Sheep care and maintenance. Breeding Basics for Beginners: What You Should Know About Lambing

The profitability of keeping sheep is very high. These are quite unpretentious animals that bring a lot of benefits to their owner. Some breeds are intended for the production of meat, milk, or sheepskin. However, more and more often there are mixed species: meat and dairy, or milk and wool, etc. Keeping these animals is very profitable, given their rapid growth, weight gain and fertility.

Sheep have highly developed herd instincts. This means that they always stay together and do not go far from the flock. Therefore, a small sheepfold or stall will be sufficient for breeding and maintenance. Even-toed ungulates are unpretentious to food and prefer to eat succulent green food.

The juiciest food is found in the pasture

In the warm season, it will be enough to introduce a small bait to make the diet more varied and nutritious. Sheep must be bred carefully because they are prone to diseases of the lungs and other organs respiratory system. Therefore, excessive air humidity and drafts are not allowed in the room. When grazing, it is worth keeping the flock away from wet places such as meadows and swamps, otherwise the artiodactyls can easily get sick.

Breeds

The first stage of preparation for sheep farming is. Of course, you can buy mestizos, or even outbred ones, but this is very risky, since the owner will not be able to predict the characteristics of such animals, or determine the level of health or fertility. In addition, selling young animals in this case will be very difficult and difficult. First you need to decide on the required type of product that the animals provide.

Breed direction:

• (Gorkovskaya, Texel, North Caucasus, Romney March);
• Meat – greasy ();
• Meat – wool (Gissar, Prekos, Latvian);
• Dairy (Karakul, Reshetilovskaya, Sokolskaya);
• Meat – milk-wool (, Tushinskaya, Balabas, Karachevskaya).

According to the types of sheepskin, sheep are:

• Fine-fleece;
• Semi-fine-fleece;
• Semi-coarse-haired;
• Coarse-haired.

Content Types

Before buying animals, you need to decide on the place and method of keeping them based on the climate of the area and the financial capabilities of the owner. Sheep housing systems are:

1. Pasture. Animals stay in grazing areas all year round and eat succulent green food. This method is well suited for areas with warm, dry climates.
2. IN . Confinement of sheep is suitable for cold and wet regions with frequent rainfall. However, it is worth considering that they are active animals that need walks. That's why good owner must take care of the walking area.
3. Combined. Keeping sheep indoors in the winter, where they eat prepared food, and go to pasture in the summer. Well suited for temperate climates with pronounced seasons.

It is not recommended to immediately start a huge flock of several dozen animals. They are quite prolific, therefore, under the conditions of proper maintenance, care and balanced nutrition the livestock will increase 2 or 3 times without additional costs per year.

To begin with, you can get 10-15 animals - this will be quite enough. You will be able to get acquainted with all the nuances and subtleties of sheep breeding, develop your own skills and techniques for breeding and care. The main criteria for selecting individuals are their level of health, heredity, rate of weight gain and fertility.

Diet

Depending on the type of animal keeping you choose, your approach will vary. If they are kept on a pasture all year round, it should have good grass cover and not be adjacent to wet places and swamps. In the event that there is not enough grass and plants for animals, additional feeding must be introduced - root crops or compound feed.

If you decide to keep lambs in a stall or sheepfold, then you need to stock up on feed in advance. The optimal diet may consist of silage (grass and corn), cereal hay, or legumes. It should be taken into account that at least 2.5–3 kg of silage must be allocated per day for 1 adult. The approximate ratio of hay, roughage and silage should be 2:5:4. In this case, the diet will be complete and balanced.

For weak, sick individuals, pregnant women and females during lactation, additional feeding with compound feed is needed. This also applies to breeding sheep at home. To ensure the necessary concentration of minerals in the body, you can put a few pieces of salt in the feeders.

Additionally, you can feed with chalk and bone meal. For breeding wool breeds, it is recommended to focus on hay from cereals and legumes in the diet - the quality of the sheepskin will increase, and the fluff will be shiny.

Animals should not be allowed to drink standing water; they should only drink well and clean water 2 times in summer and 1 time in winter. Cold water is not allowed.

Place of detention

The room where pets are kept must be clean, dry and easily ventilated. According to the rules of sheep breeding, there should be 2 square meters per individual. m. of free space. During the cold season, the stall does not need additional insulation (especially if wool sheep are bred). In the warm season, it should be cool, as in this case the wool grows better and faster. For this period, you can simply build a canopy protected from wind and draft.

When the time comes to turn the flock out to pasture, the transition to fresh feed should occur gradually. If you neglect this rule of sheep breeding, the entire herd can contract an intestinal infection and become seriously ill.

Grazing can begin when the height of grass, legumes and cereal crops will reach a minimum of 5 cm. During this time, the plants will have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

After mowing, grazing becomes available after 25 days. Raising sheep at home requires that animals spend a minimum of 12 hours on sheep pasture. The daily consumption of grass and other plants is 10 kg per day per 1 adult.

Livestock breeding

For each breed of animal, sexual maturity occurs at different time. On average it is from 4 to 9 months. However, you should not allow mating before the first year of life - at this time, the female’s body is not yet fully strengthened, and it will be difficult for her to give birth to offspring without compromising her own health.

Mating can be free and artificial. The artificial method requires less time and costs, so it is recommended for use with a large number of livestock on the farm. Annual turnover The sheep flock is approximately 200-250%.

Lasts approximately 4–5 months. At this time, the uterus needs increased nutrition. A month before the expected lambing date, you need to carefully trim the hair around the udder and tail. A week after lambing, young animals can be given feed concentrates for speed dial weight.

The average lifespan of sheep is 25 years. The age of a sheep or ram for breeding purposes should not exceed 7–8 years. Upon reaching 3 months, the first grading of sheep should take place - the distribution of individuals into value classes. The future structure of the herd is formed from individuals of one class of individuals.

Care

Meat breeds can be prepared for slaughter starting from 4–9 months. It is worth considering that the older the animal, the tougher its meat. Slaughter occurs by cutting the cervical artery.

Happens 1–2 times a year. Coarse wool sheep are shorn up to 3 times. It is recommended to cut animals in spring or autumn. If you are late or start this procedure too early, the fleece will significantly deteriorate its quality and will be unsuitable for use. A haircut that is cut too late may fail due to natural off-season shedding. Sheep with light skin are tagged by tattooing on the ear, and sheep with dark skin are tagged by plucking wool or rings.

Video: Sheep farming is a profitable business

If all minor nuances for caring for sheep are observed, the farmer will receive a source delicious milk, meat and high-quality wool, which will be enough not only for personal needs, but also for sale.

Sheep breeding - where to start a business + how to look for sales points + how much money is needed + what is the profitability of this idea + 5 tips from experts.

Capital investments: from 2,300,000 rub.
Payback: from 1 year.
Profitability level: up to 25%.

Sheep breeding- a popular way to generate income among village residents and farmers.

For some entrepreneurs, building a business in the livestock sector begins in this area.

Firstly, because of the unpretentiousness of sheep.

And secondly, these animals not only provide milk and fur, but are also used for tasty meat.

Some are put off by the long payback period and the fact that profitability, at best, reaches 25%.

However, with a competent approach, such indicators turn into the basis for obtaining stable profits.

Why is raising sheep a good idea?

Obviously, the less production waste remains in the end, the better for the entrepreneur.

Sheep are amazing creatures in this regard.

Almost everything goes for sale:

Let's take the fact that traditionally shish kebab should be made from lamb!

Of course, sheep meat can be used in completely different dishes.

It is not as popular as chicken, but the demand is still high.

Most people agree that sheep's milk is much tastier than cow's milk.

And of course, store-bought food is in no way comparable.

In addition, expensive cheeses, cottage cheese, and feta cheese are made from sheep's milk.

Everyone knows about this - the warmest things are made from sheep's wool.

At the same time, sheep are very “fruitful” in this regard: up to 8 kg can be sheared from each sheep.

It is believed that clothing made with sheep's wool also has healing properties.

An entrepreneur who wants to scale up sheep breeding can later open his own wool production.

In addition to its direct use in cooking, it is popular as a traditional medicine.

This “cream” is used for hemorrhoids, bronchitis, and joint problems.

Sheep skins are widely used in making clothes and shoes.

But they can also often be seen even in the interior and even as covers for car seats.

This is not the most important product for which sheep breeding is organized.

However, it is the manure from these animals that is considered the best.

As you can see, really everything is used in business.

How to register an activity?

Legally practice entrepreneurial activity and you can avoid problems with the tax authorities only if the breeding business is officially registered.

The algorithm is simple:

• Collect a package of documents for registering an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
• Select OKVED code 01.22.1. It corresponds to the niche “raising sheep and goats”.
• Select your tax form.

As you can see, everything looks extremely simple.

If you are still afraid of not being able to cope or simply do not want to waste time, you should transfer the solution to this issue to intermediaries for an additional amount.

Where to start raising sheep?

The sheep farming business starts with planning.

You should present in the form of a simplified diagram how you will act to organize the business.

The easiest way to visualize this is as a schedule.

Sheep are relatively easy to care for.

Sheep spend most of the day outside.

Unlike other animals, they do not need to be carefully hidden in the cold.

Nature rewarded them with personal warm “fur coats”.

This allows you to invest less money in equipping hangars for flocks.

They don't even need to be heated.

The main thing is to have a roof under which animals can hide from the rain.

Also do not forget about installing drinkers and feeders.

Use regular straw as bedding.

It is important that the sheep room is not damp or drafty.

Otherwise, you may encounter livestock diseases.

Sheep breeding staff

For a start-up business, it is enough to hire a staff of 4 people.

The central character is a shepherd who alone can serve a flock of up to 300 heads.

But it’s still better to hire two people so that they can work in shifts and perform their duties better.

Moreover, after a while, the shepherd may quit or go on vacation, but you always need to be “in work mode.”

Shepherd combines everything required functions, without which sheep breeding is indispensable.

He grazes them, trims them, looks after them, and monitors their condition.

At first, the business owner himself can play the role of shepherd.

This will allow you to study the job from the inside and highlight the key requirements for an employee.

Usually the shepherd is not paid a rate, but is given a certain number of sheep to own, and bonuses and a percentage of the profit are added.

There is no need to save on this employee, because... Almost the entire business really depends on it.

How to look for points of sale for sheep products?

Sheep farming – that's only part of the story.

The entrepreneur must decide on the points of sale of the products.

It is better to do this in advance, because it is difficult to “set up” the sale of large quantities in a short time.

Moreover, lamb is not such a popular product on our shelves.

Let's look at product sales in detail:

The implementation method should be chosen based on volumes.

Most often it is sold directly - through points in markets or in.

In the latter case, you must have a quality certificate.

Skins and wool.

In recent years, the demand for these goods has begun to decline noticeably, which has affected the possibility of selling products.

This problem can be solved if you open your own production of clothing, shoes and accessories from this material.

Milk and dairy products.

Selling sheep's milk, cheese, and cottage cheese is difficult because of the special notes of taste and aroma.

However, “to the rescue” comes known benefit from their use.

The best option is to enter into a cooperation agreement with a dairy plant.

Or organize a personal eco-shop of natural, healthy goods.

How much money do you need to start sheep farming?

A business cannot successfully start and develop without.

The financial section is considered the most important in it.

After all, this is where the answer to the question lies: how much money does it take to raise sheep?

Profitability and profitability of sheep breeding

As a rule, they start a business with a flock of 200-300 heads.

Theoretically, with proper management, the investment will pay off in the first season.

But as already mentioned, the level of profitability is low and the pace of development is growing slowly.

It is possible to “recapture” the funds due to the active increase in the number of livestock.

There are prospects for this - one female can bear 1-4 lambs.

Thanks to this, you will double your livestock (and profit) within a year.

The features of caring for sheep are described in the video:

Interesting fact:
Sheep have a very good memory and are able to plan for the future.

Choose the right breed.

Analyze the market and distribution channels to understand which products to bet on.

Each breed of sheep has its own characteristics.

It is foolish to buy meat breeds if your main product is wool.

Assess age.

It's good if you are a seasoned shepherd.

If not, use the tips of the experts when you buy sheep.

The average lifespan of sheep in captivity is 6-7 years.

Therefore, an individual older than 5 years is already considered unsuitable.

Watch your diet.

It's good that you have people on your staff who are involved in sheep health.

But you, as a manager, must monitor the quality of this care and purchase feed additives High Quality.

Fertilize the soil.

The main food for sheep is still the grass that grows on the site.

Don’t forget to look after it, fertilize it, clean it of excess.

Create a business plan.

Whatever they say, this document is necessary in any case.

The resulting expenses, by the way, should be increased by 20-30%.

The numbers will definitely turn out to be higher.

Sheep breeding is a business that has its own risks, relatively low profitability and many subtleties.

Why then contact him, you ask?

For those who dedicate their lives to sheep farming, this is not just a way to make money, but a matter for the soul.

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Raising sheep at home is one of the most promising and profitable areas of agriculture. Lamb and mutton, wool, milk, fat and skin - this is not the entire list of products that can be used for personal purposes and sold on the market at high price, at little cost to the farmer. For small farms and estates, breeding and raising sheep and rams at home is the best solution.

The big advantage of this branch of livestock farming is that grazing does not require a significant area of ​​land, since these animals are unpretentious in food and stay in groups. The profit from sheep farming is quite significant, and all costs are recouped in a fairly short time.

Breeding and keeping sheep for beginners at home is based on creating a business plan. This will make it possible to calculate the financial costs of purchasing sheep and rams, as well as choosing a pasture location and constructing a sheepfold.

In addition, it is necessary take into account all risks, probable income from activities and payback are calculated. Having determined all possible factors, you can evaluate the profitability of breeding these animals.

Then you need to choose a place for grazing animals and build a sheepfold, which may contain animals in winter time of the year. Experts recommend for 10 sheep with lambs a barn measuring forty square meters. It is necessary to take into account that in winter the temperature in the sheepfold must be maintained at least 12 degrees Celsius.

The room must also be well protected from drafts and have a ventilation hole. Having determined the maintenance requirements, you can proceed to purchasing rams and sheep. Experienced farmers advise attention turn to the bright Romanov breed.

Today the Romanov breed is very popular. Reasons for breeding and maintaining this population:

• Romanovskaya sheep have thick wool and even during severe frosts, the costs of their maintenance are minimal.
• This breed of sheep is distinguished by its fertility. The litter of one ewe is approximately 3–5 lambs per lamb.
• When raising sheep, large amounts of feed are not required to maintain the animals. Animals can feed on coarse straw, moss, dead grass and leaves.
• Sheep and rams grow quickly, so the farmer will receive meat within 6 months. A one-year-old ram can reach a weight of up to 100 kg.
• The products of this breed are characterized by high quality. Therefore, raising sheep at home brings significant profits and quickly pays off.
• By the age of five months, animals experience puberty. Throughout the year, Yarka exhibits sexual activity, as a result of which the tribe quickly increases.

A farmer who has decided to purchase this breed needs to decide what he wants to get from the sheep? If the main task is set, you will need to calculate: the need to build a barn or will you have enough sheds; amount of feed; how many sheep and rams you need to purchase.

note that It is advisable to buy adults, since their appearance will make it possible to determine compliance with standards. Naturally, you can save money and purchase young animals, however, in this case you may make a mistake with productivity.

For household Romanov breeds are the most convenient, as they are easy to maintain. In the winter season, one animal requires up to five square meters. and for walking three sq. m. indoors. The walking area must contain feeders and a canopy.

When you have a premises, before importing animals it need to prepare. In the future, the barn needs to be thoroughly cleaned and the trash thrown out. Then disinfection is carried out with a special solution. You can purchase this drug at a veterinary pharmacy. Be sure to read the instructions before use. After treatment with this product, the sheepfold must be weathered for at least a week.

If there is no sheepfold, a room for breeding animals must be built. The barn must be warm. This is necessary so that newborn lambs do not die. Much attention needs to be paid ventilation and humidity.

The floor can be left earthen, made of clay or planks, it’s up to you. Romanov sheep can't stand dampness, so you will need to replace the litter regularly, taking into account contamination. For this you can use sawdust or straw.

Feeding sheep at home

It is necessary to install feeders and choose a place for feeding so that it is convenient not only for the animals, but also for their owners. The best option would be nursery-type feeders with an inclined bottom. In order for an adult animal to be comfortable, it needs a height of 22–27 cm.

During the construction of a walking yard, be sure to construction of sheds required, which will protect animals in the hot season from sun rays. You need to think about feeding sheep in advance.

Even in the summer, for the first few days after acquisition, animals must be kept in a sheepfold without walking. This way, the animals will be able to get used to their new place of residence. The first time sheep are needed feed with cut grass.

Sheep diet

Basic diet for one day for an adult animal:

Power scheme:

• in the morning - hay;
• during the day - root vegetables and grains;
• in the evening – hay and straw.

In summer all the animals grazing in the pasture and feeding costs are reduced to zero. If the grass cover is poor, concentrates are added to the animals’ diet at the rate of 350 grams per animal. If it is not possible to graze the flock, then the animals must be fed with freshly cut grass. This is a rather labor-intensive procedure.

When breeding sheep at home, you need to consider what they will need feed additives. You can buy them at the pharmacy after consulting a veterinarian. Animals must always have access to water and licking salt; sheep drink even in the pasture; this must also be taken into account.

So you bought sheep, now you need to observe their behavior. Features of sheep behavior:

You need to know that the sheep can happen only in two months after the lambs were taken from the animal and preventive vaccination was carried out. During pasture rearing, the flock is given the best areas and is certainly fed with compound feed (500 grams per individual). During housing, the diet is selected based on the condition of the animals.

What you need to know about lambing

A pregnant sheep must receive an enhanced diet, that is, a rich diet of microelements and vitamins. The owner is required to mark the time of mating and the name of the ewe. This is necessary for its timely separation from the herd before lambing. In sheep, the gestation period for a lamb is approximately 150 days.

A few days before birth near the udder wool needs to be cut. It is imperative to prepare the cage where lambing will take place. There must be fresh and clean bedding here. Shortly before giving birth, a pregnant sheep's belly drops, the udder swells, and everything under the tail turns red and swells. Before lambing, the sheep begins to lie down often and behave restlessly.

Sheep giving birth:

1. The birth canal opens. This lasts for two hours. The sheep does not need to be touched at this time.
2. Contractions. The abdomen contracts intensely, the jaw opens and a lamb is born. During normal lambing, the umbilical cord comes off on its own. It is imperative to ensure that the lamb’s nose and mouth are not covered with film, otherwise it may die.
3. Within 25–30 minutes, the second lamb and subsequent ones are born.
4. During normal fetal position, lambs are born feet first, but can also emerge backwards. In this case, you must not give for a long time The lamb's head remains in the uterus.
5. The sheep almost always gives birth on its own. After the last calf emerges, lambing is complete.
6. If the afterbirth does not come out, then you need a veterinarian.

Lamb care

After 30 minutes, large lambs begin to suck milk from the udder and stand on their feet. Weak animals need to be placed under the udder. When the offspring is more than two individuals, complementary feeding will be required. Best option- This is goat's milk, as it is best digested by lambs.

Weak animals complementary foods are introduced using baby bottles. Milk is initially given in small portions, and over time its quantity increases. In case of shortage of natural milk, substitutes are allowed.

For lambs from the age of one month in the diet add concentrates. For this purpose, install small feeders with vitamin supplements, ground feed, chalk and salt. From the age of 4 months, the grown animal is taken away from the uterus. After this, they can lead their lives independently.

Sheep productivity

Sheep need to be sheared 3 times throughout the year – in summer, spring and autumn. This is due to molting seasons, as being late can lead to loss of wool quality. Romanovkas are quite productive: the owner gets up to two kg of wool from a sheep; A ram can produce up to 3.5 kg of wool.

But, as a rule, the breed is raised as a meat breed. The average ram can weigh up to 80 kg, some animals can reach 110 kg, sheep weighs approximately 45–60 kg.

Due to the constant readiness of animals to reproduce, you can choose the most convenient time for the birth of cubs. Usually, up to 3 lambs are born Thus, one queen can provide three high quality fleeces and up to 100 kg of young lamb when the lambs are slaughtered at 9 months.

Because of these qualities, Romanov sheep are bred for intense meat production. The main advantages of Romanov sheep:

• Polyestic - this breed can be inseminated all year round.
• High quality fleece. The wool has a gray-blue color with a steel tint, the durable flesh is not prone to matting. The awn ratio to fluff is 1:4–1:10.
• High early maturity. During the year, animals are always ready for insemination. Moreover, ewes bear offspring for less than a week, unlike other breeds of sheep.
• The first product can be obtained after six months - this is wool. And at nine months - high-quality young meat.
• Large offspring. There are approximately 400 lambs per 100 ewes, with the most fertile individuals producing up to 10 lambs.

Disadvantages of Romanov sheep

It is necessary to pay attention to the following nuances:

• cannot tolerate high humidity and drafts;
• very shy;
• Sheep are susceptible to respiratory diseases.

Romanov sheep are used in sheep breeding very hugely popular when breeding at home due to easy care and high productivity. What great importance has for the beginning sheep farmer. But we must not forget that you need to buy an animal only from responsible producers who adhere to breed standards and conduct breeding work.

Sheep have been raised as domestic farm animals for thousands of years. At the same time, depending on the breed, sheep are bred to obtain meat, milk, sheepskin and warm, high-quality wool.

In the conditions of a personal farmstead, keeping sheep will not be difficult. Hardy, unpretentious animals rarely get sick, are quite fertile and, compared to cattle, are extremely precocious. At the same time, sheep do not require capitally built premises:

1. In summer they are content with paddocks and grazing areas.
2. In winter they are kept in sheepfolds, where the temperature is slightly above zero.

Animals grow well on food, which is clearly not enough for other species to meet their physiological needs. For sheep, even sparse vegetation is enough to grow, produce wool and gain weight.

With due attention to animals, sheep breeding at home and for novice sheep farmers will not seem like a difficult and burdensome task. Good care, compliance with the rules of keeping and feeding will certainly result in high meat productivity, production of tasty fatty milk and domestic wool in the first year.

Biological characteristics of sheep

Modern breeds of sheep for raising at home can show high productivity in meat, milk and wool. Most often, the attention of sheep breeders is attracted to varieties with high fertility, rapid weight gain, pronounced unpretentiousness and good health. But in order for the animals to show the expected results, their needs and the biological characteristics of the sheep must be taken into account.

Among barnyard animals, sheep are famous for their herd behavior and forgetfulness. Often sheep farmers are faced with the fact that the livestock that has left for grazing cannot find its home. Therefore, sheep and rams are taken to walking areas together with intelligent ones or cows. In this case, as soon as one sheep follows the “leader”, the whole flock will follow it.

The average lifespan of sheep is 20 years. However, when keeping sheep in a private farmstead, only sires and purebred ewes can live up to 8 years. Young animals raised for meat are slaughtered until they are one year old, and animals with wool are kept on the farm for a little longer.

One of the indicators by which the merits of a breed or an individual are judged is the number of lambs per year and the number of lambs produced.

Most often, breeding sheep give birth once a year at the end of winter or in the first days of spring. Pregnancy lasts about five months, with most breeds having one lamb is the norm. But there are also exceptions.

For example, it is popular among Russian sheep breeders due to the frequent birth of several lambs at once and the ability to kitt twice a year. This feature of the breed and the precocity of the species as a whole makes it possible to develop a completely successful, quickly paying off business plan for sheep breeding.

What living conditions do animals need? How to organize their feeding? Where to start raising sheep at home for beginners?

Raising sheep at home in summer

Pasture keeping of sheep is the basis of their high productivity. By depriving animals of the opportunity to go out for a walk, a sheep farmer can seriously reduce his profit. In this case, costs increase:

• for feed, the collection and preparation of which is now a human concern;
• for the equipment of premises and pens for sheep.

If there are no suitable pastures near the farmstead, sheep are provided with walking areas, fencing the areas with shields. After the grass cover is depleted, the flock is transferred to a neighboring territory. Since sheep can bite grass lower than goats or cows, even in the most meager places, they find enough of their favorite food. In addition, moving grazing to another part of the pasture helps prevent infection of animals with helminths.

At home, when raising sheep without walking, the animals are given cut pasture grass.

It is also advisable to give the flock short runs, driving them out of a limited space for a walk. It is possible to keep sheep on a leash with regular transfer to a new site.

Sheep are released onto pasture with the arrival of spring and the appearance of the first vegetation about 8 cm high. If it is cool outside, the animals must be protected from excessive moisture, be it rain or dew. Wet wool does not dry out and becomes the cause of various animal diseases. The same rule is followed with the onset of autumn coolness. In the hot summer, on the contrary, going out to the meadow early will help the sheep find the lushest vegetation.

Despite being kept on pasture, the sheep are always offered water. The drinking bowls are replenished twice daily, and in especially hot seasons - three times a day.

This measure will help protect animals from dehydration and weakening. For the same purpose, sheds are equipped where the flock can wait out the hottest hours. Here, not only water bowls and feeders are placed for the sheep, but also pieces of salt lick.

Pasture grass is the most desirable and healthy food for sheep. However, sheep breeding also requires keeping them during the cold season. Therefore, the sheep farmer needs to prepare hay on time, and autumn time Fallen leaves will be a good help in case of grass deficiency.

In the summer, sheep can suffer from blood-sucking insects, which not only use the sheep as a source of food, but also lay eggs on damaged areas of the skin. To avoid diseases associated with this and make life easier for the wards, animals are examined, wounds are cleaned and disinfected, and special surveillance is established for weakened sheep.

The arrival of autumn for the sheep farmer means that the flock will soon move to winter sheepfolds and sheep pens. It is extremely important to protect children from drafts, excess humidity and crowded conditions. That's why:

1. The premises are equipped with ventilation.
2. Provide the animals with dry, deep bedding.
3. From 2.5 to 3 meters of area is allocated per individual.
4. The temperature inside the sheepfold is maintained at 6–8 °C during the stall period. This is quite enough for healthy, strong animals to feel good and, with a well-chosen diet, to grow.
5. During the most critical period in sheep breeding - during lambing, the air in the sheepfold should be heated to 15 °C.

In winter, the sheep's diet consists of silage hay harvested in the summer, chopped root vegetables and a small amount of concentrated feed. For 500 kg of grass hay and the same amount of root vegetables there should be only 100 kg of feed. This norm is enough to feed one adult during the stall period.

In the cold season, it is best to feed the livestock at fresh air in an open sheep pen. In bad weather, food is given under a canopy. Do this 3-4 times a day. First the sheep get hay. For weight gain and growth, it is useful to feed hay from cereals and forage legumes.

The sheep are then offered succulent feed. This can be a mixture of chopped root vegetables, for example, carrots, turnips, potatoes with bran. Another option is silage. After such a meal, the herd is given a drink, and then it is the turn of concentrated and roughage. When raised at home, sheep quickly become accustomed to one feed distribution schedule. In the evening, hay and brooms prepared in the summer are placed in the feeders.

Sheep farming - video

Raising rams and sheep is simple, labor-intensive and promising business. With the right approach and choice of breed, unpretentious animals can provide for their owner delicious meat, milk, fat, wool and skin. It is not difficult to keep sheep in a private farmstead; the main thing is to know the characteristics and needs of the animals, the rules of care and maintenance. First of all, a novice farmer must determine the purpose of breeding sheep and, as a result, choose a suitable breed: meat, dairy, meat-wool or fat-tailed.

The best breeds for beginning farmers

Before starting a business, you need to decide on the breed. The most common types:

1. 1. Meat - this type of sheep is bred to produce meat and lard. These breeds are characterized by low reproductive rates; the sheep produce one lamb each, but it is large in weight. With proper maintenance, an adult can reach up to 200 kg. Also in the structure of such rams there is body fat on the sacrum there is a fat tail. The meat-bearing breeds include: Gissar, Edilbaev and Kalmyk breeds.
2. 2. Fur sheep - this type of ram produces meat and wool. The most popular breed is considered to be the Romanov. By the age of 9 months, the first haircut is carried out with a yield of up to 1.5 kg of wool. Also widespread: Caucasian, Stavropol, Altai and merino.
3. 3. Meat-wool sheep - divided into short-haired and long-wooled sheep. Longhairs include: Kuibyshev, North Caucasian and Russian longhair. Short-haired breeds (Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian) grow quickly and have delicious, gourmet meat.

The best breed for beginners in sheep farming is the Romanov, as it has high productivity and reproductive efficiency; one ewe can produce up to 6 lambs. Caring for the Romanov breed is not difficult. Thanks to their thick fur, animals are able to withstand severe frosts.

1. 1. The air temperature for adults should not fall below +7 degrees, for young animals – +10 degrees.
2. 2. Good lighting.
3. 3. The spacious room should be 3 square meters. meters per individual.
4. 4. Clay concrete or wooden floor with insulated flooring.
5. 5. Large swing gates.

The room is made well ventilated. It is regularly ventilated and cleaned. In addition, the sheepfold provides space for lambing and further maintenance of young animals.

Also for sheep breeding they build:

• a pen equipped with a feeding trough and drinking bowl;
• watchman's house;
• a barn for storing equipment, hay, straw and grain;
• hayfields;
• artificial or natural pasture sown with cereals or legumes.

The pasture selected is large; 1.5 hectares of land are allocated for 300 heads.

Breeding sheep at home

Sheep breeding is good business. But like any farm, sheep farming has its pros and cons.

The advantages include:

1. 1. Fertility of females - elite breeds can produce up to 2 litters per year.
2. 2. Animals are hardy, have immunity to many diseases, and do not require insulated premises.
3. 3. Pasture farming allows you to save on building a sheepfold.
4. 4. Sheep can produce meat, milk, hide, wool and lard. Additional income can be obtained from lambing.

Flaws:

• a large investment for the acquisition of a herd;
• additional workers: livestock specialists, shepherds, milkmen;
• fertile lands for fattening livestock.

Summer sheep keeping

Pasture farming means high productivity. When raising livestock in captivity, the farmer is faced with unforeseen expenses, such as: collecting and storing feed, equipping the premises and paddock for walking.

Sheep are turned out to pasture in early spring when the first greenery appears. It is best to herd sheep in the early morning and evening. During the daytime, the herd is driven into a pen so that activity is replaced by rest. In hot regions, grazing is carried out at night. It is very important that there is a watering hole on the pasture: the drinking bowls are filled with clean cold water at least twice a day.

Most farmers create artificial pastures by filling a fenced area with grass clippings and concentrated feed. For convenience, feeders, drinking bowls and an overhead awning are installed so that the animals hide from the sun and rain. If it is cool outside, the livestock must be protected from dampness, since wet wool takes a long time to dry out and can cause various diseases.

Winter sheep management

In the autumn, sheep are transferred to pens and specially equipped sheepfolds. It is very important at this time of year to protect the animal from drafts, excess humidity and overcrowding.

In winter, feeding is carried out outdoors or under a canopy 3-4 times a day. First, sheep should receive hay from cereals and legumes, harvested in the summer. It is necessary for rapid weight gain and growth. Then vegetable tops, fresh root vegetables, and potatoes with bran are added to the feed. After eating, the livestock is given plenty of water and is fed concentrated and roughage feed.

Sheep very quickly get used to the feeding schedule, so they are fed at specially designated hours. In the evening, caring farmers put hay and prepared brooms into the feeders.

Feeding ewes, lambs and rams

For good productivity, a novice farmer must know how to properly feed sheep at home. Properly selected food means high-quality milk, tasty, aromatic meat and high-quality wool.

Feeding rules:

• per 100 grams of weight give 3.5 kg of dry food;
• sheep prefer small grass or legume hay;
• the straw is oat or millet;
• to replenish vitamins and microelements, add raw potatoes, fodder beets, watermelons, pumpkin and zucchini to the food;
• For balanced feeding, corn, barley, and oats are added.

For pregnant queens, a week before lambing, part of the hay is replaced with compound feed. The daily diet should be 3.5 kg of fresh herbs and vegetables with the addition whole grain. In addition, dairy females are given salt lick to strengthen the body after childbirth.

In the first month of life, lambs feed exclusively on milk. For every kilogram of growth, the lamb should drink up to 5 liters of milk. Therefore, it is very important that the ewe has a sufficient amount of milk, especially in winter.

If the young animals do not completely suck the milk, then in order to avoid mastitis, the ewe is milked independently.

Babies should receive their first milk no later than 30 minutes after birth. But before the first feeding, the sheep needs to express colostrum, as it has a high concentration and can harm the newborn lamb.

During the first 24 hours, young animals should eat every 2-3 hours. An hour after birth, the lamb is given warm clean water. A month after birth, the young animals can be gradually transferred to hay and succulent feed. From grains you can give oatmeal and legumes. Also, fresh vegetables and high quality hay are added to food to replenish vitamins.

There is a standard for feeding rams, the basis of which is roughage and protein foods. The daily diet of rams should include urea, silage, fodder beet and straw from barley or oats. Also, to increase activity, vitamins, microelements, legumes, cake and meal are added to the feed.

Diseases - symptoms and treatment

The main enemy of sheep is dampness, which leads to pneumonia. The animal begins to cough, mucous discharge from the nose appears, body temperature rises, appetite worsens, and breathing becomes difficult.

Antibiotics are used for treatment. To prevent inflammation, animals are kept on dry bedding in warm, non-humid rooms.

Another common disease is gastric flatulence. It occurs when feeding rules and regulations are not followed. Symptoms of flatulence: lack of appetite, agitation, bloating.

Only a veterinarian can help the animal. To do this, you need to puncture the stomach or remove gases using a gas outlet tube.

Poisoning can also occur as a result of consuming poisonous plants. First signs:

• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• refusal to eat.

When the first signs appear, the animal is given a gastric lavage with vegetable oil and Glauber's salt.

If a sheep's hooves become infected with a fungus, if left untreated, a bone growth will form, leading to lameness. If a fungus is detected, the growths are cut off and further care is taken to keep the livestock clean and warm, and vitamins and microelements are added to the feed.

Shearing

The cutting time depends on the breed and where it is grown. For coarse-haired breeds, haircuts begin in early spring. If you miss the time, you can lose profit, since in the summer the animal will begin to shed and the wool will lose value and quality.

Sheep are sheared twice a year: in spring and autumn.

Fine-wool breeds practically do not shed, but it is not recommended to cut them in early spring. Since during the winter the animal accumulates grease in insufficient quantities, which makes the wool rough and dry. This type of ram is shorn once a year, at the moment when they have accumulated fat in the required volume, and those who appeared in winter, in last month summer or in the first half of autumn.

When cutting, the coat should not be wet, and several hours should pass after feeding and drinking. To prevent diseases from occurring after a haircut, wash with a disinfected solution after 20 days.