have not been fruitful. The Barbados Blackbelly is on the "watch list" of the Livestock Conservancy.

The American Blackbelly is a descendant of the Barbados Blackbelly. In 1904, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Beltsville (Maryland) imported a small flock of Barbados Blackbelly sheep from the Caribbean. Descendants of these sheep were later crossed with the Mouflon and Rambouillet resulting in a breed that differs from those originally imported and raised in the Caribbean.

While the "crosses" go by many names, including "Barbado," the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International has dubbed them the American Blackbelly, a breed similar, but distinct from the Barbados Blackbelly. The American Blackbelly resembles the Barbados Blackbelly in general appearance, but with a notable exception: the presence of horns on the rams and sometimes on the ewes. In fact, it was the massive horns of the rams that caught the attention of trophy hunters.

California Red
Though classified as a hair sheep by the American Sheep Industry Association, the California Red, a cross between the Tunis and Barbado, is sheared annually and valued for its fleece. While the fleece is probably not suitable for commercial market outlets, due to the presence of too many hair fibers, it has been successfully marketed to hand spinners.

Dorper and White Dorper
The Dorper is the heaviest-muscled hair sheep breed in the US. The breed was developed in 1946 in South Africa by mating Dorset Horn rams with Blackhead Persian ewes (an indigenous fat-tailed breed). There are two types of Dorpers: the more popular White Dorper and the traditional Dorper with a white body and black head. White Dorpers and black-headed Dorpers are otherwise identical, though some breeders may have a preference between the two.

Dorpers are best adapted to hot, dry climates, where they are suitable as either a ram or ewe breed. However, in moist climates, they are probably best utilized as a terminal sire, as they lack the parasite resistance of Caribbean-derived hair breeds. Dorpers do not shed as well as other hair sheep, but their carcasses are superior to the other breeds of US hair sheep. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular registered breeds of sheep in the U.S. They are the second most numerous breed in South Africa.

Katahdin
The Katahdin is a breed of hair sheep that was developed in the United States in the 1950's by Michael Piel. The breed takes its name from Mt. Katahdin in Maine, near where the Piel farm was located. Seeing the need for meat sheep that did not require shearing, Piel imported African hair sheep (St. Croix) from the Caribbean and crossed them with the various British breeds of sheep that he had on his farm, especially Suffolk. The animals with the best characteristics eventually became the Katahdin.

The Katahdin is probably the best "all-around" hair sheep in the US, as it combines the best attributes of the Caribbean hair sheep with those of the traditional meat-type wooled breeds. In most traits, Katahdins are intermediate between hair and wooled sheep.

The Katahdin is one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the United States, in terms of purebred registrations and transfers, as well as commercial production. The Katahdin is valued for its lack of need for shearing and tail docking, as well as its parasite resistance and reproductive efficiency. Katahdin ewes cross well with other breeds to produce superior market lambs. In most production systems, they are best utilized as a maternal breed.

Romanov
The Romanov is another breed that produces a fleece that is usually shorn, but is classified as a hair sheep by the American Sheep Industry Association. Both the color of its dual-coat and presence of dark guard hairs makes Romanov fleeces unsuitable for the commercial wool market; thus, the hair sheep designation by ASI.

Russian in origin, the Romanov is best known for its high level of reproduction. In fact, it is one of the most prolific breeds of sheep in the world. The Romanov crosses well with other breeds, including hair sheep. The US Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska, favored the Romanov breed for creating its new "easy-care" prolific breed of hair sheep: 1/2 Romanov x 1/4 Dorper x 1/4 Katahdin.

Royal White®
The Royal White was developed in the mid-1990's by William Hoag. It is one of the newer breeds of hair sheep in the US. It is a cross between the St. Croix and White Dorper. Before being trademarked, the breed was called Dorpcroix. Unbiased information about the Royal White is limited, due to its relative newness and the lack of research comparing the breed to other hair or wool sheep.

St. Augustine
The St. Augustine is also a cross between the St. Croix (5/8) and Dorper (3/8). It was developed for Florida conditions. Ron Taber began development of the breed in 1991 when he began crossing a Black-headed Dorper ram with St. Croix ewes. Productivity has been the primary focus of selection. Like the Royal White®, the St. Augustine has not been objectively compared to other hair sheep breeds.

St. Croix
Imported into the U.S. in 1975, the St. Croix is a mostly-white hair sheep that originated in the Virgin Islands, where is it called the Virgin Island White. The exact origins of the St. Croix are unknown, but there is speculation that it is a cross between the Wiltshire Horn and native Criollo sheep.

St. Croix sheep are best known for their resistance to internal parasites. In fact, they are the most parasite resistant breed of sheep in the US. Like sheep with similar origins, St. Croix sheep excel in reproductive efficiency. They reach puberty early, breed back quickly, and produce large litters of lambs.

Commercial use of the St. Croix in the US (as a purebred) is limited by their small size, slow growth, and poor muscling, but in crossbreeding programs, the St. Croix has much to offer the commercial sheep industry. Researchers value the St. Croix for its strong immune response to parasites and are using the breed as a model to study the genetic basis of parasite resistance.

Wiltshire Horn
The Wiltshire Horn is an old breed of hair sheep native to England. As its name implies, both sexes carry horns. Wiltshires grow a short fleece of wool that is shed annually. With the rising popularity of hair sheep, Wiltshire Horns have been "rediscovered" in the UK and other places where they are being used to develop improved breeds of hair sheep (e.g. Wiltipoll and Easy Care). At one point, the Wiltshire Horn was crossed with the Katahdin to improve size and carcass quality, but selection against horns gradually diminished its influence.

Other breeds

Other "exotic" breeds of hair sheep have since been developed from the Barbados Blackbelly (and Mouflon), including the Painted Desert, Black Hawaiian, and Corsican. While some of these exotic hair sheep are raised for production purposes, most are likely being propagated for hunting reserves.

Several other breeds of hair sheep can be found in the Americas, and it is possible that some of these breeds may eventually find their way into the US, if not already. The Wiltipoll is a Wiltshire Horn cross that was developed in Australia. The Pelibüey and Santa Inês are of Caribbean/West African ancestry and would be expected to have similar attributes as the hair sheep breeds already here.

The mostly red Pelibüey comprises more than 75 percent of Cuba's sheep population. It is raised throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. The Santa Inês is a multi-colored Brazilian hair sheep that is larger and longer-legged than other hair sheep breeds.

Two breeds of South African hair sheep, the Damara and Meatmaster, are currently being raised in Canada. The Damara is a fat-tailed sheep, best adapted to arid climates. The Meatmaster is an improved hair sheep, developed by crossing fat-tailed sheep (e.g. Damara) with well-muscled British and European breeds. Like its parent breeds, it is probably best adapted to arid climates.

Management of hair sheep

People are initially drawn to hair sheep because of their lack of need for shearing. In addition, there is not much money in wool these days, unless you produce superfine wool, direct market fleeces to hand spinners, or add value to your clip. Consequently, wool tends to be a cost of production for most producers, often costing more to take it off and get it to market than what it brings in the marketplace. Thus, there has been a growing transition to hair sheep.

Hair sheep have coats with few woolly fibers, or they have coats that contain a mixture of hair and wool fibers which shed naturally (usually annually). In fact, all sheep have hair and wool fibers. Sheep with more wool fibers usually have to be sheared, whereas sheep with more hair fibers usually shed their coats naturally and do not require shearing. As hair sheep move to more northern climates, they tend to grow more woolly fibers (to keep them warm). In the wintertime, their coats looked similar to wooled sheep.

There are significant differences in shedding among and between breeds. There are breeds and individual animals with few woolly fibers and others that grow thick "woolly" coats for the winter and shed their coats annually. Shedding usually commences in the spring when the weather starts to change. Some sheep will start to shed in the winter. Some will not shed until late spring or early summer. Shedding varies from year-to-year.

All sheep should be fully shed by the middle of summer. Obviously, the ones that do not fully shed are less desirable than those than do. Many lambs will shed out during their first summer, but lambs that do not shed their first summer may still be good shedders as adults. In fact, shedding often improves with age. It may also diminish with advanced age.

Shedding is not "pretty." For those who have never raised hair sheep, it takes some getting used to. People who have never seen shedding sheep might think there is something wrong with them. It is helpful if the sheep have something to rub on. Being exposed to rain will also help. It is not necessary to pick up the shedded fleece. Often, loose patches of wool can be easily pulled from sheep. Hair sheep that require shearing should probably be culled, unless they are part of an upgrading program or only used to produce market lambs.

Shearing
If hair sheep or hair x wool crosses are sheared, they should be sheared last and their fleeces should be discarded. The fleeces from hair sheep or hair x wool crosses will contaminate a wool clip, and under no circumstances should they be mixed with wool fleeces or taken to a wool pool, warehouse, or woolen mill. It is possible that the fleeces from hair sheep or hair x wool crosses could have some practical use or economic value, such as stuffing for archery targets or insulation.

Producers who aim to produce high quality wool should probably not mix hair sheep with wooled sheep, especially when the hair sheep are actively shedding. It is possible that hairs from the hair sheep will get into the fleeces of the wooled sheep. Hair (also called kemp) is very undesirable in wool processing. Hair does not have crimp and it will not accept dye. Too much hair can ruin the reputation of a good wool clip.

Crutching
Crutching is a quick modification of shearing. It is when the wool in the vulva area and around the udder is removed. It creates a cleaner lambing environment and helps to prevent lambs from latching onto a tag or piece of wool instead of a nipple. It is usually not necessary to crutch hair sheep ewes. It may be advisable to crutch some hair x wool crosses.

Docking
It is usually not necessary to dock the tails of hair sheep lambs. This is because the tails of hair sheep are not as thick and woolly as the tails from wooled sheep. It may be advisable to dock the tails of some hair x wool crosses. Dorper lambs are often docked.

Hair sheep tails do not "get in the way" of breeding. It is natural for a sheep to have a tail. It protects a sheep's private parts and is used to help scatter the feces when it defecates. Thick, woolly tails were an unintended consequence of selecting sheep for woolly coats.

Resistance to internal parasites
Another important reason for the growing popularity of hair sheep is their improved resistance to gastro-intestinal parasites (stomach or roundworms). Internal parasitism is one of the major obstacles to profitable sheep production, especially in warm, moist climates or in production systems where lambs will be finished on pasture. The widespread development of drug-resistant worms has made effective control even more challenging. The use of sheep that are genetically more resistant to parasites is seen as an important tool in the fight against internal parasitism.

The hair sheep breeds that trace their ancestry to the Caribbean and West Africa (i.e. tropical climates) are known for their resistance to internal parasites. In the US, these include the Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix. The parasite resistance of composite breeds, such as the Katahdin, is intermediate between hair sheep and wooled sheep, since Katahdins are a cross between the resistant St. Croix and non-resistant British breeds. Crossing the Katahdin with another wooled breed would be expected to further reduce the parasite resistance of the resulting offspring, though the hybrid vigor of the crossbred lambs may improve parasite resistance and resilience.

At the same time, it is important to know that no breed of sheep is completely resistant to internal parasites. If the parasite challenge is severe enough, any sheep, especially lambs, can succumb to the effects of worms. As with traditional wooled sheep, hair sheep still need to be monitored for signs of internal parasitism and managed accordingly. In addition, there is NO evidence to suggest that hair sheep are more resistant to protozoan parasites (e.g. coccidia). In fact, there is a theory that sheep that are more resistant to intercellular (worm) parasites may be more susceptible to coccidia (intracellular parasites).

Reproduction in hair sheep
Compared to most conventional breeds of wooled sheep, hair sheep tend to have superior reproductive qualities. They reach puberty early and have high rates of fertility and fecundity. They are less seasonal than most wooled sheep and breed back more quickly. They are usually good mothers and milkers. Their lambs are usually lively and vigorous. Males tend to be aggressive breeders.

With good management, the mature ewes of most hair sheep breeds are capable of producing lamb crops in excess of 200 percent. They are suitable for accelerated or fall lambing programs. At the same time, it is important to remember that differences exist not only between breeds, but within breeds as well. Not all hair sheep will breed out-of-season. Health, nutrition, and management also have large effects on flock reproduction.

Feeding hair sheep
Because most hair sheep fatten differently than wooled sheep (from the inside out, more like a goat), they should probably not be fed the same or fed to the same degree of external finish as conventional wooled lambs. This is because a hair sheep lamb that has 0.25 inches of backfat will have considerably more internal fat than a similarly finished wooled lamb. This is especially true of the "pure" hair sheep breeds, such as St. Croix.

Because of their easy-care qualities, hair sheep lambs are often "fattened" on pasture instead of in feed lots. Pasture diets allow lambs to grow more slowly. They are less likely to get overfat. Though there are many factors that affect meat quality, grass-fed lamb tends to have a more favorable fatty acid composition than grain-fed lamb.

At the same time, there is nothing wrong with feeding some grain (or other supplements) to hair sheep lambs. In fact, it will likely improve their growth performance and could prove to be a more economical feeding system in some situations. Fed lambs have more "bloom" and usually bring higher prices at sale barns and other terminal markets. However, hair sheep lambs should probably not be put on full or self-feed. If you feed them lesser amounts of grain and more forage, this will allow them to gain frame before fat and finish at heavier weights.

Hair sheep breeding stock should not be allowed to get as "fat" as conventional wooled breeds. If a hair sheep ewe has a high degree of external fat, she will have more internal fat than a wooled sheep in similar body condition. There is only so much room in a ewe. If she is full of forage, fat, and babies, she may have trouble keeping everything inside. She is also more likely to experience lambing difficulties if her body cavity contains excess fat.

At the same time, there are consequences to having ewes too thin. Maintaining sheep in the proper body condition can be challenging as some sheep are easy-keepers while others seem to be perpetually thin. Producers should strive to keep body condition scores between 2 and 4 (out of a possible 5). A body condition score of 3+ is desirable at the time of breeding and lambing. In pasture-based production systems, a body condition score of 2.5 to 3 may be more acceptable at the time of breeding and lambing. Older ewes often have a more difficult time maintaining body condition. They should be culled once this happens.

As with wooled sheep, hair sheep lambs that will be retained for breeding should not be overfed. There is some evidence to suggest that overfeeding prepubertal females can have a detrimental effect on lifetime milk production, as overfeeding results in the deposition of fat in the udder. Overfeeding can also have a negative effect on semen quality in the male.

Growth and carcass quality

Internal fat
As previously mentioned, many of the hair sheep breeds fatten more like goats, from the inside-out. As compared to most wooled breeds, they deposit more fat around their internal organs (kidney and heart). When compared at an equal degree of finish (12th rib back fat depth), the carcasses from hair sheep lambs will have a higher percentage of kidney and heart fat than their woolly counterparts. Dorpers are an exception, as they fatten similarly as wooled sheep.

Finish weights
Because they are small or medium-sized breeds, hair sheep lambs should not be fed to as heavy weights (e.g. over 130 lbs.) as this will likely result in overfat carcasses with significant amounts of kidney and heart fat. Finish weights can be increased by crossing hair sheep ewes with larger-framed terminal sire breeds, but the lambs will still not finish as heavy as crosses between western white-faced ewes (e.g. Rambouillet) and large terminal sire breeds (e.g. Suffolk). Finish weights will also vary with the genetics of hair sheep. For example, there are some Katahdin and Dorper ewes that weigh over 180 lbs. and will be able to produce lambs that finish at heavier weights, especially when crossed with terminal sire breeds.

Because of their smaller mature weights, many hair sheep are better suited to the ethnic markets that tend to prefer lambs less that weigh than 100 lbs. In fact, many ethnic customers show a preference for hair sheep lambs.

Flavor
There is some evidence to suggest that the meat from hair sheep has a milder (less "muttony") flavor than the meat from wooled breeds. Research has always shown a correlation between wool fiber diameter (fineness) and lamb flavor, with fine wool lambs having a more intense flavor than coarse-wooled lambs. Research has shown Dorper lamb to be more tender than the lamb from other breeds, though the differences may not be discernible by consumers.

Fatty acids
There is some evidence to suggest that the meat from hair sheep lambs may have a more desirable fatty acid composition than the meat from conventional wooled breeds. At the same time, it is important to realize that research evidence is largely lacking, and most quality differences attributed to hair sheep lamb (or lamb from any other breed type) are purely anecdotal. Furthermore, diet will likely have a far greater effect on lamb flavor and fatty acid composition than the breed type of the lamb.
 
Disposition

Though some breeds are noted for the flighty dispositions, the disposition of sheep is largely affected by their care and management rather than their breed. Sheep that are housed and hand fed will more readily accept handling than those that are raised under extensive pasture conditions with limited human contact. Sheep can be "taught" to voluntary accept restraint. They will remember bad handling experiences. Lambs that are handled when they are young will be less fearful of handling.

It is advisable to cull any sheep that is overly aggressive or nervous, especially if the sheep will be frequently handled. In cattle, disposition is a moderately heritable trait that is considered to have economic importance.

Milk goiter

Milk goiter is common in hair sheep. It is a normal enlargement of the thymus gland, a part of the normal maturation of the immune system in juvenile animals. This throat swelling should not be confused with goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland; or "bottle jaw," an accumulation of fluid under the jaw of a severely parasitized animal.

Crossbreeding with hair sheep

Hair sheep are ideal for crossbreeding. There are several reasons for crossing hair sheep. The most compelling reason to crossbreed hair sheep with other breeds is to take advantage of breed complementarity. Breed complementarity is when weaknesses of one breed are offset by the strengths of the other breed(s) and vice versa. With the exception of the Dorper, hair sheep tend to excel in fitness and reproductive traits, whereas they lack the growth and carcass quality of some of the meat-type wooled breeds.

Thus, by crossing hair sheep ewes with meat-type wooled rams (e.g. Suffolk, Hampshire, Southdown, or Texel), superior market lambs will be produced, while not affecting the fitness and reproductive qualities of the ewe flock. All of the lambs from this terminal cross would be slaughtered. Ewe lambs would not be kept for breeding.

Crossbreeding hair sheep with most traditional wooled breeds will likely improve the reproductive performance of the wooled flock. After several generations of crossing with hair sheep rams (and saving the crossbred females), the need for shearing the ewe flock can be eliminated. This was a common practice when hair sheep were scarcer.

Among the hair sheep breeds, Katahdin x Dorper is the most popular cross. In this cross, the parasite resistance, better shedding qualities, and higher reproductive rate of the Katahdin is balanced with the superior conformation of the Dorper. Crosses between the Dorper and St. Croix have resulted in the development of two new breeds: Royal White® and St. Augustine.

Hybrid vigor (or heterosis) is another compelling reason for crossbreeding. Hybrid vigor is when the performance of the crossbred offspring is superior to the average performance of the parent breeds. Hybrid vigor is expressed in both the crossbred offspring and the crossbred female. Crossbred males tend to be more fertile and aggressive. Composite breeds, such as the Katahdin and Royal White®, still retain some level of hybrid vigor.

Question 6

Dairy sheep basics

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

In the US, sheep dairying is a very small part of an already small industry.
Most dairy sheep are triple purpose:  milk, meat, and wool.
The most popular breeds of dairy sheep (in the US) are East Friesian and Lacaune.
Sheep milk is superior to goat and cow milk for cheese-making.
Dairy sheep require a higher degree of management. 
Marketing can be more challenging with dairy products.

Sheep (and goats) have been milked for thousands of years, probably before any other animal. The dairy sheep industry is highly developed in many countries, especially in and around the Mediterranean Sea. In the United States, sheep dairying is a small part of a small industry. Most US sheep dairies are located in the Upper Midwest and New England states. At the same time, there are sheep dairies in most states, and there is potential for expansion of the industry, as the majority of cheese made from sheep milk is imported.

In a dairy sheep operation, the sheep are usually triple-purpose, but the emphasis is on milk production.  Management decisions are usually made to maximize milk production. At the same time, lamb sales can contribute a significant amount of income to the dairy sheep enterprise, especially if lamb prices are high or if breeding stock can be sold for premium prices. Wool receipts are usually negligible unless fleeces are direct marketed or value is added to the clip. Sheep dairying is sometimes combined with agritourism.

Sheep milk is superior to the milk from goats and cows for cheese-making. It is much richer, containing a higher percentage of fat, solids, and protein. For this reason, sheep milk gives a much higher cheese yield than the milk from cows or goats. Yogurt and ice cream are also commonly made from sheep milk. Sheep milk is rarely consumed as fluid milk.

Though fresh milk is preferred, sheep milk can be frozen for up to a year without losing its cheese-making qualities. The freezing qualities of sheep milk allow producers to manage their milk supply easier. They can wait until they have enough milk to ship to a processor. The milk can be shipped on pallets to distant processors. It is usually frozen into 40-lb. bags.

Breeds
Theoretically, any breed of sheep can be milked, but it is unlikely that it would be profitable to milk traditional meat (wooled or hair) or wool breeds. In the United States, there are three dairy sheep breeds: East Friesian, Lacaune, and Awassi.  It is most common to cross the Lacaune with the East Friesian.

The East Friesian is the most numerous dairy sheep breed in the US. Lacaune sheep are available in lesser numbers and have a limited gene pool, though the industry was been importing semen (from France) to freshen the genetics. In 2013, the Awassi was introduced to the US via embryos and semen. Crossing the Awassi with the East Friesian yields another (recognized) breed of dairy sheep called the Assaf. The British Milk sheep, currently raised in Canada, may eventually make its way into the US.

East Friesian
The East Friesian is considered to be the heaviest milking breed of sheep in the world. It is analogous to the Holstein cow. In fact, the East Friesian was developed in the same region as the Holstein, the Friesland area of Germany and Holland. The average milk production of the East Friesian can exceed 1,000 lbs. of milk during a 220 to 240-day lactation.

East Friesians are also efficient lamb producers. Mature ewes average more than two lambs per lambing. Even yearling ewes are capable of producing 200 percent lamb crops. East Friesians are docile and adapt well to intensive parlor milking systems. They do not fare well in hot climates and are not suitable for extensive management systems. Lambs are prone to pneumonia.

Lacaune
The Lacaune is a French breed of dairy sheep. In France, the Lacaune breed has been rigorously selected for improved milk production. At one time, annual genetic improvement for milk yield was estimated to be 2.4 percent. The Lacaune is the breed used to produce France's famous Roquefort cheese. In fact, it is the only breed whose milk can be used to make Roquefort cheese.

As compared to the East Friesian, the Lacaune is a hardier breed of dairy sheep. They give birth to fewer lambs and produce less milk, but their milk is higher in fat and protein, giving better cheese yields. The Lacaune has very little wool, on its head, legs, and a good portion of its belly is bare.

Awassi
The Awassi is a fat-tailed sheep that originated in the Middle East. The improved Awassi is one of the heaviest milk producing breeds in the world, second only to the East Friesian. Awassis are a hardy breed, having evolved under arid, nomadic conditions. They have brown faces and legs and produce carpet wool. Males are horned whereas ewes are usually polled.

Icelandic
The Icelandic breed is sometimes raised for dairy purposes. In Iceland, it was historically used for milking. While Icelandics will produce less milk than the specialized dairy breeds, they are hardier and known for having good udder conformation. For the small farm cheese processor, Icelandics may be a good choice. They may also be better-suited to grass-based production systems than the specialized dairy breeds which would have much higher nutritional requirements.

British Milk Sheep
The British Milk Sheep is a cross between many breeds (especially East Friesian), with heavy selection for milk production. They are considered to be a dual-purpose breed (meat + dairy) and are the most prolific breed in Great Britain.

Upgrading
With only a few breeds to choose from and a small industry, the acquisition of good quality breeding stock can be challenging. Both cost and availability can be limiting factors to developing a profitable sheep dairy. A meat breed flock can be graded up to a dairy flock.

Dorsets and Polypays have usually been the meat breeds of choice for grading up to dairy sheep.  The F1's (first crosses) can be milked, but ewes with a higher percentage of dairy breeding will substantially increase milk yield. Some meat sheep producers have infused dairy genetics into their flocks to increase milk production.

At one point, there was some interest in creating a dairy hair sheep. The Spooner Ag Research Station in Wisconsin (now closed) evaluated Katahdin x Lacaune crosses for sheep dairying. Their conclusion was that Lacaune x Katahdin crossbred ewes would be acceptable for low-input, easy-care systems where maximum milk production is not the goal. The cross may also be suitable for producers in the South and Southeast, where heat tolerance and parasite resistance are of greater importance and where more extensive production systems may be employed.

Breeding

The attrition rate of dairy ewes is usually much higher than it is for ewes that are raised for meat and/or fiber production.  Dairy ewes are usually intensively managed for high milk production. They “work” harder than conventional sheep. Spoiled udders are a common cause of culling. It is best to select replacement stock from the younger ewes in the flock, as they should have the best genetics.

About 30 percent of the flock should be bred to produce replacement stock. These should be the best ewes in the flock. The remainder of the flock can be bred to a terminal sire breed, such as Suffolk, Hampshire, or Texel, to produce crossbred market lambs. Not only will the crossbred lambs grow faster and produce superior carcasses, but their vigor will likely be superior to the pure dairy lambs.

Dairy sheep, especially East Friesians, are not known for their hardiness. Their lambs are prone to pneumonia. All other things being equal, hybrid vigor (crossbreeding) is the best way to improve lamb vigor and survivability. According to various studies, Texel-sired lambs have higher survival rates than Suffolk-sired lambs. They may also be more resistant to internal parasites; an important factor if the crossbred lambs will be grazed. There is emerging evidence that lambs that are more resistant to worms (have lower fecal egg counts) have higher survivability.
 
Management

Winter lambing is usually most common in commercial sheep dairies. While there are some disadvantages to winter lambing, it will result in the longest lactation period, thus the most milk being produced.

Lower costs are usually associated with spring lambing, but the lactation period will be shorter, as milk production decreases rapidly as fall approaches and day length begins to decrease. Year-round milking would require two groups of ewes, and spring breeding may require hormone or light manipulation of the ewe's reproductive cycle. Freezing milk might be a better way to get around the seasonality of sheep breeding, though frozen milk is less desirable than fresh milk.

Dairy ewes should be sheared prior to lambing. East Friesian ewes seem to have particularly thick fleeces. A short fleece is more desirable, contributing to a more sanitary milking environment. It is also advisable to dock dairy ewes, as a long tail (even the East Friesian's rat-tail) does not make for hygienic milking conditions.

The health management of dairy ewes is similar to other types of sheep. Ewes should be vaccinated for clostridial diseases approximately four to six weeks prior to lambing. Lambs should receive two vaccinations for clostridial diseases. The need for additional vaccinations will depend upon the flock's disease history and risk.

Deworming should be done on an as-need basis only, based on the observation of clinical signs such as anemia, bottle jaw, poor body condition, and dagginess. Particular attention must be paid to the milk withdrawal periods for the various anthelmintics. Morantel tartrate (Rumatel) is the only dewormer with no withdrawal period for dairy animals (cows and goats). However, it is not labeled for sheep. A veterinary prescription and valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) is required to use drugs extra label.

If ewes are well-nourished, the need for deworming should be minimal. If lambs are pastured, they will need to be closely monitored for signs of internal parasitism and treated accordingly with effective drugs. The current recommendation is to use combination treatments (more than one dewormer at a time) to treat clinically-parasitized animals. Numerous management practices can lessen the need for deworming.

Lamb management

As with cow and goat dairies, lambs are usually separated from their dams soon after birth, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Lambs may be allowed to consume colostrum from their dam before being separated for artificial rearing or they can be tube-fed colostrum. Since the ewe’s milk production peaks 3 to 5 weeks after parturition, early separation will result in significantly more milk being produced than if lambs are left with the ewes for any significant amount of time.

An alternative to early separation is to leave the lambs on the ewes for the first 30 (sometimes 60) days, before initiating milking. This management scheme will reduce the labor associated with lamb rearing and will get the lambs off to a better start. At the same time, it will substantially decrease the amount of milk that can be marketed or used for cheese making. It is estimated that the lambs will consume nearly 25 percent of the ewe's total milk production. The risk of mastitis will also be greater if the lambs are allowed to nurse.

Another option is to let the ewes nurse their lambs for 30 days, but one week after lambing, begin separating the lambs from the ewes (at night) so that the ewes can be milked once per day (in the morning), after which time the ewes are returned to their lambs for the day. This "mixed" system improves lamb growth, but has been shown to lower the fat content of the milk collected during this period.

Rearing the lambs
In most sheep dairies, an automatic milk feeder is used to mix milk and dispense milk replacer to lambs. Lambs learn very quickly to nurse from an automatic feeder. Lambs should be fed a milk replacer that has been formulated for specifically for lambs, as ewe milk contains more fat and less lactose than cow and goat milk. Cow's milk may be a viable alternative for feeding lambs, if fat is added. In fact, the use of cow "waste" milk could significantly reduce the cost of rearing lambs artificially. Store bought cow's milk (with added fat) may be another low cost alternative, as it may have a lower cost than milk replacer.

Dairy lambs are usually weaned by the time they are 30 days of age. For early weaning to be successful, lambs need to be eating dry feed as soon as possible. Lambs will begin to nibble on hay and grain at very young ages, but won't consume significant amounts of feed until they are approximately three weeks of age. The small amounts that lambs consume at the beginning are important to rumen function and the habit of eating.

Dry feed should be available to lambs as soon as they are moved out of lambing jugs into mixing pens. Young lambs need feeds that are palatable and ferment rapidly. Creep rations are usually based on corn and soybean meal. Soybean meal is the most palatable feed for lambs, while corn ferments well. At a young age, lambs prefer ground rations or ones made of crumbles. Pellets, whole grains, and oats are not very desirable for young lambs. But once lambs get older and have a fully functioning rumen, they can be fed these feeds. In fact, whole grain diets are less likely to cause digestive upsets. Hay is often not fed to artificially-reared lambs until after weaning, as it can predispose them to bloat.

If the ewes will be allowed to nurse their lambs, a creep area will need to be set up. Obviously, the area needs to be accessible to the lambs and inaccessible to the ewes. There should be plenty of openings in creep panels and good visibility so that ewes and lambs can see each other. The pen should be located in a common traffic area. The pen should be clean, dry, well-bedded, and well-lit.

Early weaning requires a high degree of management. It may be advisable for new dairy sheep producers to start with a less intensive lamb management system, as ewe management also requires a high degree of management.

Milking

Ewes can be milked by hand or by machine. Hand milking is usually only practical for milking a small number of ewes, though it is common in countries where large flocks are managed under very extensive conditions. Regardless of the method use, hygiene is of primary importance.

Ewes are usually milked on an elevated platform from the rear. A bucket system is portable and suitable for smaller dairies. Larger dairies can usually justify the expense of a "pit" parlor milking system. There are several different designs for parlor milking systems. Parlors usually have a single row of stanchions, parallel stanchions, or are rotary-style.

A separate milk room is required. A bulk tank is needed to cool the milk and store it until it can be sold or frozen. Milk can be carried in buckets to the milk room or a pipeline can be installed to move milk from the sheep to the milk room. If the milk will be frozen, additional equipment will be needed, as well as a freezer to store the frozen milk. Home-type freezers will not work because they cannot freeze the milk fast enough.

Twice a day milking is most common in commercial sheep dairies, but less frequent milking, especially during mid and late-lactation may be more economical. Less milk will be obtained when ewes are milked less frequently, but labor savings may more than compensate for the lower yield. Research is underway in several countries comparing different milking frequencies.

Nutrition

During lactation, dairy ewes have higher nutritional requirements than ewes raised for meat and/or wool. Inadequate feeding may reduce both daily milk production and the length of the lactation period. Nutrient requirements for parlor-milked ewes were published by the National Research Council (NRC) in 2007.

The table below contrasts the daily nutrient requirements of a 176-lb. ewe nursing twin lambs with a dairy ewe being parlor milked. The milk yield (lbs. per day) and nutrient requirements of the parlor-milked ewe are significantly higher than for the same size non-dairy ewe nursing twin lambs.

As with all sheep, dairy ewes can be fed a variety of feedstuffs to meet their nutritional requirements. Good quality forage is essential to the dairy ewe, but forage alone will not meet the nutritional requirements of high-producing dairy ewes. Grain is usually fed when the ewes are in the milking parlor.

Some feeds (e.g. fish meal) can impart undesirable flavors to the milk and should not be fed in large quantities during lactation. An unlimited water supply is also important to the lactating ewe. It takes lots of water to make a lot of milk, as milk is 88 percent water! The water should be clean, fresh, never frozen, and always available.

Marketing

Marketing is where dairy sheep get challenging. In order to sell milk or milk products (for human consumption), a farm must be licensed and meet various requirements pertaining to milk quality and safety. Facilities must pass local or state inspections. For the most part, the regulations are the same as for cow and goat dairies.

As far as regulations go, there may be differences between states (and countries). Raw milk and cheese sales are permissible in some states and under certain conditions. People interested in commercial sheep dairying need to contact their state milk inspector before they make any significant investment. For each producer, there will be a certain size enterprise (number of ewes) that justifies the expense necessary to meet inspection and licensing requirements.

Selling fluid milk to a commercial cheese-maker is the most straight forward way to market sheep milk, but this option may not be available to many producers. Freezing the milk may facilitate fluid milk sales. In many situations, the dairy sheep farmer must be producer, cheese-maker, and marketer.

On-farm cheese-making is becoming popular, especially in areas that lack commercial buyers for sheep milk or as a means of adding value to farm production. To make cheese, separate cheese-making facilities are required. Farmstead cheeses can be sold at various outlets, including farm stores, farmers markets, retail outlets, and internet sales.

Question 7

Pet sheep

Accepted Answer

SOME KEY POINTS

Any breed of sheep can be raised as a pet (or companion).
Ewes or wethers and polled (hornless) sheep should be favored for pets.
Orphan lambs make the best pets because they naturally bond to who feeds them.
Sheep are social animals and should not be kept singly. 
Pet sheep should be fed forage diets.
Pet sheep should not be allowed to get too fat.
 
Sheep are sometimes kept as pets or companion animals, as they are easy to handle and valued for their docile nature. As with any pet, the decision to keep sheep as pets should not be done on an impulse. It is important to learn as much as you can, so that you can make an informed decision.

First of all, you need to make sure your zoning regulations or housing covenants allow you to keep farm livestock. Both may restrict the size or number of animals that you can have. They may also prohibit the keeping of sheep. You may consider sheep pets, but they are still livestock, according to laws. On the plus side, some zoning regulations are being revised to allow people to keep small livestock, especially miniature breeds.

You need to consider if you have enough time to properly care for sheep. You need to have a plan for their care if you go out of town or become incapacitated. You also need to have an exit plan: what will you do with the sheep if they do not work out or you do not want them anymore? Sometimes, it can be difficult to get people to adopt pet sheep, especially in a timely fashion.

What kind of sheep?

Any breed of sheep can be raised as a pet or companion. It is usually a matter of personal preference or sometimes the result of circumstances. Mature size varies considerably among sheep breeds, from less than 100 pounds to over 200 pounds. Soay (ewes weighing only 50 lbs.) and Olde English Babydoll Southdown (18 to 24 inches tall) are two of the smallest breeds. The Shetland is another small breed. There are not miniature breeds as with goats.

Hair sheep are a good choice because they do not require shearing or docking. Their coats contain a mixture of hair and wool that sheds annually. They are also more tolerant of heat and resistant to worm parasites. Crossbred sheep are a better choice than purebreds because of "hybrid vigor." In other words, they are hardier and more disease-resistant, just like "mutt" dogs. They are also usually less expensive to purchase. Heritage or other landrace breeds are another good choice for pets, especially if you plan to breed your sheep.

Females (ewes) or wethers (castrated males) are recommended for pets. Intact males (rams) are not recommended as pets. Rams get larger and usually become aggressive, especially during the rut (breeding season). Naturally polled (hornless) animals are also advised. While many sheep are polled, there are some breeds in which males and sometimes females can carry horns. Neutering may diminish horn growth in horned males. Horned animals can get their heads stuck in fences and feeders and can cause injury to other animals and people.

Sheep are social animals. They should not be raised singly. It is best to keep them in flocks. It takes about five sheep for sheep to display their natural flocking instinct. In the minimum, pet sheep should be kept in pairs. They can also be kept with other livestock, especially goats, but their preference is their own kind. When sheep are co-mingled with other livestock, you need to make sure they do not consume feeds or mineral mixes that have been formulated for other livestock and contain added copper. It is not recommended that horned animals be kept with polled animals.

Orphan, poddy, or bummer lambs -- those raised on a bottle or milk bar -- often make the best pets because they will naturally bond to their care giver. This is probably why sheep were domesticated in the first place, before most other animals. However, if you start with orphan lambs, you need to be aware that they are more vulnerable to disease (including worms) their first year because of their often-compromised start in life.

Orphans often do not consume enough colostrum, the first milk produced by the ewe after she lambs. Colostrum helps to jump start the lamb's immune system. Orphan lambs are usually weaned earlier than dam-raised lambs, so they are forced to "grow-up" quicker. By the same token, it is not recommended that orphan lambs be fed a milk diet for an extended period of time. It is best to wean them by the time they are 6 to 8 weeks of age. Abomasal bloat and other digestive problems are common with orphan lambs, especially those raised by inexperienced people.

Fencing/containment

There are many different kinds of fencing that will contain sheep. Besides keeping sheep in, you need to be vigilant about keeping other animals out, including your own dogs. Sheep are a prey animal and are vulnerable to attacks from numerous predators, including domestic dogs and coyotes. If you or your neighbors have pet dogs, especially large breeds, you need to make sure these dogs do not pose a threat to your sheep. With the exception of livestock guardian dog breeds, domestic dogs have a natural predatory instinct: there's a "wolf" lurking under the skin of every dog. Even if dogs do not attack sheep, they can worry them and cause them to abort their offspring. They can also cause needless stress.

The most common type of fencing for sheep is woven wire or box wire. Woven wire consists of horizontal wires with vertical stays. The size of the squares created by the wires varies. The smaller squares are better because the sheep cannot get their heads stuck and small predators cannot crawl through. High tensile, electric fences are commonly used on commercial sheep farms, but less practical for small enclosures.

A split-rail or board fence can be used for sheep, so long as the fence is covered with mesh wire or electric wires are put between the boards and between the ground and first board. Barbed wire fences are less desirable for sheep because they can cause injury. Many taught wires would need to be installed in order to contain lambs and deter predators.

It is possible to tether sheep, but this should only be done if someone is nearby to watch the sheep. A tethered animal is vulnerable to predators. A tethered animal can also get tangled in its line or knock its water bucket over. The same can be said for allowing animals to free graze, without fences to contain them. This is only advised if someone is there to watch over them.

Ideally, you should have an acre or two for your pet sheep to graze. An acre is usually enough for a few sheep. If pasture is not available, pet sheep can be kept in small pens or enclosures. Pens can be constructed from various materials. Livestock panels sold at farm supply stores work well if the panels are high enough and the openings are small enough. The pen should include an exercise area of at least 50 square feet. If the lot is smaller than this, it is important to get sheep out for exercise and grazing. Young sheep will enjoy environmental enrichment, i.e. something to jump on. Sheep naturally seek higher places.

Shelter
Sheep should have protection from extreme weather: hot and cold, wet, and windy. Shelters do not need to be fancy or expensive. They just need to provide a place where the sheep can go to get out of the rain, snow, or wind. The shelter will also keep their feed dry. Sheep may seek shelter (or shade) in hot weather, especially if it is humid. Inside the shelter, it should be dry to prevent hoof or other disease problems.

Shelters can be homemade or purchased. Three sided run-in sheds work well. Plastic calf hutches or poly domes are popular shelters for small numbers of sheep. Metal port-a-huts are another option. Cloth structures work well for shade. Sheep can even seek shade under solar panels and hay wagons. Small sheep may be able to get shelter in a large doghouse or igloo.

Health care

If fed and managed properly, most pet sheep maintain good health and live for a long time. The natural life span of a sheep is 10 to 12 years. Some will live longer. The most common health problem of sheep, especially lambs, is gastro-intestinal parasites (worms). There are worm eggs in almost every sheep's feces. After the eggs hatch, they developed into infective larvae which the sheep ingest when they graze. Once inside the sheep's body, the larvae develop into adult worms, which lay more eggs, which are again deposited onto the pasture. In the case of the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus), the most common parasite affecting sheep, adult worms, along with juvenile worms (L4s), suck the animal's blood. If there are enough worms, they can cause anemia (significant blood loss) and death, especially in young lambs (under six months of age).

It is normal for sheep to have parasites of various kinds in their digestive systems. It is only when they have too many that it becomes a problem. You can tell if a sheep has too many barber pole worms by examining the color of its lower eye lid. If the color is pale (white or light pink), it has anemia and needs to be dewormed with effective medicines. Other worms cause digestive disturbances and may cause diarrhea (scours). Fecal tests are not very useful for determining the need to deworm an animal. Instead, you need to look for clinical signs: anemia (pale mucous membranes), bottle jaw (fluid swelling under jaw), weight loss, loss of body condition, diarrhea, dirty back sides, weakness, and anorexia (lack of appetite).

The drugs used to kill worms are called anthelmintics or dewormers. For sheep, the medicines are always liquid formulations (called drenches) that need to be deposited over the animal's tongue, into its gullet. Over the years, the worms have developed resistance to the drugs. For this reason, it is now recommended that only clinically-parasitized sheep (as evidenced by symptoms: anemia, bottle jaw, etc.) be dewormed and that they be given a combination treatment. This means giving a dewormer from each "chemical" class to the sheep.

The dewormers should not be mixed in the syringe but should be given one after the other. A proper combination treatment would consist of albendazole (Valbazen®) + moxidectin (Cydectin®) + levamisole (Prohibit®, Leva-Med®). All of these dewormers are FDA-approved for sheep and can be conveniently purchased from farm supply stores or over the internet. They should be administered with an oral dosing syringe that has a long metal nozzle. A simple plastic syringe will not work unless it has a nozzle attachment. An accurate weight is needed to properly dose a sheep with deworming medicine. It is better to slightly overdose than underdose the dewormer.

Coccidia
Another common parasite that affects sheep is coccidia (Eimeria spp.). Coccidia is not a worm. It is a single celled protozoan parasite. Coccidia is usually more of a problem in confinement than on pasture and is often the result of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. However, it can still strike down lambs that are pastured. Lambs (1-6 months of age) are most vulnerable, especially around the time of weaning. As with worms, lambs eventually develop immunity to coccidia; in fact, early than they develop immunity to worms. Mature sheep are immune to coccidia but serve as reservoirs of infection.

All mammals can get coccidia, but the strains are host-specific. Sheep get infected when they consume feces from contaminated bedding, feeders, waterers, etc. Coccidia damages the lining of the small intestines, which is where nutrients are absorbed. The most common symptom, though not always, is diarrhea (scours). Lambs clinically-infected with coccidia usually look poor and fail to thrive. Damage can be permanent. Affected lambs can be permanently stunted.

Coccidiostats can be put in the feed and/or mineral to prevent disease outbreaks. Some milk replacers have a coccidiostat. Coccidiostats need to be fed at least 3 weeks before the risk period. Drugs can also be put in the water to treat lambs for coccidiosis or prevent disease outbreaks. No product is labeled for the treatment of coccidiosis in sheep and lambs. Thus, a veterinary prescription is required. You may also need to obtain the drugs from the vet. Bovatec® (lasalocid) and Deccox® (decoquinate) are coccidiostats that are approved to be fed to lambs. They can usually be purchased from feed and farm supply stores.

Occasionally, pet sheep get sick. When a sheep is not feeling well, it may isolate itself and stop eating. You may notice subtle behavior changes. It may be slow to come in from the field or to the feeder. It may hang its head down. Its ears may droop. Teeth grinding is a sign of pain. Limping could be due to a hoof infection or leg injury. If a sheep is off, its temperature should be taken. The normal body temperature of a sheep is 102-103°F. Anything much above this is indicative of a fever and possible infection. Infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Fever and pain are usually treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin.

Non-infectious causes of diarrhea can be treated with over-the-counter medications, such as Kaopectate and Pepto-bismal. Imodium should not be given to sheep, because it paralyzes the gut. Probiotics, including plain yogurt, are good treatments for diarrhea, as they will add healthy bacteria to the rumen. In fact, probiotics are always a good thing to give any stressed animal. Digestive upsets, which are the result of too much gas, can be treated with antacids, sodium bicarbonate, or mineral oil. Be sure to consult a veterinarian or experienced shepherd, if your sheep doesn't respond to treatment or you don't know the cause of its ill thrift.

Vaccinations
The only universally recommended vaccination for sheep is for clostridial diseases. A 3-way vaccine (CDT) that provides protection against clostridium perfringins type C & D (enterotoxemia or overeating disease) and clostridium tetani (tetanus) is the vaccine most commonly used. There are also 7 and 8-way (Covexin-8) vaccines that confer protection against additional clostridial diseases.

Lambs should be vaccinated twice, followed by annual boosters. If the sheep are bred, the ewe should be vaccinated about a month before lambing, so that lambs can get passive immunity when they drink the colostrum. Because of their immature immune systems, young lambs (less than 1 month) do not respond as well to vaccinations. The tetanus antitoxin can be given to young lambs whose dams were not vaccinated. Lambs need to have protection against tetanus, if they are going to be docked and/castrated, especially with rubber rings.

Clostridial vaccines can be purchased from farm supply stores and over the internet. They are easy to give, with a subcutaneous injection, usually in the armpit. Sometimes, the tissue reacts to the injection and forms an abscess. Pet sheep should be given an annual vaccination for CDT. The only other vaccination pet owners may want to consider is rabies. There is a vaccine for sheep. In most states, a veterinarian must give this vaccination.

Hoof care
Most sheep need their hooves trimmed at least annually. Hoof growth is affected by many different factors. The purpose of hoof trimming is to remove excess growth, so the animal will move freely. Proper hoof trimming will also prevent hoof disease. Most hoof problems are caused by bacteria that invade the hoof. Keeping hooves properly trimmed will help to prevent entry of harmful bacteria. On the other hand, overzealous hoof trimming could give the bacteria an entry point. There is no need to keep hooves trimmed to perfection. On the other hand, failure to trim hooves is one of the primary reasons sheep owners are reported to animal health authorities.

A proper pair of hoof trimmers or shears is needed for hoof trimming. The best way to trim a sheep's hooves is while the sheep is tipped onto its rump. There are also sheep "chairs" that will hold the sheep in a similar position. Some farms put sheep in cradles that tilt the sheep onto its side for easy access to the hooves. It is possible to trim a sheep's hooves while it is standing on a table or tied to a post, but sheep tend to resist this approach more aggressively. The sheep can also be held on its side for hoof trimming.

When trimming hooves, avoid cutting off large chunks of hoof. Stop trimming when you see pink. This means you are getting close to the blood supply. Remove any pockets that you see. When you are done, the nail, sole, and heel should be parallel with the growth bands around the outside of the hoof. Its best to trim hooves when they are soft. There are videos on YouTube than can instruct you on how to trim sheep (or goat) hooves.

Shearing
Most wooled sheep require annual shearing. Long wooled sheep may benefit from twice a year shearing. While you can theoretically shear your own sheep, it is best to have a trained professional do it using electric shears (clippers). If you have only one or two sheep or even a small flock, it may be necessary to take the sheep somewhere for shearing. Do not wait until the last minute to contact a shearer. Pet sheep should be sheared in the spring before the onset of warm weather. For pets, it is best to choose sheep that do not require shearing. Failing to shear sheep in a timely manner is an animal welfare concern that could be reported to animal health authorities.

Feeding

There are two things to keep in mind when feeding pet sheep. They are ruminants and they are pets. A ruminant has four parts to its stomach. It chews its cud. Its digestive system evolved to digest forages -- fiber and cellulose. Ruminants must eructate (belch) to get rid of fermentation gases, the by-products of their digestive system. Failure to do so can be fatal.

A sheep's nutritional requirements depend upon its age, size (weight), and stage and level of production. Weather and activity can also influence nutritional requirements. Cold, wet weather will increase an animal's critical temperature, the temperature below which they must expend calories to maintain their body temperature. Housed animals have lower nutritional requirements that those that free range and live out in the elements. An animal's physical condition can also affect its nutritional requirements. For example, a freshly shorn sheep has a higher energy requirement than one with a fleece, especially in winter. Sheep in better body condition are also more cold tolerant. Sheep are more of a cold weather animal than hot.

Because most pet sheep are mature animals that are not being raised for production purposes, their nutritional requirements are relatively low and can usually be met with strictly forage diets. Pasture or a decent quality grass hay is all that is usually needed. A free choice mineral mix, granular (loose) form and formulated specifically for sheep, will ensure that their vitamin and mineral requirements are being met. Free access to plain salt is a minimum. Small amounts of grain can be fed as a treat. Other suitable treats include leaves, corn husks, bread, and produce in small amounts.

Lambs, because they are still growing and developing their immune systems, will benefit from some supplemental (grain) feeding. As a sheep gets older, its protein requirements diminish. For example, alfalfa hay is too rich for adult sheep, unless they are nursing lambs. With age, sheep also need to consume less feed relative to their body weight. One of the biggest challenges to keeping sheep as pets is keeping them from getting too fat.

It is not healthy for a sheep to be fat. They are less likely to get fat if they are consuming a strictly forage diet: hay, grass, browse, etc. They are also less likely to experience any health problems if they are eating forage diets. While sheep can safely be fed concentrates (grain) in production situations, grain feeding makes sheep more susceptible to various diseases including acidosis, bloat, enterotoxemia, urinary calculi, and polio.

To keep pet sheep from getting too fat, it may be necessary to restrict their grazing time or limit the amount of hay you feed them. If they are given free access to feed, they will likely eat more than they need. Geriatric sheep, on the other hand, may need extra feed or special feed that is easy to digest. Older sheep may not have any front teeth (incisors), though their molars will still allow them to chew. Sheep without front teeth have a more difficult time grazing short pastures.

If grain is fed, it should be a feed that is 100 percent nutritionally-balanced for sheep or lambs. It should not be feed that is balanced for other livestock or marketed as a general livestock feed. Sheep have a low tolerance for excess copper in their diets and should generally not be fed formulations with added copper. Nothing should be added to complete feeds, as they are already nutritionally-balanced. Wethers are particularly susceptible to urinary calculi (kidney stones), which is caused by an imbalance of calcium to phosphorus. Adding corn to an otherwise balanced ration could put male sheep at risk, as corn is high in phosphorus and low in calcium.

Urinary calculi is a very common problem with pet (male) sheep. Feeding a forage (pasture + hay) diet will prevent almost all cases of urinary calculi. If grain is fed (first year only), it must be properly balanced for calcium and phosphorus. Many lamb feeds contain ammonium chloride. This is a urine acidifier that helps to prevent urinary calculi. It is also important that sheep consume enough salt and drink enough water. Free choice salt or minerals will encourage consumption of both. Some people think urinary calculi think early castration causes urinary calculi, when in reality, it is a nutritional problem.

If you breed your pet sheep, you will need to feed them according to their nutritional requirements for gestation and lactation. All feed should be offered in a trough or manger. Sheep should not be allowed to eat feed off of the ground. Sheep will generally not eat feed that has been soiled.

It goes without saying that sheep should always have access to plenty of fresh, clean water. Unlike other livestock, sheep (and goats) will not drink dirty water. Sheep drink less water than other livestock because they lose less water in their urine. Adequate water intake is necessary to maintain health. In particular, it will help to prevent urinary calculi in wethers. Sheep will drink more water in the winter if it is ice free and warm. They will drink more in the summer if it is cool.