While farming sheep on lifestyle blocks can be a bit of a challenge, it can also be very rewarding. Sheep can be very temperamental, are prone to illness and are stubborn.  In other words, they are a lot of work.  The key factors to consider with sheep are the breed, the type, pasture, fencing, handling facilities, and goals.

Let’s start with the breeds. The list is extensive but some of the breeds common to the north are Romney, Perendale, Coopworth, Romdales,  and Corridales – all good wool producing sheep. These days many breeding ewes produce more than one lamb and fertility is a feature to look for.  I should mention the terminal breed sheep such as Suffolk, south Suffolk, South Down, Polled Dorset, Hamshire, South Dorset down, Dorper.  Again the list goes on.

Having a few breeding ewes around your block is good for a few reasons.  They keep the pasture tidy and  if you have wet land they don’t pug the soil like cattle would.  Mixing cattle and sheep is also a good thing. 

Fencing is most important with sheep and keeping control of them makes your life a lot easier.

Handling facitilites most important. A good set of sheep yards is vital for this to work.  A drenching race, dagging pen, docking pen are a good idea and most important an area where you can shear your sheep. 

Animal health in sheep is a huge issue.  They can be fragile and it’s not uncommon to see them healthy one day, gone the next.  So it’s vital that you keep an eye on your flock at all times.  In small areas where there are lots of small blocks, dog worrying can be a problem, so be vigilant.

Drenching is important.  It is sufficient to drench most adult sheep twice a year but young lambs can require constant drenching roughly every 4 – 6 weeks.  If a lamb constantly has a dirty rear, is a little rough in the coat or constantly a little thinner than the others check for worm.

Fly strike in summer and early autumn can be a problem.  Keep remedies on hand at all stages.

Dock lambs earlier rather than later.  It’s better for you and better for them.

Shearing is a lot of work for very little gain but has to be done.  Twice a year is preferable, once a year will do.

The worst thing about sheep is you become attached to them and don’t really want to sell them but you have to.

Until next time.

• Bernie McGahan is a Livestock Rep for PGG Wrightson in Wellsford.

Yard Talk is proudly sponsored by PGG Wrightson