Sheep
How to Shear a Sheep and Other Fiber Animals
Learning how to shear a sheep takes practice and time. Before you head out to buy sheep shearing supplies try to observe a professional sheep shearer and ask questions.
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Conserving Romeldale CVM Sheep
In 1915, A.T. Spencer purchased New Zealand Romney rams from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (the 1915 World’s Fair) in San Francisco. The prized rams could not be returned to New Zealand, and A.T. Spencer seized an opportunity.
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How Smart Are Sheep? Researchers Find Surprising Answers
How smart are sheep, actually? Most people consider sheep stupid. Have we misunderstood their custom of following each other? Research has revealed considerable intelligence, social bonds, and survival skills guiding their flocking behavior.
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The Lincoln Longwool Sheep
Canadian Kate Michalska is farming the endangered Lincoln Longwool sheep as a conservation project but says their meat is lovely and mild to eat.
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Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Flock
“What does a bloated sheep look like?” was the question on the phone late Sunday evening. The question brought back some nightmarish images to my mind from the first time I saw sheep bloat:
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Hair Sheep Breeds – The Right Choice for You?
Hair sheep breeds are growing in popularity as consumers look for economical ways to raise homestead meat animals. Hair breeds have many positive traits that make them an ideal animal for small farms, homesteads, and of course, larger commercial farms. If you have space to corral a few sheep, you can fill the freezer with a healthy alternative to beef and chicken.
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5 Critical Sheep Breeds for the Homestead
Raised for their hides, meat, milk, and wool, sheep are versatile. In addition to providing a local source of food and fiber, small flock owners are looking to support livestock conservation by venturing into raising rare sheep breeds.
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Heritage Sheep Breeds: Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em
Heritage sheep are rare, but their wool is special. The Livestock Conservancy’s new Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em project is focusing fiber artists on using rare breed wool and yarns to draw attention to their unusual and fine qualities.
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Are Rams Dangerous? Not With Proper Management.
Many people who are interested in keeping sheep hesitate because they have heard that rams are dangerous and hard to keep. So, are rams dangerous?
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Artisanal Sheep Cheese: Shepherds Manor Creamery Part 2 of 2
The Histons considered producing “mixed milk” cheese (where goat or cow milk is added to the sheep milk), but have found that their niche in sheep is what makes them stand out. All of the artisanal sheep cheese produced at Shepherds Manor Creamery is made from 100% sheep milk.
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Nominate a Homesteader for the I Am Countryside Feature
Add to Favorites Know a homesteader who inspires others? Want to see them featured in Countryside & Small Stock Journal? Nominate them (or yourself!) and we’ll tell their story in the …
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Anatolian Shepherd Dog: Guardian of the Livestock
Need a good guardian for livestock? You might consider the Anatolian Shepherd dog. The breed originated in the Anatolia area of the nation of Turkey, hence the name, and is still used in Turkey’s and western Asia’s rural areas as a defender of livestock.
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The Dorper Sheep: A Hardy Adaptable Breed
Would you like to raise Dorper sheep, one of the fastest growing breeds in the United States and many other countries? There is good reason for the popularity of the Dorper sheep breed.
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Try Suffolk Sheep for Meat and Wool on the Farm
Suffolk sheep were first recognized in 1797 in sheep breed books. Since 1888, the Suffolk sheep have traveled to new continents and become a staple of American and Canadian sheep farms.
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What to Feed Sheep for Prime Wool Production
A large part of raising wool animals is knowing what to feed sheep in order to obtain good quality wool. Feeding choices will vary from place to place.
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