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.
Read MoreMost of the time when you have lambing problems or experience a sheep illness emergency, the vet and local livestock supply stores are closed for the weekend, and sheep farm and ranch specialties dealers are days away by mail.
Read MoreIn 2004, there were fewer than 100 Barbados Blackbelly sheep in the U.S.
It took a while for breeders to realize how critical the situation was: Most of us thought there were thousands of these sheep.
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.
Read MoreMany people who are interested in keeping sheep hesitate because they have heard that rams are dangerous and hard to keep. So, are rams dangerous?
Read MoreThe muffled, deep Maaa of a ewe “talking” to her newborn lambs reaches my ears before I open the barn door. Newborn lambs nursing, tails whirling, makes walking to the barn on frigid mornings worthwhile.
Read MoreMany operators incorrectly start their LGD experience by purchasing, training, and using just one dog at a time. They usually find out sooner than later, they should have bought two dogs or more to start. To be used successfully as guardians of livestock, LGDs should be run in pairs or more.
Read MoreAdd to Favorites By Lyn Brown, Shear Perfection Ranch – Lambing is always an exciting time on the ranch, but it can also be a scary time for the first-time shepherd. …
Read MoreOver the past 12 lambing seasons, the main thing the sheep giving birth has taught me is that every season will bring a new lesson. I’ll never forget meeting a seasoned shepherd with 50 years of lambing behind him who told me that he still learns something new every year.
Read MoreA remarkable characteristic the Black Welsh Mountain sheep, at least within our flock, is that they are happy to cooperate and very glad to do what we’d like them to do.
Read MoreShepherding has been part of humanity for thousands of years. And I was drawn to this lifestyle. I do not come from a background of shepherding. My family roots are deep …
Read MoreThe artisanal sheep cheese from Shepherds Manor Creamery is what makes this creamery stand out with its award-winning, product — 100% sheep milk cheese.
Read MoreDon’t you just love how sheep keep teaching us what we never knew we needed to know? The past lambing season was one in which I got an advanced education in “Sheep Feet 101.”
Read MoreThere are a few dairy sheep breeds you could add to your farm. The East Friesian sheep is considered the best breed of dairy sheep by researchers.
Read MoreWhat struck me right away when my first Icelandic sheep lambed were the similarities that these sheep had with dairy goats. I had a commercial goat dairy in years past and these ewe lamb mothers had udders that would be respectable for a good milking dairy goat.
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