We acquired our initial sheep and goats in pairs from local traders who dealt in small cattle all over the region. Sheep and goats were a lot of fun at out farm. They are the only ones that we allowed outside during the day. At night they slept in one of the compartments in the second shed resembling that of the cows in built and size.
The two shared this shed with calves, rabbits and poultry, but in different sections with partitions and doors to avoid fighting each other in any way possible or fighting over feed or water.
The sheep were the Dorper type or black nape or black heads with white bodies. The goats were plain black or white.
Sheep and goats were let outside as early as six in the morning depending on the seasons. They were pegged to indigenous trees or boulders or curves and loops carved out of the ground coral rocks within our compound where they ate and got changed to different areas when they had done a good job in one area.
There was one very good thing about tethering. Where they were tethered, they left their rich urine and dung that did very good justice to the growth in such areas. As a result, very good grass developed and very fast too and this promoted more feed for themselves in short periods of time so long as there was little rain. With a lot of rain, the grass became too much for them to handle and we had to slash it and give it to the cows.
Water was provided for them in a built concrete trough in the compound. Water was supplied to the trough mid-morning and mid-afternoon to satisfy their thirst when the sun was hottest and in the evening before being taken back to the shed. They were taken to the trough two at a time to drink and get tethered again except when they were being taken in for the night.
They remained tethered throughout the day because vegetables, young fruit trees, grain crops, legumes and root crops were all growing within vicinity and they would cause havoc to the plants especially the goats that were rather wild. And, some vegetables were also irrigated during the dry seasons.
Goats in particular were very destructive if at all they got the chance occasionally in the mornings when they were being taken out or in the evenings when they were being taken inside or during the day if one happened to have a weak rope that gave way and we were not in the vicinity.
They would run to the restricted areas and really damage whatever they could reach quickly. And even catching them to have them get new ropes would be a big job for quite some time. The alternative at such times was for one of us to be a shepherd till evening when they would get into their shed.
As soon as they were inside their shed, the ropes were removed and hanged on the trusses above them. The ropes were then put on them in the mornings just before taking them outside.
They also got bathed once a month to take care of any ticks that could be on them. Once or twice a week we took them outside the farm gate to graze wildly in the open under our guard so that they could not get lost or the chance to cause damage to neighbors’ property.
This was mainly along the track running parallel to the farm fence. Goats were very happy at such times because they are climbers and neck strainers and so they could reach many branches of trees and bushes along the sides of the track.
Sheep were humble animals that preferred flocking together as the saying goes and clean sweep wherever they were tethered or just concentrate at one place when they were taken outside the compound.
Both sheep and goats multiplied very fast. Ewes and she-goats gave birth twice a year and in six months the lambs and kids were big enough for slaughter and or mating.
Even in these small animals, we did not allow in breeding so we changed rams and Billy goats often. We slaughtered the old rams and Billy goats for food or gave them away to other breeders around and brought in young ones from far away.
Male lambs and kids born at the farm were eaten by us or given out to those who desired them for their herds.
The lambs and kids were suckled by their mothers till their mothers refused them from doing so or they themselves stopped it.
We kept sheep and goats strictly for home consumption and their female lambs and kids for multiplication.
Their waste was collected every day and formed part of the compost for produce farming. Their urine drained through a pipe into the banana plantation.
In sickness, they were treated with Neem tree byproducts’ solution except that the dosage differed due to their size and age. Their sickness was mostly colds and coughs especially with drastic changes in weather. A few of them had their hooves trimmed with scissors when they looked crooked or overgrown.