Sheep
When Limping is Not a Sign of Sheep Foot Rot
Don’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.”
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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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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 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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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? Send a note and have them fill out the questionnaire below …
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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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Best Dairy Sheep Breeds for a Farm
There 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.
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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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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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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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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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Fiber Festival Fun
One way to maximize your wool value is to target fiber festivals which include spinners, weavers, and dyers. As a small producer specializing in fine wool sheep, our business depends upon finding innovative and profitable ways to market our wool.
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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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Sheep Breeds for Fiber, Meat, or Dairy
There are numerous breeds in the world and raising sheep serves many purposes. Some sheep breeds lend themselves to provide the whole range of products, Rambouillet sheep, Dorset sheep, and some other sheep breeds are good providers of wool fiber, lambs, milk, and eventually, meat.
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Sheep Giving Birth: Tips for Successful Lambing
Over 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.
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