Sheep Management Introduction to Agriculture March 1999

Vocabulary n Ewe – female sheep n Ram – male used for breeding n Wether – castrated male

Vocabulary - cont. n Fleece – wool n Wool blindness – condition of wool covering face

Sheep Information n Puberty -- reached at mos. n Estrus period hrs. n Estrus cycle days n Gestation days

Sheep Management n Breed as yearling n 5-6 years breeding life

Breeding Season & Management n Shorter days & cooler weather n Flushing -- increase protein to stimulate ovulation n Shear dock

Care of Ram n Marking Harness -- change every 16 days n Shear all over -- belly & chest n 1 ram / ewes

Lambing Management n Signs of Lambing – vulva swells – udder swells - milk hours – Sink in hips hours n Lambing Pen – Clean – Draft free – Watch closely

Lambing Management n Born -- Lamb n Dry lamb n Remove mucus n Colostrum n Cut cord n Heat lamp

Processing Lambs n 3 days of age n Dock tail n Injections – Iron – Vitamin E -- prevent white muscle n Castrate ~ 1 week