Getting Started With Sheep.

 Allena Jackson

Many small farmers can see the benefits to raising a flock of sheep over traditional livestock options such as horses, cattle, poultry and pigs.  Sheep are small, easy to keep, and more economical to raise.  You can raise sheep on even a small acreage and have a successful farm business without expenses for land, feed and large out-buildings.  The ethnic market for lamb is on the rise, and pasture lamb is particularly marketable, along with organic and other niche markets.  You can also put meat and dairy products on your own table for a good savings on groceries.  With a good strong market for lamb and sheep products, now is a good time to examine what is involved in getting a flock of sheep and starting out.

Sheep mainly fall into three categories, with some that are in two or even three of these categories.  The categories are what the sheep have been bred to produce, and they are meat, wool, and milk.  Most sheep will produce well in two of these groups, and there are one or two breeds that excel in all three of them.  As a producer, you will need to decide what group of sheep best suits your interests and ways of raising animals.  After you decide what type of products you are interested in producing, then choosing a breed of sheep is narrowed considerably.

Meat sheep have been bred to grow large lambs in record times.  Where a heritage type breed of sheep might take as long as a year to 18 months to fully mature, you can have a market weight lamb in 6 - 8 months with a modern breed.  If you are interested in having a lamb crop and just sending them to auction, then a meat type breed might be your best bet.  You can keep some ewes and a ram and you will have a renewable crop every year.  As time passes you keep good replacements for older ewes or sheep that were lost, and get new rams to avoid inbreeding.  You have a cash crop each year with a minimum of winter feed and husbandry responsibilities.  You can sell club lambs, which are premium market lambs to club members such as 4H and FFA, which is a great way to market excellant lambs and also helps young people learn about the agriculture business.  Most often market lambs are off to auction before winter feed and shelter is needed, so you have a lower investment in their upbringing.  Meat type breeds can be a great way to earn a nice return on a lamb crop each year.

Wool sheep are also a great way to go for earning a return on your flock.  Not only can you market lambs to auction, but you also have the ability to have a wool crop to sell at festivals or on the Internet.  Spinning and fiber arts are very popular right now, and selling fleeces and processed fiber has never been easier.  E-Bay and Etsy make it a quick and easy process to get connected with interested buyers.  Fiber festivals and Internet groups can also help get you prospective buyers for your fiber.  So if you choose a wool breed for your ewes, and then breed them to a meat breed ram, or terminal sire you can have two crops to market instead of one.  Wool sheep also present a better opportunity for those who wish to sell a product, but do not wish to sell their animals to slaughter.  With some effort your lambs can be sold as fiber pets to spinners and fiber artists, as well as for breeding stock.  Wool sheep represent another part of the market that is fun and easy to get started with.

Some of the premier cheeses and other dairy products in the world are made with sheep milk.  Roquefort for example, a tart blue cheese is made from sheep’s milk in France, along with many other dairy products.  Small dairies and artisan cheese producers are cashing in on the consumers desires for fresher, more flavorful and healthier dairy products.  Because sheep milk is richer and higher in butter fats, it produces a much higher yield of cheese than traditional cow or goat's milk.  Sheep will give less milk, but the cheese that comes from their milk is of a different quality and has a very high gourmet market potential.  Fiber festivals, farmers markets and all sorts of swap meet type sales stands can be used to market these fine dairy products.  The marvelous taste and texture are often enough to sell these delightful products, and the process is rather easy to learn.  You will need proper dairy facilities for milking, from a few milk stands to a whole system for large scale milking, depending on how many sheep you are interested in milking.  Often you can also sell a meat crop from your lambs, as milk sheep can be bred to terminal sires for good quality meat lambs for auction, so again you have two crops from one flock.

The last group of sheep breeds can be of one or all three types of sheep listed previously.  Heritage breeds are breeds of sheep that have fallen out of favor for more modern types of sheep.  They often provide almost as good as a return on investment and have some other highly desirable traits.  They can be hardier, require a smaller feed ration and do better in poorer conditions.  They also may not have as many lambing problems or problems with raising their lambs.  Heritage breeds may be harder to come by, but they also tend to sell at a higher price.  Generally a heritage breed affords you the ability to sell and work more with breeding stock and/or fiber than just sending lambs to auction.  Many people are choosing heritage breeds because it is highly desirable to have something unique and also because of the benefits the older breeds can offer.

Once you know the kind of sheep you want, it is time to start looking for local breeders and learning about the breeds of sheep you might like to keep.  Careful research and contacting breeders of each sheep will help you decide on a particular breed, or several to choose from.  There are qualities you need as a beginning shepherd, that you will want to take careful note of when choosing breeds of sheep.  Your experience with sheep will reflect directly on the quality of the sheep you buy and the breed you choose.  Taking time to do the research on each breed is essential to finding the right kind of sheep for your operation.  You will also be wise to be cautious where and from whom you purchase your first sheep.  Talking to breeders in your area will help you find the stock you are looking for as well as set up relationships with other breeders in the area.

Breeding stock should be chosen very carefully and with the qualities you are looking for.  It is vital to buy the highest quality starter animals that you can afford.  Your foundation flock will shape the flock you have in the future.  You can buy some sheep at the local auction, however the animal is a total unknown, and may not have the qualities you are looking for in your flock.  Working with a good breeder will also insure that you have someone to help you learn the ropes and answer questions should they arise later.  Although sheep are fairly easy to keep, they do have some special needs and can be delicate in certain circumstances.  Having an experienced shepherd to help you is very important in maintaining flock health and vigor those first few years.  Once you have established your flock, then you may decide to add animals from stock sales and other means of purchase with great success.

Breeders can be found fairly easily if you know where to look for assistance.  Contact breed associations and get a listing of local breeders of that breed of sheep in your area.  You can also look online at Internet groups, web-rings and other resources.  Many breeders have web pages devoted to their sheep business.  Fiber festivals, sheep festivals and sheep shows are also great places to meet people who sell breeding stock.  Not only can you find breeders, but these places offer a great chance to see the animals you interested in.  You can also contact your county extension office and 4H club administrators.  Veterinarians and feed stores often can put you in touch with people who purchase sheep feeds.  The local and state fairs are also an excellent place to get names of good sheep breeders.  Finding a breeder may take some research but there is very likely someone breeding the kind of sheep you want within a reasonable distance. 

When talking to breeders there is one single quality that is essential to the success of your sheep venture, and that is ease of lambing.  People will tell you all kinds of horror stories about sheep and lambing problems, and these are sadly often true.  In sheep, the ewe carries the needed genes for easy lambing with fewer complications.  Because sheep usually carry and lamb more than one baby (depending on breed) birthing complications can be slightly higher than animals that generally give birth to one baby.  However, the horror stories you may hear about pulling every lamb and loosing many lambs every year are often a result of husbandry, breed and breeding practices.  You can especially get into trouble in this area with the modern meat and show animals that have been intensively bred for larger lambs.  So if you choose this type of sheep, be very careful and ask the breeder their practices and problems during lambing season.  If you hear something that sounds like an excerpt from a horror story, then you might be wise to look for another breeder or even an entire different breed of sheep.  There are meat breeds that have a good lambing ability, and for the beginner it is very wise to try and find a breeder that has bred carefully for this quality.  The most depressing thing for a new shepherd is to lose ewes and lambs due to birthing problems they are not ready to deal with effectively.  Try and choose stock that has been bred for easy lambing from breeders that make this a top priority in their program.

Another key consideration for your starter flock is their mothering ability.  Some breeds and family lines of sheep will not have a strong mothering instinct, which can lead to the necessity of more intervention of the shepherd and a higher number of bottle babies.  Unfortunately some breeders breed for the qualities that make a good carcass on a market lamb, and don't pay careful attention to how well the ewes will raise their lambs.  A beginner will want a sheep that will take care of its lambs easily and with little help and intervention of the shepherd.  You will want to ask how many bottle lambs the breeder ends up with, and how well the sheep accept and care for their lambs.  Be especially careful that all the sheep you buy have taken good care of their lambs, as this trait is thought to be genetic and inheritable.  A good mother is worth a lot more than a poor one, because the shepherd will have much more work to do in caring for lambs if the mother will not do a good job.  Starter flocks should always be made up of good quality mothers who will most likely care for their lambs with no outside help.

After these two qualities you can begin to look at the animals for characteristics that you want in your flock.  Carcass quality, wool, or milking potential are good to consider when purchasing your starter flock.  For meat sheep, club lambs and a good market lamb it is very important and profitable to get ewes that have those qualities you are looking for in your lamb crop.  You can breed the ewes up by introducing a higher quality ram however you should still purchase the highest quality ewes that you can afford.  Since you will probably be buying several ewes, this can get expensive, but the crop you get from them will be of higher quality and bring higher prices.  Sheep are very prolific so in just a few years you can build a sizeable flock by keeping your ewe lambs and rotating rams.  It is more desirable to breed a few very high quality animals, than a whole bunch of poor quality animals.  Crossbreed sheep and mixes are perfectly fine, but look for animals that have the qualities you desire.

If you buy purebred stock, be sure to buy animals that adhere to the breed standard.  Read the registries descriptions very carefully, and also do as much research as possible on what to look for in physical characteristics within that breed.  Since each breed is different you will want to insure that the animals you buy will throw high quality lambs so that the registrable stock will sell for premium prices.  Generally, you will want well sprung ribs, or a barrel that doesn't sag, with a smooth straight back.  The legs should be straight, with the hooves pointing straight ahead, neither to the outside or the inside of the sheep.  You will want to look for straight forelegs and back legs that do not bow in at the knees and hocks, they should not appear bowlegged.  A good square frame will support the best animals in all breeds.  These few traits are desirable in all breeds of sheep and should be carefully considered in each breeding ewe and ram.  Buying animals that are good examples in conformation and adhere to the breed standard is a step in the right direction for a quality flock that will sell at premium prices at market and privately.

Hardiness is also a good thing to consider in your new flock, some breeds are best suited to dry areas, while some do well in wetter weather.  A sheep breed that originated in Africa for example, may have some special needs or not do well at all in Canada.  The best route is to choose a sheep that was bred and developed in an area that is similar in weather and conditions as the area you live in.  Many sheep come from the British Isles, and these sheep often do well in most environments.  They can take heavy rains, and wet, cold days.  They also often do fine in warmer areas, as long as shade is sufficient and water plentiful and fresh.  Consider carefully what kind of home you can make for your sheep, and what they will need based on your local conditions.  If you have a large warm barn, then even though it gets very cold you can probably raise some breeds of sheep that might not do well outside in the elements.  If you can only provide small shelters, then it would be best to buy an animal that will feel comfortable foraging and exercising in all but the harshest of weather.  There are breeds of each type of sheep that should do well in any area and weather conditions, but make sure you will be able to care for your sheep properly.  Hardiness and environment play a big role in the success of your sheep venture.

Owning and raising sheep can be a fun and profitable way to capitalize on a small farm.  Sheep can be fairly easy to care for and many breeds offer the qualities you might want for your flock.  Sheep are gaining in popularity because they do not require large amounts of pasture, hay or grain.  You can make a reasonable profit with them and also raise very healthy meat for your table.  Club lambs, wool, market lambs and dairy products are all avenues for profit with sheep farmers.  There are hundreds of breeds to choose from, and each one has something to offer for the producer.  Sheep are not as popular as cattle, but they are catching on as hay prices soar and the expense of keeping cattle makes them less profitable, especially for smaller operations.  Sheep are a perfect addition to any small acreage and will more than pay for themselves in wool, market lambs, dairy or just meat for your table.



The Economics of Dairy Goats.
Allena Jackson

Milk prices have certainly gotten higher in the last year or two, high enough that many of us small farmers are seriously considering a dairy animal.  For our family the shear volume from a cow, plus the added expense for purchase and maintenance was a serious roadblock to obtaining one.  We never even considered a dairy goat, because, well we never drank any goat milk.  There definitely is a stigma against the dairy goat, and we often associate them with a "goaty" taste and unpleasant smells.  While bucks do have a very unpleasant oder in breeding season, the females, or does  don't and are a pleasant and easy to care for animal.  

When milk is $4.50 per gallon, keeping a dairy animal starts to look really economical, especially when you drink a lot of milk.  For us, with 5 children we will use 1 - 1.5 gallons of milk each day.  At today's prices here in our area, that adds up to about $130 - $135 a month.  We were resigned to high milk prices, as we didn't know anyone to trade milk with, and we couldn't afford a cow.  We also did not have proper shelter for a cow, nor anywhere suitable for milking.  Many families like us, are spending quite a lot on milk each month, just because of these problems with owning a cow.

We met a local family through our church, and imagine our surprise when they had a dairy goat.  We actually kept the goat, and she was so terrible in temperament and attitude, that although we thought we might enjoy the milk, we couldn't stand the thought of owning and caring for such an obnoxious animal.  We didn't know the number one rule of goats!  One goat wants out, and two goats, want out less.  To say the least, our sheep tight fencing was not acceptable for a goat.  Since the goat was alone, without a buddy, she was cranky, mean and always trying to escape.  When her owner came back from vacation, we shipped her off and said "GOOD RIDDANCE".  However, the idea of the goat stuck with us and after  a long enough time, I found myself reading up on dairy goats, despite my unpleasant encounter with that particular goat.

With lots of reading and research I found out about that number one rule of goats, and according to the books and websites, most dairy goats are entirely different than that goat.  They are known to be gentle, friendly and are reputed to be excellent children's companions and pets.  We found some milk, and tried it, and found it to taste wonderfully sweet and good.  It has a milk flavor, with a nice creamy texture, very much like that from a Jersey cow.  It is rich and creamy, and does not taste goaty at all.  Some breeds can have a stronger flavor, mainly the Toggenburg which was bred for cheesemaking.   The milk we drank was delicious and we all liked it.  So we found ourselves looking for a breeder to purchase a couple of goats from.

From the reading, there were a few criteria that I wanted to meet, without exception.  First of all, we had a price to find, one we could afford, and some of the dairy goats are very expensive, show type animals.  We also wanted a goat that had been dis-budded, and therefore would have no horns.  We knew for SURE we wanted two goats and not one.  Since we had never milked before, we also wanted a seasoned milker that was very easy to milk.  We needed an older goat that could teach us what to do.  Since it was also for a 4H project, the goat needed to be of good quality as well so that it, or it's kids could be shown for the fair.  With the low price we needed to find, it was not looking very good for us getting any goats, but luck was with us, and we found two.

Often the good breeders will have a doe or two, that is perhaps a little older, has a limp from injury, or some other defect.  These can often be purchased for a very reasonable price, and they met all our other criteria as well.  One had a bum leg, and the other was just very small and therefore not show material.  We bought these goats, and after a hard and fast learning curve on goat care, we have become successful goat herds.  We milk the goats, and they save us about $75 or more each month with their milk.  We can always find someone who is happy to take extra milk, and often make cheese and soap.  Best of all, they were both bred to show quality sires, and both of them were of show quality breeding, just not show quality themselves due to environmental factors.  We ended up with three beautiful kids for the fair, and plenty of milk to drink.

The story has a happy ending, with the family having lots of milk, ice cream, cheese, sour cream, buttermilk and other dairy products to eat and enjoy.  We can sell soaps or make wonderful soaps for ourselves as well drinking our goats' milk.  The does are personable, pleasant and easy to handle.  The children play with them, and they are ideal pets and companions, even for very small children.  The lack of horns, and pleasant disposition of these two animals has completely erased our negative impression of these now well loved individuals.  

So, looking back I think that a person considering a dairy animal is very well served to consider a dairy goat.  They do require some special care, and also have some needs that must be met for optimum output.  A very happy goat, is wonderful, and a very unhappy goat is horrid.  Compared to a cow, a good dairy goat, is much cheaper, with a pair of does costing about $200 - $500 for a good pair.  A cow, would cost at least twice as much, and often more.  The price of the cow not withstanding, they also have a much higher maintenance cost, as well as a higher breeding fee.  A dairy goat is so much more economical, and gives you so many benefits that every small farm should look close at the possibility of keeping some dairy goats.

Goats are small and can be easily transported in regular vehicles.  You can put them in the backs of trucks with camper shells for example, or even in the back of a van or station wagon.  If you are careful to protect the surfaces from soiling, then a goat will happily go, even in the back seat of a regular car.  Goats are easy to transport and take to the vet, or to be bred.  A cow on the other hand requires a trailer, and a big vehicle to tow it.  Transporting a goat is much easier than a cow, if you do not already own a trailer and truck or towing vehicle.

Goats also have a much lower feed cost in comparison to a cow.  One cow will eat as much as 3 to 6 goats, depending on the breed and needs of the individual goat.  Pygmy goats are the miniature milkers of the goat world, and they are extremely economical to keep, and yet put out plenty of milk for the average family.  Even larger breed goats will only need about 7 pounds of hay a day, where as a cow can need as much as 25 or more pounds each day just to maintain her condition.  Add lactation needs on top of that, and the savings on milk are gone into the expense of hay, unless you have the equipment to cut your own.  Goats will happily eat "weedy" hay that cows and horses will not, so hay is often very cheap and perfect for goats as long it is not moldy.  Grain, mineral and other expenses also come into play, and the goats win every time with a lower cost of upkeep.  Two goats are much cheaper to raise and keep than even one cow, and with two goats, you can keep one fresh almost all year.

Goats are also easier on the land, and graze very well with other livestock such as cattle or horses.  Because they prefer browse, or bushes instead of grass, you can use your goats to keep brush down, and fence rows clean.  They will go along behind horses or cows and eat down what was left behind, cleaning up brush and weeds.  Provided they are getting good mineral and grain, they will still fill your pail with wholesome and delicious milk, all the while helping to keep the place looking great and the pasture nice.  They do not share worms with cattle or horses and they get along well with both.  Goats can keep a wooded area completely clean and park like in suitable numbers, without a chain saw or rake in sight.  Fence rows are clean and brush free, with no brambles or thorny bushes to clear away for repairs.  Goats have a real positive effect on the appearance of their home, and can save their owners much back breaking labor.  They are easy on the land, and will prefer to eat food that is left behind by other livestock.  

Shots, medicine, and general care of the goats is also easier and especially better if you plan on having children to help with milking and caring for the animals.  Keeping dairy goats is a great way for children as young as 4 or 5 to contribute and produce a product for the family to consume.  Children get a big benefit from learning how to care for an animal and they also get a good sense of accomplishment from being in charge of providing milk for the whole family.  Goats are generally much easier to milk, as they have a softer udder and their small size and wonderful disposition make it easy for a child of 7 or 8 to learn to milk the goat.  Younger children can help bottle feed the babies, put out hay or help with other parts of the goats' upkeep.  Children can also learn how to make money with an agricultural project as they care for the goats, which makes them perfect for 4H or FFA.  The will be able to sell the milk to Mom, and also market the kids that are produced from the breeding of the does.  Children can really benefit from the responsibility of raising and caring for a pair of dairy goats and their kids.

Dairy goats are also easier to keep as they do not have the need for a large barn like a cow does.  A simple shelter that is draft free in winter and dry will suffice.  It can be as simple as a small shed, and the goats will thrive and be happy.  Each goat needs about 25 square feet of space to move about, and they will do well if they have a place to walk and exercise that is protected from weather as they do not like to get very wet.  If your shed doesn't have a floor, then you can put down pallets and bed them deeply with straw with great success.  They also do not require a large area for milking, you can easily bring them into the garage, on the porch or other small area for milking and have no problems what so ever.  A goat will not soil the milk stand under normal circumstances so waste and urine are not an issue to clean up if the goat is brought inside a garage to milk.  A simple milk stand is easy to build and very low in cost.  The goat stands on the stand to be milked then is whisked away back to it's pen afterwards, with hardly any mess to clean up.  So a small part of a garage, shop or even a porch is just fine for milking a goat.  Goats have a very minimal requirement for shelter and milking facilities which again makes them a smart choice for the small farm.

Goats are obviously more economical than a cow, but what about the milk?  Goat milk is also more healthy, easy to digest and tastes wonderful, if the goat is well treated, healthy and kept properly.  You must keep bucks away from the does at all times except during breeding season, at which time the does are dry.  Exposure to bucks can cause the milk to taste goaty and disgusting.  You will also need to handle your milk in a sanitary way.  Any bacteria, or unsanitary conditions can also cause your milk to taste bad.  You can drink the milk raw, or you can pasteurize it.  It will keep longer if it is pasteurized and you will not need to worry about problems with bacteria.  Once you are familiar with milking, then you can drink your milk raw if you choose.  You will also need to make sure that the goat has a proper diet, good minerals and watch out for mastitis and other illnesses that are related to dairy animals.  There are tests available, and lots of resources and after a bit of learning, the new goat owner will soon feel confident and be able to care for their goats, and maintain good milk production with ease.  The milk is not only healthier, but it tastes sweet and delicious with a wonderful creamy texture that is great for many dairy products.

Goat milk is also excellent for soap making, with many of the handmade goat milk soaps selling for impressive prices at farmers markets and festivals.  A person keeping goats can easily begin to learn to make soaps, and there is a real potential for a side income from a mail order or booth type business.  The soaps can contain natural botanicals, be organic, and contain oils and fragrances that are beneficial and healthy, which makes it perfect for the niche markets.  The soaps are rich in conditioners, and once you use one, you will want more.  Getting started  doesn't have to cost too much, and you can grow and add to your soap making business as you make profits.  The money you save with the goats, could in fact start a business that had good potential to supplement your farm and household income.

There are many dairy products that are very good made with goats milk and you can learn to make many of these at home with your own high quality milk.  Yogurt, soft cheese, pressed cheese and cultured products like buttermilk become economical and easy to come by, as you can easily make them for yourself with surplus milk.  Ice cream and other treats such as home made pudding become even better made with fresh goats' milk.  Gravy, cream sauces and other milk based foods are also improved with goat milk because of the creamy texture, and light flavor of the milk.  Goat milk is not only wonderful for drinking, but also for making cheeses and cooking as well.  The rich flavor and creamy texture makes a lower fat alternative to cream, but has a comparable texture and flavor.

Goats are fun, personable and pleasant animals that require very little in the way of fancy housing, fancy food and fancy surroundings.  They need lots of love, a good buddy, proper diet and good fencing to be healthy, happy and productive.  They will eat on weeds and brush, and as long as they are supplemented properly still give you over a gallon of milk in the pail a day.  You can clear your brush out, and feed the family at the same time.  You can make your own cheese and dairy products, which will save a ton of cash in the long run.  You can even make your own soap and market this for resale if you want.  You can get all of this, and save money with a pair of good dairy goats.  The dairy goat is truly the small farmers dream come true.