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Barnyard Buddies:  Sheep care?  |
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 24 2012 : 5:42:27 PM
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| I have two wethers who are under a year old. I would be grateful if someone could recommend a good book to help me care for them. They are pets and have a good pasture. I need to shear them again because of the heat- it is terrible! Are they better off in the barn during the day in front of a fan or in the pasture with their shed? |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2012 : 7:32:23 PM
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I have fans and a mister system set up in my barns for all my livestock when the heat exceds 90 degrees, as far as a book goes, I like all the "Storey" books for livestock, they are for the beginner to the expert...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2012 : 05:02:44 AM
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| Thank you for your reply! In front of the fans they go! |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2012 : 07:11:10 AM
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Here are the two books that saved many sheep lives over the past 16 years here and other full time shepards also swear by them:
Detecting, Diagnosing Treating Lamb Problems by Laura Lawson and Managing you Ewe and her newborn lambs - by Laura Lawson. You many have wethers but many of the illness and care are all the same. They are the best. If you raise organic like I do I can give you many other book suggestions.
For the heat- do not feed grains - that heats the body and they then struggle to regulate their body heat with it. Plenty of water and watch them closely to see what works for them. I do not give fans or misters because that is artifical and you are taking away from their natural abilities. Fast changes never work for sheep so anything you do you need to do slowly. Many large breeders put in cement somewhere in their barns so the animals can lay on it but I found just ground in the shade does the same trick. Good luck and let jme know if I can help.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.artfire.com
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2012 : 08:34:37 AM
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I also do not use fans or misters, I designed my barn with my sheep in mind ...it allows them shade from the hot sun, we built the barn on an angle away from the sun. It also has an overhang and windows that drop down for cross breeze.
I also raise my sheep on an organic pasture and use a vitamin and electrolytes to their water, which makes them drink more and stay hydrated.
If it is really hot, I will push them to the pasture that has the pond. It has very large willows for shade and they get right up next to the water and lay in the shade. At times it is 10-15 degrees cooler.
I also do not and will not make them move, like no herding dogs or people who want to look at them.
Good book choices ... Good luck, it is not easy keeping any animal in this aggressive heat!
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
Edited by - kysheeplady on Jul 26 2012 05:41:25 AM |
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SandraM
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Sandra
Coldwater
Michigan
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2012 : 3:31:09 PM
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I have read that wool can protect sheep from heat as well as the cold. If they do not have full fleece you may not need to shear.
My sheep stay outside all year round but they do have plenty of pasture and they have trees for shade. Usually when it is hot they stay under the trees and come up in the evening for water.
We do not have them in the barn. If they have to be in barn then I would make sure there is plenty of ventilation.
Wethers are very easy to take care of. They do not usually need grain. Just good pasture/hay.
Raising sheep the Modern Way is an older book but we found it helpful when we were first starting out.
Good Luck!
Sandra
www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com |
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2012 : 05:17:18 AM
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| Thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses! I would prefer to keep them as naturally as possible for their health, but I also hate the extreme heat and cant help but think they feel the same! I will go to the library and look for the books suggested- I appreciate all the help and suggestions! |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2012 : 05:40:51 AM
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Good luck with your sheep :)
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2012 : 10:46:17 AM
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If the boys were sheared last Spring, I would not shear them. The wool is an insulator to the hot and to the cold.
I feed some pellets or grain simply because when it gets hot, they don't stay out in the sun as much eating...unless you have trees with shade and a breeze and green pastures under those trees. I don't give them a bunch of feed but about 1/2- 1 lb apiece.
Worms are just a fact of life for sheep, all sheep have some worms and when they get stressed,(heat can be a stresser) the worms can really invade a sheep's system fast and the worms also put off a toxin that can cause a sheep to get very sick...sometimes they get bottle jawed. If a sheep is well nourished they have a fighting chance.
I hope this helps you in the wonderful adventure of having sheep.
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
"It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." EE Cummings
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2012 : 1:16:26 PM
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| Thank you Sarita! They both have about 1 inch of wool. I think after all the heat we have had it must be helping rather than hurting. I have been advised to deworm monthly- is this what you do? What about resistance? The boys have a shed to get out of the sun, and some trees, they lay down the better part of the day with the donkeys. They all come out to eat after the sun starts to go down and presumably eat all night. |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2012 : 3:37:17 PM
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I don't worm all the sheep every month. I look at the gums and if they are pale and at the eyes. It is hard to explain but it around the eye is pale instead of pink, I worm that sheep. I don't want to cause a resistance to wormers. I try to worm in the Spring and again after the first freeze.
I am out with my sheep daily, like I know you will too and if I notice one acting differently, head down, diarrhea, no sparkle in the eye, not going out to eat as normal, etc, then I go to checking the gums and eyes.
I wish you the best luck with your boys...they are the best pets.
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
"It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." EE Cummings
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2012 : 05:45:33 AM
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I sure have been having a hard time with some of my sheep this summer. I have had 3 with bottle jaw. The 2 ewes bounced right back but the ram lamb, he's still not back to normal yet. I am giving him B Complex shots now. Poor guy. And he's black. So is Lucinda. And they are both Finn sheep. So they have more wool than the others and they can't handle the heat as well. All the white sheep are out in the sun grazing but not those 2. I am working with a vet now and will take in poop samples in 2 weeks to be tested to see what I am dealing with here. And what to use for them.
I love my sheep. They are so different from the goats. So sweet. And will follow me anywhere. They are just peaceful animals. I have 9 ewes and the 3 ram lambs. I don't think I want more than 10 ewes. I want to know them and I feel if I have too many, I won't be able to keep up with them all.
What breed are the boys, Meredith? My Finns need sheared again too.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2012 : 06:05:57 AM
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| Hi Kris! my boys are Hampshire/Suffolk crosses. My family and I breed Hereford cattle, and the sheep thing is new for me! I just love them, their personalities, quietness (Except if I bring a bit of grain!) and how sweet they are. They are simply to be pets and I want them to have a good healthy life! Everyone here has been so helpful! My boys (Scooter and Fawn) are grateful for all the suggestions to help their mom (me) do the right thing! |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2012 : 4:12:37 PM
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Kristin, my vet advised me to give a dose of penicillin when the sheep get bottle jaw. The worms have put off toxins and the lymph system is involved at that time. I have had a few cases over the years of bottle jaw and after I started giving the pcn, the sheep come around faster. Last year was a terrible time for worms, this year has not been as bad...since it is hot and dry.`
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
"It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." EE Cummings
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2012 : 4:41:03 PM
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| Ok ladies, now i have to ask- what is bottle jaw? what are the symptoms? Also, when you deworm, what product(s) do you use? |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2012 : 5:30:18 PM
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Sarita, I did give him 2 days of the penicillan. I can't find the bottle right now so can't remember the name.
I think it's Barber Pole worms that do this. From what I understand, the worms travel up (or down actually) to the head and when the sheep or goats are eating, their head is down and the worms all go to the jaw.
The first time I saw it was in one of my goats. Under her jaw was very puffy. I thought maybe she had gotten stung by a bee. It was soft and squishy to the touch. I called my goat mentor and she said it was bottle jaw and I better start giving her some wormer. She said to give her Valbazen and Ivomec at the same time.I did that for a few days and she was ok. But it can kill them if left alone. And fast. You can google bottle jaw and read more. It's really scary.
Abraham the ram lamb is doing much better. I have given him 2 rounds of 3cc of high lever Vit. B Complex. It has all kinds of good stuff like iron and thiamine in it.
I use Cydectin, Valbazen and Ivomec. I would do the organic herbal stuff but I want to see instant results and I don't want to lose any. I will not be using wormers very much in the future as I learn more about rotating pastures and when to do it and how long to keep them on and off the pastures. So much to learn.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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SandraM
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Sandra
Coldwater
Michigan
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2012 : 05:30:36 AM
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I have never had it necessary to deworm my sheep monthly.
You should only deworm if they need it.
That varies.
If they are moved around onto clean pastures your worm load will be less.
There have been years where we have only had to deworm twice and really wet years and the pasture had a high stock rate, we have had to deworm a lot more.
We have had problems with our goats and worms this year, but they are newer to the farm. We had to try different dewormers because what we were using was not working. We ended up losing one. We finally got it under control and everyone is healthy right now.
During that time the sheep had no problems at all.
Taking samples in is a good idea. Then you are not treating them when it is not necessary. I have been wanting to learn how to do my own. They say it is not hard. It is on my "to do list"
I always give probitiotic when medicating the goats and sheep you can buy it at farm stores, it is called probios.
Sandra
www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: Sheep care? |
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Sheep care?
