Sheep Glossary
Bag: The ewe’s udder or mammary glands
Band: A group of sheep larger than a flock; usually referring to thousands of sheep kept on range land
Black wool: Refers to dark wool; any wool containing black or dark fibers
Blood grading: The degree of fineness of wool. The term was originally used to refer to the amount of Merino blood (a breed of sheep) in an animal.
Bright wool: Light, clean wool
Broken mouth: An old ram or ewe that has lost teeth. The condition usually begins when an animal is around four years old.
Bummer: A lamb that has to be bottle-fed. Usually an orphan, but it can be a lamb that is being ignored by its mother if there are multiple births.
Burdizzo: Tool used to castrate lambs by breaking the cord without breaking the skin
Carding: Converts loose, clean wool into longer, continuous strands. Carding may be done by hand or by machine.
Carpet wool: Coarse, strong wool suitable for making carpets
Clean wool: May refer to scoured wool; hand spinners may use the term to refer to a grease wool with little or no contamination from vegetable sources.
Clip: The total annual wool production taken from a flock
Closed face: A sheep that has lots of wool around its face and eyes
Club lamb: A lamb that is raised as a club project for 4-H or FFA
Combing: Removing the short fibers and leaving the long fibers laid out straight and parallel on a sheep
Count: A yarn’s fineness when spinning; system of grading wool based on how fine it can be spun
Crimp: The wave seen in wool fibers
Degreased wool: Wool that has been chemically cleaned to remove all “grease” or lanolin
Density: The number of wool fibers present per unit of an area on a sheep’s body. The fine wool breeds have a greater density, and more wool fibers per unit, than the coarse wool breeds.
Elasticity: The ability of wool fibers to return to their original length after they are stretched. Better quality wool has more elasticity.
Elastrator: A device to apply a heavy rubber band around a male lamb’s testicles for castration. An elastrator may also be used for docking a lamb’s tail.
Ewe: Female sheep
Facing: Trimming extra wool from around the face of a closed-face sheep
Fleece: The wool from one sheep
Flock: A group of sheep
Graft: Having a ewe accept and nurse a lamb that is not her own
Grease wool: Wool just as it comes off the sheep
Hot house lamb: A lamb born in fall or early winter and harvested when it is 9 to 16 weeks old
Jug: A small pen just large enough for one ewe and her lamb; usually used for only a few days after birth
Lamb: Young sheep, usually under a year old
Lanolin: The naturally occurring grease that coats wool
Long wool: Wool that is 12 to 15 inches long. It comes from certain breeds, such as the Cotswold, Lincoln, and Leicester breeds. Luster: The natural gloss or sheen seen on a fleece.
Meconium: The first fecal material passed by a lamb
Mutton: Meat from a mature sheep
Open face: A sheep that does not have much wool around its face
Ovis aries: Scientific nomenclature for sheep
Polled: Having no horns; usually naturally hornless
Ram: Male sheep
Ruminant: One of a category of animals, such as sheep, goats, and cattle, which have a stomach with four compartments
Second cuts: Short pieces of wool that result from cutting the same areas twice when shearing sheep
Shearing: The process of clipping wool from a sheep
Wether: Castrated or neutered male
Wigging: Removing extra wool from around the face of a closed-face sheep; also known as facing
Sheep were one of the earliest domesticated animals. They were probably the first herd animal domesticated by humans, being domesticated some 10,000 years ago. Since that time, they have provided people with wool for warmth, meat, and milk for cheese and other dairy products. The gentle sheep is one of the most beneficial of all domestic animals.
The History of Sheep and People
A pasture full of white, wooly sheep with lambs bounding at their sides is a soothing image most people envision when trying to drift off to sleep. It is hard to imagine a more serene lifestyle than that of a shepherd tending to his flock, idling the day away while the sheep graze. Modern-day sheep farming is far removed from the idealized shepherd’s lifestyle. In fact, most sheep farmers in the United States are part-time shepherds holding another full-time job.
In the United States today, sheep are raised for both meat (lamb or mutton) and wool. The U.S. sheep and wool industries have seen significant change since the mid-1970s. There are fewer people involved in producing wool and meat from sheep today than there once were, and operations are smaller. Historically, lamb and mutton were viewed as byproducts of wool production, even though wool sales accounted for a smaller share of revenue. As money from wool has declined, producers have turned their attention to lamb and mutton production and the possibility of other byproducts, such as sheep leather.
Breeds
According to the American Sheep Industry Association, there are more than 47 different sheep breeds in the United States. Worldwide, there are hundreds of sheep breeds, each specially adapted to their own particular geographical area. In the U.S., the breeds are divided into six categories according to purpose: meat, fine wool, long wool, dual purpose, hair, and minor breeds. For the most part, the breeds primarily are divided according to meat type or wool type sheep.
Meat breeds
Cheviot: The Cheviot is a small-framed sheep with a white face and bare face and legs. It is hornless and has long wool. A mature ram weighs 160 to 200 pounds. A mature ewe weighs 120 to 160 pounds. Ewes will average 5 to 10 pounds of fleece.
Dorset: The Dorset can either be horned or polled. They have a medium-sized frame with white faces. Mature rams weigh 225 to 275 pounds, while a mature ewe weighs 150 to 200 pounds. The fleece from a Dorset ewe weighs between 5 and 9 pounds.
Hampshire: The Hampshire breed are black-faced, black-legged, large-framed sheep. They are widely used in the United States in crossbreeding programs when larger offspring is desired. A mature ram weighs more than 275 pounds, while the mature ewe can weigh more than 200 pounds. A fleece from a mature ewe will average 6 to 10 pounds.
Southdown: This small-framed breed has a light brown face and matures early into muscular carcasses. A mature Southdown ram weighs about 200 pounds, while a mature ewe is much smaller, averaging 150 pounds. The ewe will have a fleece between 5 and 8 pounds.
Suffolk: This is the largest framed sheep breed in the United States. It has a rapid growth rate, which makes it an excellent meat breed sheep. The Suffolk has a black bare face and legs. A mature ram will weigh 250 to 350 pounds, while the mature ewe will weigh 180 to 250 pounds. The ewe’s fleece will weigh between 5 and 8 pounds.
Milk breeds
Sheep milk is not popular in any modern culture. However, milk from sheep is used to produce yogurt and other cultured products. Sheep produce much less milk than dairy cows, but their milk is much richer in terms of fat, minerals, and solids. This makes sheep milk excellent for making cheese. Three sheep breeds have been bred selectively to produce more milk than other sheep.
Awassi: The Awassi is a native sheep in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. They are usually white with a brown head and legs. They have a tail where fat is stored, and they can rely on this fat for nutrition when conditions are harsh. They are a very hardy breed, able to live with nomadic shepherds and as a settled flock. They have been used to produce meat, milk, and wool, but they are most notable for their milk production, especially in extreme conditions. They are disease-resistant and able to stand extreme temperatures. They are adaptable, and the ewes make excellent mothers.
East Friesian: The East Friesian is from East Friesia in Germany. They are considered one of the best sheep in terms of milk production. In addition to an exceptionally high milk yield (300-600 liters of milk during a 300-day lactation period), East Friesian ewes also produce a greater number of lambs than normal. When crossed with other breeds, they increase milk production and the number of lambs produced. They do best in small flocks. East Friesians are not hardy and are often used as crossbreds to improve Awassis and Lacaunes. The East Friesian has a pink nose, and they have no wool on their heads or legs. They are hornless. Their hooves are pale, and they have a “rat tail” or a tail that is thin and without any wool. Their bodies are covered in white wool.
Lacaune: The Lacaune is from southern France, where it is very popular. Their milk is used to produce Roquefort cheese. Government support for the breed, starting in the 1960s, helped with selective breeding, and today, the breed is one of the most prolific of all sheep used for milk products.
Fine-wool breeds
Merino: The Merino breed is known for its fine wool, which makes great wool for clothing. Some strains of the breed can produce more than 30 pounds of fleece a year. Mature rams weigh 175 to 235 pounds. Mature ewes weigh 125 to 180 pounds.
Rambouillet: This is a white-faced, white-fleeced sheep known for its fine wool. It is descended from the Merino sheep raised in Spain. Mature rams weigh 250 to 300 pounds. Mature ewes weigh 150 to 200 pounds. Ewe fleeces can weigh up to 18 pounds.
Long-wool breeds
Lincoln: The Lincoln sheep is the world’s largest breed of sheep with mature rams weighing 250 to 350 pounds, while mature ewes weigh 200 to 250 pounds. When fully grown, their fleece spirals down in heavy locks and is coarse. The ewe’s fleece weighs 12 to 20 pounds.
Romney: Although classified with the long-wool sheep, the Romney is also a good meat sheep. Mature rams weigh 225 to 275 pounds, and mature ewes weigh 150 to 200 pounds. A fleece from a mature ewe will weigh 8 to 12 pounds.
Dual-purpose breeds
Columbia: The United States Department of Agriculture developed the Columbia breed through crossing Rambouillet ewes with long-wool breed rams. Mature Columbia rams weigh 225 to 300 pounds, while mature ewes weigh 150 to 225 pounds. The fleece from a Columbia ewe weighs 10 to 16 pounds.
Corriedale: This white-faced sheep has a large frame with an ample wool coat. A mature ewe’s fleece weighs 10 to 17 pounds. A mature Corriedale ram weighs 175 to 275 pounds, while a mature ewe weighs 130 to 180 pounds.
Other sheep breeds
The minor sheep breeds and the haired sheep breeds are not too common in the United States.
Finn: The Finn sheep is an example of a minor breed of sheep. It is native to Finland and is a smaller sheep. A mature ram weighs less than 200 pounds, and a mature female weighs around 140 pounds. Ewes of this breed have been known to have up to four lambs at one time.
Katahadin: The Katahadin is an example of a haired sheep breed. Although all sheep have both hair and wool, wool is the predominant fiber in most sheep. As the name suggests, the haired sheep has more hair than wool. The Katahadin was developed in the United States during the 1950s. Because they do not have a fleece, they are not sheared. Instead, they are used primarily for meat. Mature rams weigh between 180 to 250 pounds, and mature ewes weigh between 120 to 160 pounds.
Buying Sheep
Before you buy any sheep, it is a good idea to study breeds of sheep and decide exactly what your goals are. Are you interested in producing wool? Are you more interested in producing meat? Are you interested in producing dairy products? Making these decisions will help you know what kind of sheep you want to buy.
When buying sheep, it is a good idea to go to an established breeder. Try to visit a number of sheep farms if possible. Talk to experienced breeders. Not only will you get better lambs and sheep from good breeders, but you also will make valuable contacts that can help you as you raise your own sheep.
Where to buy lambs and sheep
Sheep make a wonderful addition to the farmstead and can be a valuable tool for weed control. They provide fiber and meat, both potential side sources of income to an off-farm job. In a small-scale farm enterprise, sheep fit well into a low-input farming system because they need minimal housing if lambing coincides with warm spring weather. Starting out with a small group of ewes (ten to 20) and a ram is an excellent way to enter into sheep farming. It is not advisable to purchase your breeding stock from an auction or sales barns. Ewes at these places are usually old, diseased, or crippled and will bring heartache to the farm family.
It is best to purchase registered sheep so you can have some guarantee that the ewe or ram you are getting has been born when the breeder states it was born, and so you will know who its mother and father are. You can purchase registered sheep at their association’s state, regional, or national herd shows. Check your local feed store for fliers and posted information about upcoming shows; and check with sheep breed associations to find out if they will have upcoming shows in your area. You can find links to sheep breed associations on the Hobby Farms website: www.hobbyfarms.com/farm-resources/livestock-resources/Sheep-Breed-Associations.aspx. Another option is to purchase sheep to replace old or culled ewes from a commercial sheep grower who raises ewes for his or her own flock. Sometimes these growers raise more than they can use and offer them for sale. You can locate these growers by contacting your county extension agent, a local veterinarian, or through local farm newspapers.
What to look for when buying sheep
When buying sheep, examine the lambs and sheep to make sure they are healthy individuals. Their eyes and noses should be clear and free of discharge. Their ears should be clean inside with no signs of parasites. Their skin and coat should look healthy. Check the sheep’s teeth. Do the teeth look in good shape? Do they appear to coincide with the proper age of the animal? Check the sheep’s feces. There should be no trace of diarrhea. The feces should look small and firm. The animal’s hooves should look healthy with no signs of swelling or redness. If you are buying a ewe, check the animal’s udder and teats to be sure she will be able to give milk. The seller should be able to provide you with records for the sheep that list all medications and vaccinations that have been given. Ideally, the seller will be honest with you about why they are selling the sheep.
Handling Sheep
Handling sheep is usually easier than handling other livestock animals such as goats or pigs. Sheep are flock animals and if you can get them heading in one direction, they all usually will follow. However, there are times when you will need to separate individual sheep to do routine animal husbandry such as trimming hooves, worming, giving vaccinations, doing pregnancy checks, and so on. When you need to work with an individual sheep, you may need to tip the sheep. In order to tip a sheep, you should stand to the side of the sheep, hold the sheep under the front legs, lift them up, and use your knee to help place them in a sitting position. The sheep should be leaning back against your legs. If you are handling a large sheep then you will probably need someone to help you. This sitting position is very comfortable for the sheep, and they are usually quiet and placid while you trim hooves or check them.
If you do not feel up to tipping a sheep, you can try using a chute to hold a sheep while you do some of these routine chores. A chute is a very tight-fitting, fenced-in area that holds the sheep in place so you can do your work. It is a very confined area, but it does not harm the sheep.
Housing and Feeding Sheep
Sheep are housed similar to goats, but goats and sheep should not be kept together in a confinement situation, as the goat will most likely bully the more docile sheep. Sheep will do well on pasture but should be provided a shelter in inclement weather. Pregnant sheep should be monitored closely, and when nearing the end of their pregnancy, they should be placed into well-bedded (straw) lambing pens to lamb.
Pasture
Sheep will get a large portion of their nutrition from pasture and hay. Ewes in late pregnancy or that are lactating and rapidly growing lambs will need to be supplemented with grain. Sheep do not require soda like goats, but they will need salt and minerals. The mineral copper is toxic to sheep so read the label closely on your salt/mineral supplement to make sure it is nontoxic to sheep.
Feeding Lambs and Sheep
Most people who raise sheep raise them on pasture and forage, along with salt and mineral supplements. Some people feed hay. But commercial sheep feeds are available. Sheep should be fed concentrated feed in the form of grain before and during breeding season and at times of peak production.
Sheep cannot tolerate very much copper in their diet, but they do need some. It is a mistake to leave out all copper from their diet.
It is normal to begin feeding lambs still in the pen with their mother a creep ration that includes supplemental concentrates, along with hay. A creep ration is feed that is sometimes fed to lambs that are about 3 weeks old, when they are starting to become interested in adult food. You can begin feeding them this ration as early as 21 days old. The “creep” is an area in the pen where the lambs can reach food but the ewe is too large to go, so she cannot get to their feed.
Sheep Health
There is a saying in the veterinary field, “sick sheep seldom survive,” which sadly holds true in far too many cases. Sheep are notorious for hiding sickness, most likely because they are prey animals and often must hide illness from predators as not to appear weak. A sick sheep will give few, if any, signs at being sick until it is obvious it is ill. By then, it may be unable to stand.
Lamb care
Lambs should have their tails docked to prevent fly strike, a condition where flies deposit eggs in the skin of the lamb, which will hatch into maggots. Docking consists of using a stout, rubber ring (elastrator) to remove the tail. The specially compounded elastrator ring is put in place around the tail with a pair of elastrator pliers and cuts off circulation to the tail, producing a feeling of numbness. The feeling quickly passes, and the tail falls off after a few days. It should be done when the lamb is 7 weeks old. The ring is applied about 1.5 inches from the base of the tail. Male lambs not intended for breeding should be castrated by using the same type of rubber rings used in tail docking. The ring is applied just above the testicles; make sure both testicles are in the scrotum. Ask for a demonstration from an experienced shepherd or veterinarian before you perform this task for the first time. The rubber ring is simply a thick, strong ring made of a special rubber compound. Leave the ring on until the testicles come off.
Lambs should have access to fresh water and hay or pasture starting at 1 week old. Weaning can be started at 6 weeks for orphan lambs. Provide plenty of fresh water and good quality pasture to the lambs being weaned. At the time the lamb is weaned, it should be given a dewormer. Dewormers kill worms and parasites, which compete with the lamb for vital nutrients and can lead to poor lamb growth. Lambs should be vaccinated against tetanus and pulpy kidney. If the mother had been vaccinated against these diseases and if adequate colostrum was fed to the lamb, these vaccines can be given to lambs at 3 months old. If not, the lamb should be vaccinated when the tail is docked. Three to four weeks after the first vaccine, the lamb will need a second injection of the same vaccine.
If you find a weak lamb, the most important steps to take are to dry the lamb thoroughly using warm towels to bring its body temperature up. Most shepherds will bring the lamb into the house and place it in a cardboard box or large plastic tub lined with disposable bedding. Fill hot water bottles or a used, plastic soda bottle with hot water and wrap it in towels. Place the wrapped bottle up against the lamb. A heat lamp can be used to provide warmth. When the lamb warms up, it will start to bleat and want to be fed.
The lamb should be fed colostrum, preferably from its mother. Cow colostrum can be fed if the mother does not have sufficient colostrum. Return the lamb to its mother as soon as possible. An orphan lamb should be placed in a warm, dry pen with a supplemental heat source. Many people will let the orphan bunk in a box in the house or a warm basement until it is a week old. Then, it will be put into its own pen in the lambing barn.
Ewe health
Viruses and bacteria causing miscarriages in ewes can be a big problem, and these bacteria and viruses are considered zoonotic as they also can cause symptoms in humans. Pregnant women should never handle dead lambs or fetuses, placentas, or placental fluids. Miscarriages can be reduced by strict sanitation of the lambing areas and by keeping other animals out of the lambing pens. Any ewe that has aborted a lamb should be isolated from the flock to help decrease the transmission of the disease organism. The aborted fetus and placenta should be placed in a plastic garbage bag, tied shut, and brought to a veterinary clinic to be examined. Usually the tissues will need to be sent to a university diagnostic lab to determine the cause of the abortion. Some common causes of abortion include:
• Chlamydia causes enzootic abortions of ewes (EAE). Abortions occur during the final month of pregnancy along with stillbirths and weak lambs. Infected sheep spread it to others through uterine discharges, placentas, or fetal tissues. If there is an epidemic, the entire flock can be treated with tetracycline.
• Q fever is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. Many sheep may not show any signs of having the Q fever organism. It can cause late-term miscarriage along with infertility problems. If your sheep is diagnosed with Q fever, it will need to be reported to federal authorities, as it is an organism that can be used in bioterrorism. Treatment is through use of tetracycline.
• Vibriosis is the disease caused by Campylobacter and causes late-term miscarriages, stillbirths, and weak lambs. Treatment of an abortion outbreak is with tetracycline. A vaccination is available that will prevent the disease in sheep flocks. The first year, the ewes are vaccinated twice in early gestation then once again half way through the gestation period. After this initial series, the ewes are vaccinated once yearly after the breeding season.
• Toxoplasmosis causes abortions during the last month of pregnancy, stillbirths, and weak lambs. The organism is spread by cats defecating in feed or by contamination of water or the environment by cat feces. Cats should be kept away from sheep feed sources and away from pregnant ewes.
Two diseases, in addition to the diseases that are responsible for causing miscarriages, can threaten the health and life of an ewe:
Pregnancy toxemia: Pregnancy toxemia occurs late in the pregnancy. It is more common in ewes that are overly fat or thin or in older ewes carrying multiple fetuses. The cause is a metabolic disorder where the ewe does not take in adequate nutrition during late pregnancy when the lamb(s) are growing rapidly. An ewe with pregnancy toxemia will appear bright and alert but will be unable to stand. Treatment consists of giving the ewe glucose orally and via the vein. Giving ½ to 1 pound of grain to ewes in the late stages of pregnancy can prevent toxemia. Keeping your ewes in good body condition (not too fat or thin) will also help prevent this disease.
Mastitis: Ewes can suffer from mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands. Similar to dairy cattle, bacteria can cause acute or chronic forms of mastitis. In acute mastitis, the mammary glands will be swollen, warm, and red. The ewe may act painful and might not let her lambs nurse. Acute mastitis is treated much like cattle mastitis with antibiotics, frequent milking, and using anti-inflammatory medicines. Chronic mastitis is also treated with antibiotics.
Other diseases affecting sheep
Where the previous section focused on diseases that only affect ewes, several diseases can affect rams and ewes alike. A thin and sickly ewe may be detected at shearing time as the thick wool hides the signs of a thin or malnourished sheep. Some of these illnesses are chronic wasting diseases, which can become a flock-wide problem. These diseases can also affect goats as well.
Border disease: Border disease is a virus that causes disease in lamb fetuses. Other names of this disease are hairy shaker disease or fuzzy lamb syndrome. It causes abortions, mummification, or weak lambs. Lambs with border disease that survive birth are persistently infected and spread the virus via secretions. The disease is first suspected when the flock begins to lamb; fewer lambs than expected are born, the lambs that are born are small and hairy, and some lambs have tremors. There is no treatment or vaccination available. Sick lambs should not be used for breeding, but it is helpful to expose unbred ewes to these lambs so they can develop immunity. The ewe will be able to kick the virus out of her system and will pass her immunity on to her offspring.
Ovine Progressive Pleuropneumonia (OPP): Ovine Progressive Pleuropneumonia is a chronic, debilitating disease in sheep. Other disease conditions associated with this virus are polyarthritis, neurological problems, and mastitis. The primary route of transmission is via lambs ingesting colostrum infected with the virus, but the disease may be passed between adult animals as well. A less efficient way the virus is spread is through ingestion of contaminated food or water or by inhalation of aerosolized virus. Clinical signs are seen in sheep more than 2 years old. The signs of OPP include chronic pneumonia, rapid or difficulty breathing, lack of a fever, and a loss of body condition despite good appetite. Pregnant ewes may have lambs that are weak or small if infected with OPP. There is no treatment for OPP and no vaccine to prevent it from occurring. Control is based upon testing flocks, culling affected animals, removing lambs from affected ewes before colostrum is consumed, or else feeding lambs pasteurized colostrum and milk from affected ewes. Pasteurization inactivates the virus that causes OPP, so it will not cause infection in lambs consuming this type of colostrum.
Bluetongue: Bluetongue is indistinguishable from foot and mouth disease and is therefore a reportable disease. Foot and mouth disease is a serious illness in sheep and cattle. It is important to differentiate bluetongue from foot and mouth disease, as currently foot and mouth disease is not present in the United States. If it is discovered in the United States, all exports of livestock from the country will cease, and all affected animals will be slaughtered. All sheep exhibiting the signs of bluetongue/foot and mouth disease need to be reported. Testing will be performed on the sheep to determine which disease is affecting the sheep.
Biting insects transmit the bluetongue virus from sheep to sheep. There are two clinical diseases of sheep: reproductive disorders and a vasculitis disease of several different organ systems. The vasculitis disease causes fever, facial edema, salivation, nasal discharge, oral ulcers, reddened nose or mouth, pneumonia, lameness and stiffness, and death. Reproductive disease can manifest as dummy lamb births, miscarriages, or stillbirths. A dummy lamb is a lamb that does not suckle, seems slow, is weak at birth, and may not have a good chance of survival. Prevention revolves around controlling the vectors (insects) of the disease. Using insecticides around the barn, prompt removal and proper disposal of manure, draining of stagnant water, and using insecticides on sheep will help to reduce the number of biting insects.
Pizzle rot: Pizzle rot, or balanoposthitis, is a common condition in wethers (castrated male sheep) and less so in rams. High protein levels, especially when caused by feeding on rich pastures, produce a urine rich in urea, a waste product the body produces from protein metabolism. The alkalinity of the urine makes an ideal growth medium for bacteria, such as Corynebacterium renale, which is the primary culprit in pizzle rot although other bacteria can cause the condition as well. The bacteria interact with the urea in the urine to produce ammonia. Strong ammonia can scald the prepuce and surrounding area, leading to necrosis of the tissue. Scarring and stricture formation can block the urine flow and lead to retention of urine. Keeping the belly and prepuce closely shorn will help urine dry quickly. If the condition is caught early, removing the rich feed sources is successful at resolving the condition. Later stage treatment is rarely successful as there will be extensive damage to the urinary tract that will be impossible to correct or reverse.
Orf: A virus causes contagious ecthyma (Orf). The most common sign is shallow ulcers that appear in the lip, nostril, and feet areas. Lambs are most commonly infected and may be reluctant to nurse due to mouth and nose lesions. Lambs might spread the disease to unvaccinated or unexposed older animals.
In the male, lesions also appear on the penis and prepuce while in the female lesions will appear on the vulva and teats. It is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans. Orf is spread by direct contact, including breeding. Animals might be reluctant to mate due to the pain of the lesions. The disease typically runs its course in three to four weeks. Secondary bacterial infections can happen that lead to more debilitating conditions such as damage to the reproductive tract or deep tissue infections.
Scrapie: Scrapie is a degenerative disease of the sheep’s nervous system. The disease has a long incubation period before signs are noticed. It is similar to other diseases that affect the nervous system such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) of cattle, chronic wasting disease of deer and elk, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease of humans. Scrapie is caused by a tiny piece of protein (prion) that is very resistant to heat or disinfectants. It is spread from infected sheep to other infected sheep, most commonly from an infected mother to her lambs. Lambs during their first few months of life are most susceptible to contracting scrapie. It is believed that some sheep are more genetically susceptible to scrapie. The disease is found worldwide and was first diagnosed in the United States in 1947 in Michigan.
A prion enters the body through the mouth. For the first two years, it remains in the body in low levels in the lymph nodes. Then it spreads to the nervous system and multiplies rapidly, causing damage to the nerve cells. Sheep will show signs such as tremors, lack of coordination, behavioral changes, and a manner of walking that looks like a bunny hop. Some sheep may be intensely itchy, rubbing against objects until their wool is worn off (hence the name scrapie). The affected sheep will die one to six months after signs occur. Sheep do not develop immunity to scrapie, so there is no vaccine or cure. There is no simple diagnostic test that can be performed on live animals and no treatment. If the disease is found in a flock, all infected ewes, rams, and their offspring are killed by the authorities, the premises will need to be rigorously cleaned, and the federal government will monitor the flock to tract the progression of the disease. There is currently a nationwide scrapie tagging program but it is administered at the state level with different requirements from state to state. Talk to your local extension service agent to find out what the requirements are in your state.
Breeding Sheep
A female lamb will reach puberty when she is between 5 and 12 months old. Weight, breed, genetics, and her nutritional status influence when she will come into estrus and is ready to stand for mating. Single-born lambs, larger lambs, heavy-fed lambs, and lambs born early in the lambing season tend to come into estrus sooner because of reaching puberty sooner than twin-born lambs, lambs that are not fed for fast growth, or younger lambs.
When to breed
Before you breed your ewes, they should be in the best health condition possible. A sick ewe will have difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term, may give birth to sickly lambs, or may not be able to properly care for her lambs. Vaccinations should be finished before breeding to ensure the mother can fight diseases and pass on some of her immunity to her lambs. The herd should be treated with a dewormer and have their hooves trimmed as a matter of routine maintenance. Intestinal worms are highly contagious; so all sheep in the herd should be treated at the same time to lessen the chance of having an infected sheep in the herd. Any sheep with abscesses, those in poor body condition, those with poor teeth, or sheep with any chronic health condition should be treated aggressively or culled.
The sheep’s estrous cycle averages around 16 days. Standing estrous — when the sheep will show interest in the ram and stand to be mounted by the ram — is influenced by the presence of the ram and lasts for around 30 hours. Most sheep show estrous when the days are shortest. The daylight enters the eye and stimulates the brain, which in turn regulates the release of hormones that stimulate estrous. In the Northern Hemisphere, the most natural time to breed sheep is October through November. This seasonal estrous (polyestrous) is normal for most sheep although some sheep breeds will mate all year. An ewe in estrous will be hard to detect unless a ram is present. Then she will show the ram attention (such as nuzzling him) and standing still for him to mount her. One ram can service 30 females.
Lambing
The average length of gestation is 148 days. Around ten days before lambing (giving birth), the ewe’s udder and vulva will swell. The teats become firm and fill with colostrum, which is the vital first milk the lamb needs to develop its immune system. An ewe close to lambing should be moved to a lambing pen or “jug.” This is typically a 5-foot by 5-foot pen that is isolated from the rest of the flock. It should be kept scrupulously clean and deeply bedded with clean, dry straw.
As lambing approaches, a thick white mucus will discharge from the vulva. Uterine contractions will cause the ewe to become uneasy and swish her tail. She might bleat and get up and down. The ewe might start to strain as the cervix continues to dilate in preparation for the lamb to pass through. The placenta (commonly called the water bag) will appear at the vulva and burst, releasing fluids to help lubricate the birth canal. The ewe will strain in earnest to expel the lamb, which will come out front feet first with the head not far behind. The entire delivery process from rupture of the water bag until the lamb is on the ground takes about one hour for a single birth and two to three hours if twins or triplets are delivered. The placenta should pass out of the birth canal about two to three hours after lambing. There should be one for each lamb delivered.
The ewe will do her motherly tasks after the lamb is born. She will dry the lamb, and after the lamb stands, she will nudge the baby to her teats to nurse. Lambs need colostrum in order to build their immune system. It is vital that lambs receive this milk, which is rich in antibodies and immunoglobulins (both components of the immune system), in the first six hours after birth. The lamb’s intestinal system is designed to allow these substances to pass from the colostrum directly into the blood stream. After 24 hours, the intestinal wall changes, stopping this process. Each lamb should receive a minimum of 4 ounces of colostrum as soon as possible after birth. Some ewes are unable to let down their milk at first. You may need to gently massage the udder for a minute and milk a stream of colostrum from the teats. Check each lamb and ewe every six hours after birth to make certain the lamb is nursing and that the ewe has not rejected her lamb(s). Record the weight of each lamb at birth. This way, you can tell if a lamb is not gaining weight or nursing. Keep the lamb and ewe quietly together for three days to ensure a strong maternal bond and that the lamb is nursing well before releasing it to be with the rest of the flock.
Orphan lambs
An ewe may reject a lamb, particularly if she gives birth to twins or triplets or if she becomes ill. Some ewes reject lambs for no known reason. In this case, you will have to be its mother. Make sure the orphan receives its colostrum. You will have to teach the lamb to drink from a bottle. Prepare a bottle using any of the commercial milk replacements available. If it is the lamb’s first feeding, use warmed colostrum. Place the nipple in the lamb’s mouth, and use your hand to move the jaws together. The lamb should soon get the idea that milk comes from the nipple and start to suckle.
If the lamb is weak or has a poor suckle reflex, it will need to be tube fed. If you have never attempted this, ask an experienced person or a veterinarian to show you how to tube feed the lamb, or you may risk placing the tube into the respiratory tract and unintentionally kill the lamb. Do not over-feed lambs. They can contract scours (diarrhea) or even die from too much milk in one feeding. Lambs need about 500 milliliters of milk a day, spread over four or five feedings, for the first week. After the first week, follow the directions on the milk replacer bag to determine how frequently and how much milk replacer should be fed. In cold weather, a little extra warm milk will compensate for the extra energy the lamb will need to keep warm.
Orphaned lambs should be kept in a warm, dry, and deeply bedded pen, preferably within eye and earshot of the rest of the flock. The pen should be constructed so the lambs will stay in it, and the rest of the flock will keep out. This way the orphans will not be bullied by larger lambs or even by the ewes. After they are weaned, they can rejoin the rest of the flock.
Case Study: Not a Single Black Sheep
Ingrid Bey and Dave Plunkett
Belle Acres
10960 W. 260th St.
Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Dave Plunkett and Ingrid Bey raise between 14 and 22 ewes on their 10 acres near Belle Plaine, Minnesota. Bey, a veterinarian, joked they needed lawn mowers for their pastures, and sheep fit the bill. They also enjoy the fact that sheep are docile animals and are relatively easy to handle. A friend of theirs raised sheep, so they were able to ask questions and observe how much work is involved in raising sheep. They started sheep farming by
purchasing three ewes, each of which had twin lambs. Four of the lambs were female, so they kept those four and grew their flock. They rented a ram for the first few years before they purchased a ram of their own.
They highly recommend finding a good sheep producer to act as a mentor before deciding to raise sheep. Sheep are living animals that require care and cannot be treated like machines. They recommend starting with a small flock and learning how to care for and keep sheep before getting a large number of sheep. They have found limiting factors to raising sheep to include: labor at lambing time, feed costs, and a lack of market opportunities.
They have found the most enjoyable and the least enjoyable part of sheep farming is the lambing season. It is a very stressful time with nightly checks of ewes ready to lamb. Despite the best of care, some lambs will die, and there will be complications with labor and delivery. But the lambs that do thrive are fun to watch as they run and jump around the pasture with reckless abandonment. They also derive extreme satisfaction that their lamb meat is delicious and wholesome. They are very proud when a customer tells them that their lamb is the best lamb they have ever eaten.
They direct market their lamb meat to individual customers primarily found through word-of-mouth. They are members of the Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producers and the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota. Through these organizations, they are able to list their lamb. One novel way they were able to connect with customers was through donating a lamb to an annual charity auction, which was a good source of new customers for them. Any lambs not sold to customers are then sold at the live auction barn, but they get about half the price there as they do through direct marketing.
They spend about 30 to 60 minutes a day caring for their lambs. During lambing season, the time commitment greatly increases. Baling hay and cleaning pens are two tasks that require sizable amounts of time. They have their sheep on a deworming schedule because parasitism is a big concern. One difficult aspect of sheep farming is, it is hard to find a shearer to shear a small flock. They ended up doing the task themselves this year and may have to continue to do so in the future.
Sheep for Milk
Sheep milk is not very popular in the United States. However, sheep milk, usually from the milk breeds listed above, is used to make cheese and yogurt. Feta, Roquefort, and ricotta cheeses all are made from sheep’s milk. Sheep produce less milk than cows, but sheep’s milk is richer in fat, solids, and minerals. This makes it perfect for making cheese. Sheep’s milk has even more lactose than cow milk, so it is not a good alternative for lactose-intolerant people. If you are interested in raising sheep for their milk, choose a breed such as the Awassi or the Lacaune, or an East Friesian crossbred.
As with goat’s milk, you can do anything you like with sheep’s milk for your own personal use. You can drink it straight from the sheep, make cheese or yogurt with it, or use it for other purposes.
Selling milk
If you intend to sell sheep’s milk, you will need to check the laws in your state regarding raw milk versus pasteurized milk. You can check them on the Real Milk site: www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-1.html. Laws regarding other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are separate from laws regarding milk. Check those laws to see if you can sell cheese and other dairy products made from your sheep’s milk.
Sheep for Meat
Mutton and lamb have been popular meats throughout history. The Cheviot, Dorset, and the Suffolk are popular breeds to raise for their meat. In the United States, the following cuts of meat are usually available:
• Square cut shoulder — shoulder roast, shoulder chops, and arm chops
• Rack — rib chops and riblets, rib roast
• Loin — loin chops or roast
• Leg — sirloin chops, leg roast (leg of lamb)
• Neck
• Breast
• Shanks (fore or hind)
• Flank
If you are raising sheep and lambs for personal consumption, there are no laws about how you harvest your lambs. You may butcher your own sheep and lambs on your property or take them to a processor to have a butcher do the work for you. You can use a custom butcher. He or she does not need to be state or USDA-licensed because you are not selling the meat.
How to slaughter and clean
Butchering a sheep will take some preparation and assistance. Many people prefer to have a local butcher shop do the job, as it is not an easy task. But if you prefer to butcher the sheep for your own use, it is possible to perform the task at home. Sheep should be butchered when the outside daytime temperature is 40 degrees F or cooler. This temperature is ideal refrigerator temperature and will allow the carcass to cool to prevent spoilage. Sheep usually are butchered when they are less than 9 months old.
Withhold feed, but not water, from the sheep you intend to harvest for about 12 hours before slaughter. The animal to be butchered should be removed from its herd mates and killed out of sight and hearing to keep from upsetting the other animals. It is best to handle the sheep as calmly as possible. As with other animals, if the sheep is stressed it will release hormones that will alter the taste of the meat. Having a front-end load tractor will help you hang the animal so its blood can drain from the body. A pulley system consisting of a rope and block and tackle also can be used. Lead or drive the animal close to the area where you plan to hang it. You should also have a source of clean, running water in place near the butchering area.
Sheep should be shot in the back of the head. As soon as the animal is shot, sturdy ropes or chains should be placed on its rear legs, and it should be hung upside down. The jugular vein and carotid artery on the side of the throat should be slit to allow the blood to drain. The testicles on an uncastrated male animal should be removed next by cutting the attachments against the body. Next, the head of the animal should be removed. Remove sheep heads by cutting around the neck with a knife and then severing the tendons and ligaments holding the head to the neck. Remove the front feet by cutting through the first joint on the leg.
Remove the hide or skin next. Use a pointed knife to make a circular cut in the hide around the rear legs. From each leg, make a cut through the hide down the leg to the body. Join these cuts at the midline of the pelvis, and extend the cut through the hide all the way down the abdomen to the neck. Skin the hide away from the body by removing the hide at the rear legs and working your way down the body. Pulling the loose skin as you make your cut will help peel the hide away.
After the skin has been removed, begin to remove the intestines. Use a pointed knife to cut around the anus to free the end of the colon from the attachment to the body. Give it a slight yank to completely free it, then tie it closed with a piece of clean string or twine. Use your knife to make a cut into the lower abdomen, but be careful not to puncture any internal organs. Extend the incision to the tip of the breastbone. Remove the penis in male animals at this point. Use a tub or a wheelbarrow to catch the intestines. Cut through the fat and tissue attachment holding the intestines inside the abdomen. Pull the anus out through the abdomen, and gently, yet firmly, pull the intestines and bladder from the body. At this point, you can save the liver and kidneys for your use. They can be used for cooking. Once the intestines are out, you will need to sever the esophagus. This tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach. Try to cut it as far away from where it enters the stomach as possible. Once this is cut, the intestines should now be out of the carcass and in your container.
Next, cut through the diaphragm to remove the heart and lungs. Cut through the tissues attaching heart and lungs (the pluck) to the body, and sever the windpipe at the top of the lungs. The heart can be saved, while the lung and windpipe usually are discarded along with the intestines. The heart is another organ from the sheep that can be used for special dishes, especially in some ethnic cuisines. You will need to remove the rest of the windpipe by cutting through the neck to remove this structure. Once the internal organs are removed, wash the entire carcass inside and out with water, preferably from a running hose, to remove blood, hair, and debris. Allow the water to drain, and then cover the carcass loosely with clean plastic.
Allow the sheep carcass to hang for a week or more to age the meat, which makes it tenderer. Carcasses should only be allowed to hang outside if the temperature remains between 25 and 40 degrees F — this is why it is best to butcher animals during the winter. If the temperature does not remain between this range, you will need to cut up the meat and freeze it or have an alternative refrigeration means available, such as a refrigerator at a local butcher shop.
Finding an outside butcher
You can find an outside butcher by contacting your state meat inspection agency. This agency inspects processors and slaughterhouses in each state. They maintain a listing of butchers, which they should be able to share with you. Or you can check online or in your yellow pages for butchers. Be sure to contact a butcher in advance. They are often in demand and their appointments fill up.
Selling your sheep’s meat
If you intend to raise sheep for profit, you will need to have your sheep and lambs processed by a butcher that is either state-licensed or USDA-licensed so you can sell your meat to the public. If a state-licensed butcher processes your meat, you can sell it within the state, although, in some cases, state inspection is more stringent than USDA inspection. If USDA-licensed butcher processes your meat, you will be able to sell your meat across state lines. This means that you can sell online and ship meat products to customers in other states. Clearly, these options open up more markets for you.
All lamb found in retail stores is either USDA-inspected for wholesomeness or inspected by state systems that have standards equal to the federal government. Each lamb and its internal organs are inspected for signs of disease. The “Passed and Inspected by USDA” seal ensures the lamb is wholesome and free from disease.
Inspection is mandatory; grading is voluntary, and you must pay to have your meat graded. Inspection is necessary to make sure your meat passes minimum standards. Grading the meat will tell the consumer how the meat is rated, with higher ratings commanding higher prices. USDA-graded lamb sold at the retail level is Prime, Choice, and Good. Lower grades (Utility and Cull) are mainly ground or used in processed meat products. Retail stores may use other terms that must be different from USDA grades.
USDA Prime lamb has more fat marbling, so it is the tenderest and most flavorful grade. However, it is higher in fat content. Most of the graded lamb sold in supermarkets is USDA Choice or USDA Good. The protein, vitamin, and mineral content of lamb are similar in all grades.
Where to sell meat
If your meat has been state-inspected, you can sell to local grocery stores and restaurants. If your meat has been USDA-inspected, you are free to sell to anyone across the country. You also can sell to buyers who visit your farm. You can sell as much lamb or mutton as you can to anyone who wants to buy it. You also can sell your meat at farmers markets and online. Specialty markets and ethnic grocery stores are other good outlets.
Be sure to talk to your butcher in advance about how you want your lambs and sheep processed, especially if you have any special requests. You may have customers who want lambs cut a certain way or who intend to pick up their meat at the processor’s facility. Arrange with the butcher to have the meat picked up or to be delivered.
Handling and Cooking Lamb
From the USDA:
How to handle lamb safely
Raw lamb. Select lamb just before checking out at the register. Put packages of raw lamb in disposable plastic bags (if available) to contain any leakage which could cross-contaminate cooked foods or produce that will be eaten raw, such as salad.
Take lamb home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 degrees F or below. Use ground lamb or stew meat within one to two days; lamb chops, roasts, and steaks within three to five days or freeze at 0 degrees F or below. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely.
It is safe to freeze lamb in its original packaging or repackage it. However, for long-term freezing, overwrap the porous store plastic with storage wraps or bags to prevent “freezer burn,” which appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused by air reaching the surface of food. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the lamb. Heavily freezer-burned products may have to be discarded for quality reasons. For best quality, use frozen lamb roasts, steaks, and chops within six to nine months; ground lamb, three to four months.
Ready-prepared lamb. For fully cooked, take-out lamb dishes such as kabobs, gyros, or Chinese food, be sure they are hot at pickup. Use cooked lamb within two hours (one hour if the air temperature is above 90 degrees F), or refrigerate it at 40 degrees F or below in shallow, covered containers. Eat it within three to four days, either cold or reheated to 165 degrees F. It is safe to freeze ready-prepared lamb dishes. For best quality, use within two to three months.
Safe thawing
There are three safe ways to thaw lamb: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. It is best to plan for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Ground lamb, stew meat, and steaks may defrost within a day. Bone-in parts and whole roasts may take two days or longer.
Once the raw product thaws, it will be safe in the refrigerator before cooking three to five days (for roasts, steaks, and chops) and one to two days for ground lamb. During this time, if you decide not to use the lamb, you can safely refreeze it without cooking it first.
To thaw lamb in cold water, do not remove the packaging. Be sure the package is airtight or put it into a leakproof bag. Submerge the lamb in cold water, and change the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small packages of lamb may defrost in an hour or less; a 3- to 4-pound roast may take two to three hours.
When thawing lamb in cold water or in the microwave, plan to cook it immediately after thawing. Never thaw on the counter or any other location at room temperature. Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.
Foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold-water method should be cooked before refreezing because they potentially might have been held at temperatures above 40 degrees F, where bacteria multiply rapidly.
It is safe to cook frozen lamb in the oven, on the stove, or grill without defrosting it first; the cooking time may be about 50 percent longer. Do not cook frozen lamb in a slow cooker.
Marinating
Marinate lamb roasts, steaks, or chops in the refrigerator up to five days. Lamb cubes or stew meat can be marinated up to two days. Boil used marinade before brushing on cooked lamb. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.
Storage times
Because product dates are not a guide for safe use of a product, how long can the consumer store the food and still use it at top quality? Follow these tips:
• Purchase the product before the date expires.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.
• Keep lamb in its package until ready to use.
• Refrigerate lamb roasts, steaks, and chops three to five days (ground lamb or stew meat, one to two days); and three to four days after cooking.
• If product has a “use-by” date, follow that date.
• If product has a “sell-by” date or no date, cook or freeze the product by the times recommended above.
• Once a perishable product is frozen, it does not matter if the date expires because foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely.
• For best quality, use frozen lamb roasts, steaks, and chops within six to nine months; ground lamb, three to four months.
Safe cooking
For safety, the USDA recommends cooking lamb patties and ground lamb mixtures, such as meat loaf, to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer. However, whole muscle meats such as roasts, steaks, and chops may be cooked to 145 degrees F. For approximate cooking times for use in meal planning, see the following chart.
Times are based on lamb held at refrigerator temperature (40 degrees F). Remember that appliances and outdoor grills can vary in heat. Use a food thermometer to check for safe cooking and doneness of lamb.
Microwaving. Refer to the microwave’s oven manual for microwaving lamb, and check it with a food thermometer.
Partial Cooking. Never brown or partially cook lamb to refrigerate and finish cooking later because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed. It is safe to partially cook or microwave lamb immediately before transferring it to a hot grill or conventional oven to finish cooking.
What is the yield of cooked lamb?
After cooking bone-in lamb leg or roast, one pound of raw weight will yield 8 to 9 ounces of edible meat. Ground lamb or boneless cuts will yield about 10.5 ounces of edible meat.
Sheep for Fiber
Humans have used wool fibers since ancient or even prehistoric times. However, today much less wool is used than in the past because of the use of synthetic fabrics. There is less wool production today, and sheep more often are raised for meat than fiber. There is still a great interest in good fiber though. In 2004, a bale of the world’s finest wool sold for $3,000 per kilogram in Australia. The final price was $279,000 in Australian dollars for the bale, or about $300,000 in U.S. dollars.
Shearing
In order to shear your sheep, use a 20-tooth mohair comb and sheep shears. Hold your sheep on the ground, between your legs. Use firm, slow strokes with the electric clippers to remove swaths of the sheep’s wool down to the skin. You can store the cut fleece in a paper bag. Keep your sheep dry during the 24 hours before shearing. Shear the youngest sheep first and the oldest ones last. This way you can keep the finer fleece from mixing with the coarser fleece. Keep the shearing area clean and sweep it between cutting different colors of sheep. It is all right to cut slowly. Treat the animals well. Try to avoid having to make second cuts as second cuts mean shorter fleece that is less valuable. Remove stained or soiled areas from the wool before storing it.
Wash the wool several times with detergent before spinning it. Rinse completely several times. Dry the hair on towels or allow a fan to blow on it when it is hanging on a towel rack.
About wool
Wool is the textile fiber that comes from sheep. It is crimped and elastic, and it grows in clumps or clusters called staples. With its natural crimp, wool fabrics have more bulk than other textiles, which allows them to retain more heat. Wool also provides insulation that keeps heat out in hot conditions. The finer the wool, the more crimps it will have. Merino wool, which is fine, may have up to 100 crimps per inch.
Wool easily absorbs moisture, which makes it hygroscopic. The wool fibers are hollow, and they can absorb up to one-third of their weight in moisture. Wool also absorbs sound. Most wool is naturally a creamy white color, but it may vary depending on the color of the sheep. Wool burns at a higher temperature than cotton and some other fabrics. It is nearly self-extinguishing. It has many qualities that make it excellent for carpets and is often used by firefighters, soldiers, and others who may be in situations where they face fires. Wool is resistant to static electricity, and it is considered hypoallergenic.
Selling wool
Hand spinners often are interested in buying wool directly from sheep breeders. There is an increasing demand for wool from sheep that have been raised organically. You also may wish to sell the wool directly to the public at farmers markets or online if you are selling other products from your farm. If you have specialty sheep with a particularly desirable kind of wool, you can market those qualities.
Laws
There are relatively few laws concerning sheep at the state and federal level in the U.S. You will need to check your local laws to be certain there are no zoning or animal issues where you live that would interfere with you keeping or raising sheep.