Sheep
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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:
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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 …
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
Adding New Dogs Into an Existing Livestock Guardian Dog Pack
Many 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 More
Accidental Shetland Sheep Farmers
I became what I term as an accidental Shetland sheep farmer. Why do I say that? Well, sheep were not something we had considered for our small homestead.
Read More
Using a Stanchion to Feed a Rejected Lamb
Add to Favorites By Carol Elkins When a ewe rejects her newborn lamb, there are several things that you can do to “persuade” her to change her mind before you …
Read More
Barbados Blackbelly Sheep: Back From the Brink of Extinction
In 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.
Shed or Pasture Lambing
The 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 More