Back to Georgia Extension publications.Dan T. Brown, Calvin F. Alford & Mark A. McCann, Extension Animal Scientists
Facilities and Equipment
Pastures
Buying Breeding Stock
Nutrition
Management of the Flock
Feeding and Merchandising Lambs
Common Sheep Diseases
Sheep Production Calendar
When properly managed, sheep can show a greater return on investment than most other farm
animals. This is because the flock can be purchased for a reasonably small outlay, return is rapid
(nine to 10 months after breeding ewes), two sources of income (lambs and wool) are produced,
and multiple births are common. Also, sheep consume a high percentage of their total ration as
roughages. However, there are disadvantages and sheep production declined drastically in
Georgia and in the nation the last three decades because of these problems. The major problems
facing Georgia sheep producers are: (1) purchasing productive ewes, (2) peak labor requirements,
(3) more intensive management, (4) dogs, (5) internal parasites, (6) foot rot, and (7) available
markets. Potential sheep producers would be well advised to consider these obstacles to
profitable production before rushing into the sheep business and then experiencing disastrous
results.
Recent breakthroughs tend to paint a brighter picture for sheep production. New deworming agents, foot rot treatments, high tensile fence, new and expanded markets and increased profit potential have brought about an upturn in sheep numbers.
Inadequate fencing is one of the main problems facing potential producers in Georgia. Sheep require better fences than do most classes of livestock. Strong fencing will reduce losses from sheep-killing predators. Convert a cattle fence by adding three or four strands of barbed wire, placed four or five inches apart, on the lower section of fence and adding stays between the posts. To confine all types of domestic animals construct the fence of mesh wire with two to three strands of barbed wire above the mesh wire and one strand beneath. Use net wire, 39 to 48 inches tall, with barbed wire to obtain desired height. In many cases, dogs will try to dig under the fence before attempting to jump.
When used with a net wire, a strand of electrified wire on the outside of the fence will discourage predators. A high tensile, electric fence is preferred for sheep production. A multistrand, high tensile, smooth wire fence with a New Zealand energizer has been very successful in controlling predators. In addition, an electric fence is easier to construct than a net wire and barbed wire fence. Construct an all-electric fence according to manufacturer's recom-mendations in order to be most effective. Make sure the fence is properly grounded, especially during dry weather. Freshly-shorn sheep can be trained quickly to respect an electric fence. Use an all-electric fence to divide the area into small grazing plots. By rotating and completely grazing an area, you maximize forage utilization and aid in controlling internal parasites.
If you cannot construct an adequate fence to contain your sheep and prevent predators from entering the area, build a dog-proof confinement lot to contain your sheep at night because most of the damage dogs inflict upon a flock is done at night or in early morning. Confinement at night is a good management procedure, regardless of the fence you have because it allows you to observe the flock at least twice a day: once when confining them at night and again when releasing them the following morning. This twice-a-day observation makes it easier to spot problems before they reduce the profitability of your flock.
An advantage in sheep production is that you do not need fancy buildings or expensive equipment. Provide protection for the flock during wet or cold weather and furnish housing for ewes and lambs at lambing time.
Protect ewes from bad weather the month before lambing. Lambs need protection until they are three to four weeks old. Most of the lambs in Georgia are born during the winter months (January, February, March), so it is necessary to provide some type of shelter.
A small flock of sheep may be housed in a barn with other livestock. As the size of the flock increases, provide housing separate from other livestock. Prevailing weather in a region dictates the type of structure necessary to provide adequate shelter and feed storage for sheep. The building should provide pro- tection, be well-ventilated, and be designed so sheep can be fed quickly without wasting feed. In mild climates, shelter just needs to provide shade for the animals. Even in areas of the state where winters are severe, sheep should not be shut-in except during storms and when they are lambing.
Most farms have barns or sheds adaptable to sheep production. One that opens to the south makes a good sheep shelter because sheep like lots of sun, light and air. The sheds should be well-drained and draft-free. A dirt floor is satisfactory.
Avoid damp, dark or drafty barns and wet, muddy areas in and around buildings. Buildings should have a guttering system to prevent run-off from the roofs creating a wet, unsanitary condition in and around the buildings.
Proper arrangement within the barn can make production more convenient and efficient. A minimum of 15 square feet of barn space per ewe is needed for a late fall and winter lambing program. Make provisions for an additional 30 square feet per animal in an adjoining outside lot. Lambs require about one-half or one-third as much space as adult sheep.
Pens are needed to accommodate groups of 10 to 15 ewes when lambs are being dropped. Individual pens, four to five feet square, are needed until lambs are one to three days old. One 4 by 4 or 5 by 5-foot pen (depending upon the size of ewe) for each six ewes in the flock will pay for itself by saving lambs and limiting disowned lambs. Then you will need pens large enough to accommodate five ewes with 10 lambs or 10 ewes with single lambs for the following three to five days.
After the lambs are a week old, they can be combined into larger groups and penned with available creep feeders. Make lambing pens and hurdles to form small pens of lightweight materials for easy moving. Place a hinged panel across a corner and then add hinged panels to create as many pens as necessary. Working pens and chutes are great labor savers for sorting, treating and other management jobs. Use panels 10 to 20 feet long to construct various sized temporary pens and to crowd sheep into small areas.
Here are some points to keep in mind when planning a shelter:
If you are handy with tools, you can make the feeders, pens and troughs. These do not cost much to build in relation to ready-made items, especially if you have usable poles or lumber on hand. However, before you build your own equipment, compare the cost of the materials with the cost of ready-made equipment. Although the cost of ready-made equipment is higher, it may be cheaper in the long run if it is more durable or has built-in conveniences.
Although many types of feed troughs and racks can be used for supplemental feeding, a trough suitable for grain and hay is most practical. Mature sheep need about 18 inches of linear trough space and lambs need six to 12 inches. The floor of the trough should be about eight inches from the ground with a four-inch board to keep the feed in the trough. The height and width of the feeding area of the trough should be 12 inches each. When self-feeding, six inches of trough space are required for mature sheep and three inches for lambs. Do not self-feed grains to mature sheep. Figure hay storage at four pounds of hay, multiplied by the average number of days it is fed each year, multiplied by the number of sheep in your flock.
A lamb creep allows lambs to feed but keeps the ewes out. There are a number of ways to make the lamb creep. The openings where the feed trough is placed must be about nine inches wide and about 18 to 20 inches high. Also, a creep has to be close to where the ewes feed and the lambs gather to get lambs into a creep to be fed. Crowding by the ewes helps force the lambs into the creep. A well-placed heat lamp also encourages the lambs to enter the creep area on a cold day or night.
Mineral feeders with salt and other supplements should be available to your flock at all times. Construct several mineral feeders and locate them in various places throughout the barn and the farm. Keep the feeders dry and clean.
Sheep require clean, fresh water at all times. Adult sheep drink about two to two and one-half gallons of water a day. Allow one foot of trough space for 10 sheep. If automatic waterers are used, get one automatic waterer for every 25 head. Allow good drainage around each watering facility. A paved surface that extends eight to 10 feet around the tank prevents mudholes and assures sanitation. A single tank in a fence line or in a corner can serve two or more lots. Equip your housing to provide an adequate water source as well as electricity.
There are several other useful facilities for saving labor when raising sheep. Construct a cutting chute, a loading chute, squeezes, corrals, dipping vats and foot baths.
A cutting chute helps separate the flock into smaller groups for breeding, lambing, shearing or culling. To prevent sheep from turning around, make the chute no wider than 18 inches.
Locate loading chutes in or near the corral or barn. Leave enough room around them for trucks.
A squeeze chute is convenient for examining or treating an animal, but a sheep can easily be held by hand.
A set of small livestock scales allows you to weigh both adults and lambs to keep your production records accurate and to form a basis for selecting breeding stock. Locate your scales near the feeding pens or corrals and keep them dry.
A well-built and well-located system of corrals saves a lot of work. Equip your corral system with a squeeze chute, a cutting chute, holding pens, water trough, scales, spray area and loading facilities. Locate it on well-drained ground in a shady area. For small flocks, a portable corral system can be set up inside your barn.
A foot bath is a necessity on any sheep operation. It can be purchased or homemade and should be eight feet in length. A shallow trough in the cutting chute can be used for a foot bath. Locate it where it can be effectively used, such as at an entrance or exit to a feeding area.
A clean area with electricity is necessary for shearing. A shearing room should provide room for shearing and facilities for keeping the wool clean afterwards. If a shearing room with a sacking rack is not practical for you, provide an area that is readily accessible to the shearing crew and will keep the wool clean while it is bagged. Use a rack that can be taken apart, reassembled and stored for sacking wool.
Expensive equipment is not necessary for sheep production. However, there are small tools and items necessary for managing your flock. A list of some of the necessary equipment and supplies is as follows:
Contact your local county agent or livestock specialist for additional information on sheep facilities and equipment.
Commercial sheep enterprises should make extensive use of grazing pasture forages if input costs are to be kept to a minimum. Using high quality pastures will keep the supplement purchases to a minimum and maintain a high level of flock productivity.
The most basic dilemma is at what level are the sheep to be stocked per acre. There is no one correct level. In fact, stocking rates vary from three to l5 head per acre depending on the amount and type of available forage. The lowest level would be on droughty, unfertilized or poor quality pastures. The highest levels are attained on intensively-managed pastures such as winter annuals or irrigated bermudagrasses. The most common stocking rate is four to six ewes on the same amount of land that would support one cow unit. Sheep can be stocked on the same pasture with beef cattle. In most instances one ewe can be added for every cow unit without increasing the pasture size.
Sheep can be very selective grazers if pastures contain a mixture of forages. Rotating the flock from one pasture to another reduces their selective grazing and makes more efficient use of available pasture land. In general, sheep first prefer legumes, then cool-season grasses and lastly warm-season grasses. The use of clovers with cool-season annuals (rye, wheat, ryegrass) or perennials (fungus-free fescue, orchardgrass) is well-suited for sheep production. Optimum forage growth coincides with periods of increased nutrient demanded in the ewe. Warm-season perennials (bermuda, bahia and dallis grasses) provide forage during the ewe's dry period.
Procuring ewes is difficult because of the small number of sheep in the state and the distance from Georgia to major sheep producing centers. In the past, western yearling ewes have been the major source of replacement stock for the East. These ewes, either of straight bred white-faced breeds (Rambouillet, Columbia, Corriedale, Targhee) or one of these breeds crossed on rams of black-faced breeding (Suffolk or Hampshire), are usually available in late spring or early summer. Yearling replacements should weigh 100 to 110 pounds in April or May, or 115 pounds by June. Yearling western ewes have several advantages:
The disadvantages of these ewes are the high cost and foot problems of Rambouillet cross ewes. Rambouillet have been developed for centuries in a dry climate coupled with soil types, leading to excess hoof growth and resulting foot problems--mainly foot rot.
Major sheep producing states sell all ewes after four or five lamb crops resulting in a large number of available aged western ewes. They are considerably less expensive than yearling ewes; however, they are usually for sale because their age prohibits them from producing profitably another year in the range flock. In a well-managed farm flock, these aged ewes can produce for another year or so. However, transportation costs have increased so drastically, these fullmouthed ewes are not the buy they often appear to be.
Native replacement ewes are seldom available in the state. It is thought these ewes have some natural resistance to parasites, foot rot and will breed out of season. However, many are small, light milking, nondescript ewes which lack the size and growthiness necessary for top replacement females.
Purebred ewes are also available for replacements. They are usually more expensive and lack the "hybrid vigor" of cross-bred ewes.
Records are of utmost importance. The genetically superior sheep must be individually identified and then utilized in your breeding program. With records, you can accumulate valuable information on profitability and then place proper emphasis on fertility, lambing rate, longevity, milk production, growth rate and structural correctness. When you select replacements from your own flock, mark the twin ewe lambs born early in the lambing season and retain the fast growing ones for replacements when the other lambs are marketed.
If you are getting into the sheep business, get help selecting ewes. Selection of poor quality breeding stock leads to dissatisfaction and failure. Soundness of mouth, udder and feet are critical factors in buying ewes. Ewes must have a sound mouth if they are to consume roughages. Beware of overshot or undershot jaws. They also must possess a soft, pliable udder that has two functional teats and is free from any lumps or hard spots. In addition, ewes should be free from any noticeable foot disease. Do not purchase ewes that are not alert, active and healthy.
Buy sound, active, healthy purebred rams. Select performance-tested rams if possible, or at least those large for their age. Yearling rams in breeding condition should weigh at least 200 pounds. Although breed choice depends on personal preference, use one of the mutton breeds (Suffolk, Hampshire or Dorset). These breeds have stood the test of time and should sire vigorous, fast growing, money-making lambs. Where ram adaptability is a problem (central and south Georgia), ram lambs might be a wiser choice than yearlings. They adapt to the environment more readily than purchased yearlings, especially when these yearling rams have been highly fitted. Ram lambs should be used to breed only about 10-15 ewes. Care must be taken to not hinder their growth and development by over use at this stage of their growth cycle.
Feed represents the largest single production cost in sheep operations. Formulate and feed rations that support optimum production, efficiency, economy and minimize nutritionally related problems. Knowing what to feed sheep is just as important as knowing when the animal should be fed. It is essential to know the nutritional requirements of the animal, the nutrient composition of the available feed and how these feeds can be supplemented to meet the requirements.
The most basic aspect of sheep nutrition is daily feed intake. Low intakes of nutritious rations result in average animal performance, while high intakes of moderate rations result in above expected performance. Sheep consume two to five percent of body weight in dry matter (DM) daily. For maximum feed intake feed a palatable concentrate diet. Feeding a poor-quality roughage diet minimizes DM intake. Pelleting increases feed intake of concentrate and roughage rations.
Sheep are able to convert large amounts of roughages into the production of wool and lambs.
There are times when ewes need supplemental feed to produce at an acceptable level. Because
protein and energy (TDN) requirements depend on the stage of production, ewe feeding will be
divided into: (1) dry ewes, until six weeks before lambing; (2) last six weeks before lambing; (3)
first six to eight weeks after lambing, and (4) eight to 14 weeks after lambing. (See Table 1.)
| Table 1. Feeding Requirements for 160-lb. Ewe | |||
| Lb Feed/ Day | Dig.-Protein (lb) | TDN (lb) | |
| Dry or until 6 wks before lambing | 3.8 | 0.16 | 1.9 |
| Last 6 wks before lambing | 4.8 | 0.20 | 2.5 |
| First 6-8 wks after lambing | 5.7 | .025 | 3.1 |
| 8-14 wks after lambing | 4.8 | .020 | 2.5 |
| Amounts of Feed | |||
| Pounds of Dry Feed per Day | |||
| Grass Hay | Legume Hay | ||
| Dry | Forage | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Grain | -- | -- | |
| Oil Meal | -- | -- | |
| Last 6 wks before lambing | Forage | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Grain | .7 | .5 | |
| Oil Meal | .3 | -- | |
| First 6-8 wks after lambing | Forage | 4-6 | 4-6 |
| Grain | 1.3-1.7 | 1-1.5 | |
| Oil Meal | .3 | -- | |
| 8-14 wks after lambing | Same as last 6 wks before lambing | ||
| Provide free choice mineral mix. | |||
Maintain dry ewes and pregnant ewes in the first three and one-half months of gestation on average quality pasture or hay. This is also a good time to utilize crop residue. Ewes should gain 10 pounds during this period. During the last six weeks of gestation, ewes should gain 20 pounds. Minimum feed requirements are 24 percent higher during this six-week pre-lambing period. Because most of the growth of the unborn lamb takes place during the last six weeks of gestation, ewes need supplemental feed to prevent lambing paralysis and to ensure strong lambs and more milk. For ewes in average condition, one-half pound of grain and one-fourth pound of protein or one-half pound of grain and two to four pounds of legume hay should prove satisfactory.
The first eight to 10 weeks after lambing, give one to one and one-half pounds of grain supplemented with legume hay or oil meal to ensure a heavy milk flow and get the lambs off to a good start.
During the last 12 to 14 weeks after lambing, reduce feed to one-half pound of grain supplemented with legume hay or oil meal.
Good quality small grain (rye, wheat) or ryegrass pasture can cut the amount of concentrates fed in half at any stage of gestation or lactation.
Mature rams may be maintained predominantly on roughages. Two to three pounds of legume hay per 100 pounds of body weight will usually be sufficient for rams that are kept in a pasture lot. However, ram lambs, and especially thin rams, may need additional concentrate immediately after the breeding season. Beware of overfeeding grain to rams. An obese, overconditioned ram is not as useful or long-lived as a trim, properly conditioned one.
If you produce market lambs at four to five months of age, feed the lambs a palatable, high quality ration beginning at about two weeks of age. Normally, for every three pounds of creep ration consumed, an extra pound of lamb gain will result. Recommended rations for creep feeding lambs are:
| 1. | 80% cracked shelled corn |
| 10% oats | |
| 10% oil meal | |
| Alfalfa hay - free choice | |
| 2. | 55% cracked corn |
| 40% alfalfa hay pellets | |
| 5% oil meal | |
| 3. | 54% ground shelled corn |
| 25% ground legume hay | |
| 15% oil meal | |
| 5% molasses | |
| 1% ground limestone |
Prevention is the simplest way to avoid mineral deficiencies in sheep. For all practical purposes, the calcium:phosphorous ratio in sheep rations should not go below 2:1. Sheep fed very high concentrate diets need calcium supplementation to prevent urinary calculi. The reverse is true for ewes on all forage rations (grazing or hay) where phosphorous should be supplemented in order to maintain a 2:1 ratio of calcium:phosphorous. The two trace minerals of concern in commercial sheep production in Georgia are Copper and Selenium. Only seven to 11 parts per million (ppm) of copper are required, while levels above 25 ppm are toxic. Avoid swine feed or trace mineral mixes because of their high copper content. With selenium, deficiency is more common than toxicity. While requirements are only one-tenth to two-tenths ppm, toxicity can occur at levels greater than two ppm. If selenium is deficient in your area, supplement it with either trace minerals or sodium selenite injections. Inject ewes with five milligrams of sodium selenite one month before lambing and lambs with one milligram at four to six weeks of age.
In formulating home mineral mixes, mix trace mineral salt that contains selenium with plain salt to dilute copper levels. For fattening lambs mix one-third trace mineral salt with two-thirds plain salt and add limestone in feed.
| Home mix for grazing sheep: | |
| A. | 1/3 trace mineral salt |
| 1/3 plain salt | |
| 1/3 dicalcium phosphate | |
| B. | 2/5 plain salt |
| 2/5 dicalcium phosphate | |
| 1/5 trace mineral | |
Proper management of the flock should optimize production and marketing options while at the same time efficiently minimize costs. Good shepherds keep accurate production and financial records. Records are a must for profitable sheep production. Several factors affect profitability. The five factors that contribute significantly are as follows:
There is not a great deal you can do to influence the first two factors; however, the last three
factors vary greatly among producers and types of management. This variation can mean the
difference between a profit and a loss in a sheep operation. The most important profit factor is
increasing weaning percentage (lambs produced per ewe bred). Table 2 illustrates the effect of
weaning percentage (or pounds of lamb sold per ewe on potential income).
| Table 2. Effect of Weaning Percentage on Potential Income | |||||
| Price/ pound | Pounds Lamb Sold Per Ewe* | ||||
| 100 | 120 | 140 | 160 | 180 | |
| .50 | $50 | $60 | $70 | $80 | $90 |
| .55 | 55 | 66 | 77 | 88 | 99 |
| .60 | 60 | 72 | 84 | 96 | 108 |
| .65 | 65 | 78 | 91 | 104 | 117 |
| .70 | 70 | 84 | 98 | 112 | 126 |
| .75 | 75 | 90 | 105 | 120 | 135 |
| .80 | 80 | 96 | 112 | 128 | 144 |
| .85 | 85 | 102 | 119 | 136 | 153 |
| * Assumes 100 lb average selling weight. | |||||
Weaning percentage is so important because the fixed cost per ewe is basically the same regardless of the level of production; therefore, if you increase the number of lambs for sale, you increase net profit from the sheep operation. Management also dictates the number of days it takes to produce a market lamb to slaughter weight. Each additional day required to produce a lamb to market is an additional day that labor, feed and fixed costs must be assessed. This lowers efficiency and increases production costs in your sheep operation.
The level of lamb production and production costs on the break-even selling price for 100 pounds of lamb are shown in Table 3.
The number of lambs produced and sold plays a major role in the break-even price; however,
lowering overall production costs will also contribute significantly to the bottom figure on the
tally sheet. The greatest strides in lowering these costs can be made in the feed costs area. More
efficient use of land, feeding by-products, use of temporary forages, feeding according to
production cycle, et cetera, all would affect feed costs or production.
| Table 3. Effect of Level of Lamb Production & Production Costs on the Break-Even Selling Price for 100-lb Lamb | |||
| Pounds of Lamb Sold | |||
| 100 | 140 | 160 | |
| Ewe Costs/hd- $100 | |||
| Total nonfeed costs/ewe | $33.03 | $33.03 | $33.03 |
| Total ewe & lamb feed costs/ewe | $57.79 | $65.03 | $68.65 |
| Total nonfeed and feed costs/100 lb lamb | $90.82 | $98.06 | $101.68 |
| Wool value/ewe | $8.00 | $8.00 | $8.00 |
| Break-even selling price/ 100 lb lamb | $82.82 | $64.33 | $58.55 |
When buying a ram for breeding, get him well in advance of breeding time so he can get used to his new home and be brought into rigorous condition by the time he is turned in with the ewes.
Many rams bought at sales and shows are highly fitted and carry too much wool and fat. This can cause problems because heavy fleece and excess condition can lower fertility or even cause temporary sterility. These rams should be reduced in weight gradually. Do not reduce their feed too rapidly. Allow them the free run of a grass lot that has plenty of shade and water. Provide salt and feed one-half to three-fourths pound of feed daily.
If the grass is short, give one feed of a good legume hay daily. Ten days before breeding begins, increase the feed to one and one-half pounds per day, depending on the ram's condition.
Rams in heavy fleece should be completely shorn four to six weeks before they are put to use. If this is not done, then at least shear the belly, scrotum, legs, brisket, neck and head. A shorn ram is more active. There is less probability of temporary sterility due to high scrotal temperatures and it will be easier for him to cover the ewe. Keep the ram in moderate flesh and vigorous throughout the breeding season. This means a more uniform lamb crop since more ewes will be bred in a short period. Continue grain feeding, if possible, and avoid any practice that might overheat the ram. Avoid over-exposing a newly sheared ram to the hot sun.
Check and trim the ram's feet prior to breeding time to avoid the possibility of the ram going lame. Deworm the rams before turning them out with the ewes.
Once ewe lambs are selected, nutritional care and management determine if they become part of the flock. Lambs should be managed so as not to experience "feast or famine." For the benefit of the lamb, practice a more moderate program of nutrition from weaning to breeding.
Research indicates that overfeeding and fattening ewe lambs, from 120 days of age to breeding, results in lower milk production during the first lactation. On the average, 60 to 100 pound ewe lambs require 3 to 3.5 pounds feed per day containing 12 percent crude protein and 65 percent TDN. To meet these requirements with a complete ration, feed a 35 percent concentrate-65 percent roughage feed to keep the lamb gaining at an acceptable rate. If grazing or hay is available free-choice, supplement with 1 to 1.5 pounds concentrate per day. If high quality grazing is available, then little or no supplementation is required. Once the ewes reach 100 pounds, mix complete feed at 15 percent concentrate to 85 percent roughage or reduce supplementation to .5 pound per day.
A ewe lamb should weigh 60 to 70 percent of her mature weight before the breeding season. Around 100 pounds is the critical weight for medium-framed ewes to reach puberty and cycle. Larger framed sheep probably need to weigh 125 pounds. After reaching this weight, age is the limiting factor. Most lambs, if properly fed, reach puberty between six and eight months of age. If these lambs are to lamb with the rest of the flock they need to breed by seven to nine months of age. Crossbred lambs usually reach puberty at an earlier age than purebred ewes. Even if all lambs weigh enough and are old enough, expect only 80 to 90 percent of those exposed to breed.
Other management tips for ewe lamb development:
You can expect 10 to 20 more lambs from each 100 head of breeding ewes by flushing. Flushing is rapidly improving a ewe's condition 10 days to three weeks before she is exposed to the ram. Ewes that gain weight are more likely to produce multiple egg cells. However, do not flush ewes already in high condition because this could increase the number not settling to first service.
To flush ewes, let them graze a better pasture. If suitable pastures are not available, feed one-half to one pound of corn or oats, or a mixture of the two, daily. Use good quality legume hay if pastures are poor and grain is not available.
There is no benefit to increasing the number of lambs born if the ewes lack the milk and mothering ability to feed and care for them. Do not flush very young or very old ewes. Because size is correlated with milk production, ewes flushed for twin lamb production should be large and vigorous. It is better to have a ewe raise one good lamb than two poor ones.
The success and profitability of any sheep enterprise is closely related to the level of lamb production. Production costs are nearly the same whether a ewe produces no lambs, one, two or three lambs per year. Returns vary greatly. The following have a big effect on lambing rate and subsequent profitability: ram fertility, heredity, age at puberty, ewe age, light, temperature, relative humidity, season association with the ram, nutrition, disease, parasites, parturition and lactation.
Breeding depends on several factors, which are influenced by each individual enterprise. For market lambs or purebred lambs used for show and sold as young breeding stock, lambs should be born in January or early February. Turn rams in with ewes about August 1.
Do not try to breed too many ewes to a ram. For a yearling ram, 35 ewes are enough if he runs with the flock and has ordinary care. A ram two to five years old can take care of 40 to 50 ewes if he is strong and thrifty. The use of at least two rams per flock is sound insurance for getting all ewes bred.
Keep rams fresh and active by following one of these plans:
When using only one ram, you need to know when each ewe is bred in order to figure out when she will lamb. Use a saddle marking harness with crayons or smear a paint pigment on the ram's brisket every other day to show which ewes he has mounted. For the first 17 days use yellow ochre and old crankcase oil, smearing it on every other day with an old paint brush; from the 18th to 35th day, use venetian red and the oil; and for the third 17-day period, use lamp black as the coloring. This method lets you observe the activity and effectiveness of the ram.
If all or a large percentage of the ewes are returning to the ram two or three times, as shown by the pigment marks of red over yellow or black over red on the rumps of the ewes, get another ram. You may avoid failure to obtain a lamb crop by using this manner of checking breeding activity, although the lambs will be born late.
The condition of the ewes sometimes influences their conception rate. Recurring heat is not always the fault of the ram. Various environmental factors affect the ewes. Some sheep producers report considerable difficulty in getting ewes to settle when grazing certain types of pasture, especially seedings of clover or other legumes.
The careful shepherd prepares for lambing time. Extra care saves lambs and keeps ewes in good condition.
As lambing time nears, observe the ewes closely. At least two to four weeks before lambing, either completely shear or clip wool and tags around the udder and hindquarters. This makes it easier to determine when ewes are to lamb, and lets newborn lambs nurse with less difficulty. The ewe is also not as likely to wander into the pasture during rainy, cold weather. You also get higher-yielding fleeces with less foreign matter.
Exercise and sunshine are important for the pregnant ewe but make sure she does not lamb outside during cold weather. Signs of approaching parturition are a swelling of the vulva, a fuller udder, uneasiness, bleating, hollows between the last rib and the hip, raising of the dock and straining.
A well-cared-for, healthy ewe seldom has trouble lambing. However, if a ewe strains strongly and does not deliver within 30 minutes, get help from someone with experience delivering lambs or call a veterinarian. Plan ahead to get help quickly if you need it.
Shortly after the lamb is born, dip its navel cord in a seven percent iodine solution to prevent navel infections. Make sure the lamb is dried promptly and does not chill. Just before or shortly after the ewe lambs, put her in a dry, well-bedded lambing pen. Make the pen (four by four feet, or five by five feet for larger ewes) by setting a hinged hurdle across a corner. Set the pen up in the warmest part of the shed or barn and make sure there are no drafts.
Be sure the ewe has accepted her lamb and that the lamb nurses within 30 minutes. Most lambs stand on their feet and nurse shortly after birth. It is important that lambs get the ewe's first milk--colostrum.
If the lamb is weak, help it to nurse. If it is cold, get it warm as soon as you can by placing it in a pail of warm water. Then vigorously rub the lamb with a towel or woolen cloth. If a lamb brooder is not available place the revived lamb in a box or basket in a warm place and allow it to nurse every two or three hours. In a short time, it will be strong enough to return to its mother. Rubbing the lamb with some of the ewe's milk is added insurance that she will claim it.
Chilled lambs often become constipated. Provide relief with a teaspoon castor oil or milk of magnesia, warm, soapy enema or infant size suppositories. Several treatments might be necessary before the bowels function normally.
Keep the ewe and lamb in the lambing pen from one to three days. This allows a "bonding" period and prevents lambs from being disowned or trampled. Young ewes might need to stay an extra day or so in the lambing pen. Do not release the ewes and lambs from the pens until the lamb is strong enough to stay with the ewe.
Handle the ewe carefully for a few days. Give her all the hay she can eat. Add grain gradually to the ewe's feed. By the time her lamb is 10 days to two weeks old, she should be getting a full ration of grain or concentrate along with hay. Keep fresh, clean water before her at all times.
Check ewes that have lambed night and morning for a couple of days to see that the udder is in good condition. Sometimes a lamb will nurse on only one side. When this happens, graft another lamb onto the ewe. Heavy milking ewes with a single lamb can often be induced to accept one of a set of twins. If you cannot get these ewes to mother another lamb, remove them from the flock and reduce their rations, particularly the grain. If udder trouble develops, milk the ewe and administer sulfa drugs and antibiotics. Remove all ewes afflicted with infected udders, and their lambs, to clean, dry, well-bedded quarters, where they can be carefully tended and the spread of infection controlled.
Dock all lambs and castrate ram lambs when they are a week to 10 days of age. Lambs bleed less, heal quicker and are easier to handle and manage at this age.
There are many acceptable methods for docking and castrating lambs. Examples include Burdizzo clamps, an elastrator, a knife and an emasculator. The technique used depends on personal preference, lamb age and size and environmental conditions. If good management and sanitary practices are followed, any of these methods will produce good results.
Be sure your hands are clean and the equipment used is clean and disinfected. Place the lambs either on clean pastures or in clean pens after being docked and castrated. Vaccinate them for tetanus (antitoxin) and for overeating disease with Type C&D vaccine at this time. A combination vaccine containing Type C&D plus Tetanus (CD/T) is available. Revaccinate the lambs in 14 to 21 days.
Docking and castrating lambs normally requires two people -- one to hold the lamb and one to carry out the procedure. For docking and castrating, the lamb is normally held in a sitting position with its back to the holder who holds the hind and forelegs of the same side in each hand. Rest the rump of the lamb on a board or some other solid surface to help make the procedure easier.
The Burdizzo clamp is a heavy metal instrument. It castrates by severing the cord that carries blood to the testes causing the testicles to shrink and eventually disappear in four to eight weeks. Work the cord to one side of the scrotum before applying the clamps. The same procedure is used on the other cord. Do not apply the clamps across the entire scrotum to crush both cords at the same time.
In docking, the Burdizzo clamps crush the arteries and tissues of the tail and a knife completes the operation. Apply the clamps and hold for about one minute. Then use a knife to cut the tail off within the closed jaws of the clamp. This results in very little loss of blood and is preferred for docking and castrating during fly season or on lambs several weeks old.
The elastrator docks and castrates by applying heavy rubber bands that shut off the blood supply, causing the tail and scrotum to "dry up" and drop off in about two weeks, depending on the size and age of the lambs. For April or later born lambs, remove the scrotum and tail after five to seven days instead of allowing them to drop off. Spray the areas with a disinfectant/repellent for fly control.
To dock with the elastrator, pass the tail through the open band and release the band at the desired location for severing the tail. Castrating is similar. The scrotum and both testicles are passed through the open band and the ring is placed on the top of the scrotum next to the body. When using the elastrator, be sure both testicles are below the band before the band is released. If both are in place, carefully release the band, remove the applicator and recheck.
Although the Burdizzo clamps and elastrator are bloodless methods of castration, they are not foolproof and slips can occur. Observations indicate that the rubber band is painful to the lamb for about 45 minutes.
A sharp, disinfected knife is an effective instrument for castrating lambs. To castrate, hold the lamb in a sitting position, cut off the end of the scrotum and remove the testicles. Castrate ram lambs at a young age.
Excessive bleeding can occur when a knife is used for castrating. If this occurs, apply dressing to the wound. If done during fly season, also use a repellent.
In docking with the emasculator, apply it at the point where the tail is to be severed. It has a crushing and cutting effect and leaves a serrated edge, resulting in little loss of blood. This is not a good method for docking older lambs.
Use the emasculator to cut and crush the cord when lambs are castrated with a knife to prevent excesssive bleeding.
Ewes that have their lambs removed without proper management are susceptible to developing mastitis. Mastitis causes the udder to become hard, swollen, inflamed and the milk clots. In severe cases, the affected portion can slough off and the ewe can die. Cull affected ewes because many will harbor the organism.
Improper management at weaning enhances udder problems, particularly for heavy milking ewes and ewes that are early weaned.
Early weaning is practiced by most producers at about 60 to 90 days of age. This practice saves money on ewe supplemental feed costs. If lambs are weaned, ewes can be pastured on poorer quality pastures.
When early weaning is used, take caution in drying up the ewe's milk so as not to spoil the udder. About one week before weaning, take all grain away from the ewes. One day before weaning, do not give the ewes access to feed. Furnish water but no feed of any kind. For 24 hours after weaning do not give the ewes feed or water. The second to fifth day after weaning, give the ewes access to water but no more than one pound per ewe per day of poor quality hay or straw. After the fifth day, the ewes can be fed average quality hay and all the water they want.
For heavy milking ewes, allow the lambs to nurse for a short time period at 12, 36 and 48 hours after initial separation. Take the ewes away from the lambs, leaving the lambs in their familiar surroundings.
Ewes properly dried up will not develop udder problems. Observe closely and treat ewes at the first sign of trouble. Examine the udders of all ewes in the flock annually before breeding. Cull any ewes with hard, fibrous udder sections.
Foot rot disease is a serious problem when it appears in a flock. It is usually brought into the flock by purchased flock additions. Foot rot is caused by at least two different organisms.
The infection spreads under the horny tissue of the hoof, separating it from the soft tissue underneath. Studies show that this organism can live in the hoof for two and one-half years but cannot survive outside the hoof for more than about two weeks.
The first symptom is lameness. Sheep show soreness when they walk and take their weight off the infected foot when at rest. Sheep having two infected front feet may go down on their knees to graze.
If there is any sign of foot rot, keep the new sheep isolated and continue treatment until they are safe to add to the flock, or return them to the seller.
There are many effective treatments to prevent foot rot. Combining the following treatments is more effective than using a single treatment:
Controlling internal parasites is difficult. Georgia's climate, the grazing habits of sheep, and the roundworms ability to lay thousands of eggs make parasite control a year-round battle. While roundworms are the most common internal parasite in Georgia, tapeworms and lungworms are also present in a large number of flocks and cause problems. Parasites reduce profits by retarding growth, lowering feed efficiency, lowering resistance to other diseases and causing death. Sheep production is profitable only when internal parasites are controlled.
Roundworms are found in the fourth stomach or intestines of sheep. They absorb food from the stomach and intestines, irritate the lining of these organs and suck blood from the gut wall. Some symptoms of roundworm infestation are diarrhea, unthrifty appearance, poor appetite, anemia and weakness. Wool becomes brittle. In severe, long term cases of infestation, a swelling under the jaw, known as "bottle jaw," can develop.
Tapeworms locate in the intestinal tract, where they absorb nutrients and deprive the sheep of nourishment. Large numbers can cause mechanical blocking of the intestinal tract. Symptoms of infestation are similar to those of roundworms.
Lungworms get into the intestinal tract when the sheep eats snails that have ingested the infective larvae of the worms. These lungworms' larvae pass through the gut wall and migrate through the body to the lungs, where they become adults. Sheep with lungworms develop severe coughing, nasal discharge, rapid breathing and a reduced appetite.
To confirm a diagnosis collect fecal samples from at least five sheep suspected of carrying parasites. Send or take the samples to a local veterinarian. These samples will then be analyzed to determine the type of infestation present.
An understanding of the worm cycle is helpful in controlling worms. Adult worms in the sheep lay tremendous numbers of eggs and these pass out in the manure. The eggs hatch and the young worms (larvae) crawl up blades of grass where they are eaten by sheep, and the cycle starts again. The key to parasite control is to deworm sheep and prevent recontamination.
Deworming sheep kills some of the worms in the sheep which has an immediate beneficial effect on health. Approved deworming agents include Ivomec Sheep Drench, Tramisol, Thiabendazole and Phenothiazine. Thiabendazole appears not to be very effective. Although not officially approved for sheep, Safeguard has been used effectively by producers. Mix powder Phenothiazine with salt at a ratio of one part Phenothiazine to nine parts salt. Put the mixture in the salt box. Phenothiazine not only works internally killing worms but also passes through the manure where it will kill the larvae hatching from the eggs.
Killing newly hatching worms is one way to prevent recontamination; pasture rotation is another. Rotate pastures as often as possible. Ideally move sheep to a fresh pasture every two weeks and leave each pasture free of sheep for two or three weeks. The parasites will die as the grass and soil dry out in the summer and freeze in winter. When the infective larvae are not ingested, their life cycle is broken. Use cattle or other stock in the rotation because parasites that affect sheep do not affect cattle, and vice versa. So, when cattle follow sheep in a rotation, they remove the larvae as they graze without harming themselves.
Do not use ponds to water sheep. Millions of larvae are present around the edges of ponds. Always place feed, hay, silage and other supplemental feeds in feeders above the ground. This saves feed and prevents contamination by parasite eggs in the manure.
Because 10 to 15 percent of the gross income is derived from wool sales, it should be handled as a valuable product. Shearing harvests a crop that has been 12 months in the making, and the following practices will increase the value of the wool clip.
The Georgia Sheep and Wool Growers Association sponsors a wool pool through which most Georgia wool is marketed. The Association also schedules the stops of professional shearers. Use this service. The cost is reasonable and shearing is difficult for beginners.
Sort the wool into the following grades:
The wool pool markets all wool by these grades. Sale prices are based on the care taken in shearing, sorting and handling your wool. Exercise care to ensure that it is a good, marketable product.
Maximizing returns is the goal of all flock owners. A production plan is necessary if the goal is to be reached. Include items that directly affect feeding and merchandising, such as feed sources, rations, health program and a marketing plan. Realistic goals are necessary for efficient feeding and marketing. They are:
Feed is a major cost item; therefore, have a definite plan as to what and how you feed your lambs. This will depend on your marketing plans. Market lamb prices are higher at certain times of the year, so consider net profits rather than maxiumum or minimum feed costs. Most lambs are born during January, February and March in Georgia which enables farmers to get peak lamb prices normally received during May and June. Recommendations on sheep feeding are dangerous because they might not apply to every farm. However, because of the lambing season in Georgia and the better marketing oppor-tunities in the late spring creep feed and push the lambs to market weight as rapidly as possible.
Forages can provide 100 percent of the nutrition required to produce a grade prime or choice lamb carcass; however, lambs born before March 1 should be creep fed from a few days of age until they are ready to market, wean or go on good pasture.
Use creep feeding to fatten lambs for market or to develop them for replacement breeding animals. Lambs usually start eating in a creep when only a few days old. Older lambs are more difficult to start on a creep, so start creep feeding lambs early on a palatable feed. Locate the creep in a well-lighted area where ewes are apt to spend much time. Keep the troughs clean and the creep well-bedded. Vaccinate lambs when docking and weaning to help prevent losses from enterotoxemia (overeating disease).
Creep feeding of fall and winter lambs usually proves profitable because they gain faster and put on firmer fat when hand-fed. Creep feeding can mean the difference between producing a feeder and a fat lamb.
Three pounds of grain in a creep ration normally produces a pound of lamb gain. Milk production of the ewe increases during the first month after lambing. It then starts declining with many ewes giving very little milk by the time lambs are three months old. For this reason, creep feed lambs not on good pasture. If lambs reach three months of age during winter, wean the lambs and get them on full feed and put the ewes on a maintenance ration. To get fast growth on market lambs, use a ration high in energy and adjust the amount of protein for size and age. Corn is the best energy source, followed by grain sorghum, barley, and oats (the safest grain to feed). Wheat is an excellent source of energy but should not be over 50 percent of the grain portion of the ration. Normally, corn should be the basis of the creep or lamb rations; however, check other grain prices to determine the cheapest ration.
It is not usually necessary to grind, roll, crack, crimp or alter the natural form of grain because sheep have an efficient chewing or grinding system. Although young lambs chew their food well, grain creep rations for lambs should be cracked, crimped or rolled. This is especially true for rations lambs start on. Dusty, powdery, wet or coarsely textured rations are not readily accepted by sheep. Pelleted rations are acceptable but watch them when weather conditions are humid. Excessive moisture causes the pellet to soften and lose shape and not be accepted by sheep. Keep creep ration fresh at all times. In initiating creep feeding, very little feed should be put in the trough at any one time. If the ration is not eaten within a normal period of time, replace it with a fresh batch.
The following are recommended protein levels: for lambs up to 30 pounds, use rations containing 18 to 20 percent protein; for lambs up to 70 pounds, use rations containing 14 to 16 percent protein; for lambs 75 pounds and up, use rations containing 12 to 14 percent protein. Do not use ground ear corn in early creep rations because lambs cannot digest the cob.
Creep or lamb rations can be ground, cracked, rolled or pelleted. Complete rations should be in one of the above forms. Keep the feed palatable and fresh. Following are some sample rations:
| 1. | 79% cracked shelled corn | 14% protein |
| 10% oats | ||
| 10% soybean mean (48%) | ||
| 1% ground limestone | ||
| Alfalfa hay - free choice | ||
| 2. | 54% cracked corn | 16% protein |
| 40% alfalfa pellets | ||
| 5% soybean meal | ||
| 1% ground limestone | ||
| 3. | 74% cracked corn | 14% protein |
| 10% oats | ||
| 10% soybean meal | ||
| 5% molasses protein | ||
| 1% ground limestone | ||
| 4. | 54% ground shelled corn | 19% protein |
| 25% ground legume hay | ||
| 15% soybean meal | ||
| 5% molasses | ||
| 1% ground limestone | ||
| 5. | 48% rolled corn | 15% protein |
| 20% oats | ||
| 17% alfalfa pellets | ||
| 9% soybean meal | ||
| 5% molasses | ||
| 1/2% trace mineral salt | ||
| 1/2% ground limestone |
These rations are intended as sample rations only - not as the only possible rations available for feeding lambs. Other grains can be used, depending upon price comparison and protein level desired. Make top quality hay available to the lambs either on a limited or free choice basis. Use rations containing 40 percent roughage and 60 percent concentrate (or 60:40, respectively) to fatten lambs. Daily feed requirements of lambs are about four percent of their body weight of a ration based on the feedstuffs containing 90 percent dry matter.
There are other considerations in ensuring fast, efficient gains in developing lambs.
Include antibiotics (aureomycin, terramycin or erythromycin) in a creep ration to reduce scours and overeating disease. Twenty-five to 50 milligrams per pound of feed are recommended for suckling lambs.
Lambs are very susceptible to parasite infetation and disease organisms. Make every effort to keep your lambs healthy. It is easier to prevent than it is to cure. Good management is essential.
A good mineral mix is important in ensuring the maximum performance from lambs. Make complete mineral mixes available at all times. Place a complete mineral mix in a mineral box and have feed grade salt available in a separate box. Ground limestone mixed with equal parts of salt is an effective mineral supplement mix for lambs. When buying feed formulated for other livestock, be sure it meets sheep specifications and is not harmful. For example, some dairy feeds contain too much copper or urea to be utilized as lamb feed. Do not feed urea to growing lambs at rates greater than two and one-half or three percent of the ration. If a feed containing urea is to be fed, introduce it to the lambs gradually in a small quantity and increase the amount until the lambs are on full feed. Copper and urea can cause toxicity and death. Some lambs develop a stiffness that is corrected after injections of either vitamins A, D, and E, or Selenium. Constant monitoring of your lambs will ensure that they stay healthy, vigorous and produce efficient gains.
Water is essential and must be available 24 hours a day. It should be clean, fresh and of the proper temperature. Good water encourages the lambs to eat more and, therefore, enhances feed efficiency.
Increase lamb gain and efficiency with growth stimulants. However, do not market implanted lambs for 40 days after implanting. Implant use boosts your net return from finishing lambs.
Weaned lambs usually make faster gains on balanced grain and hay rations than on pasture, but good gains have been recorded on fresh, lush clover or clover and grass pastures. In cool weather, weaned lambs make satisfactory gains on pasture and grain, but in hot weather expect equal or better gains from lambs fed grain and hay and kept in a cool, well-ventilated barn. During hot weather, feed lambs a 13 to 15 percent protein ration.
A set of scales to check weight gains is helpful in making management decisions, as well as picking lambs for market. When weight gains drop under half a pound a day, change or improve management. Slow gains can be a sign of poor nutrition, internal or external parasites, hot weather or a combination of these. Under such circumstances, lambs can become stunted or die. It is to your advantage to constantly monitor the progress of your lambs. Keep them healthy and vigorous and they will perform well.
Sheep production is no different from other livestock production. It should produce a profit. Lamb sales make up about 85 to 90 percent of the gross returns from an operation, with wool and the sale of cull sheep representing the balance. Yet livestock producers tend to work all year growing the crop and sell, rather than market, their product. Merchandising is an art, regardless of the enterprise or crop being raise. Getting lambs ready for market begins before they are born. The production program must be laid out and followed for efficient merchandising. In Georgia, plan the production program for the May-June marketing period. Market lambs sold this time of the year generally demand top dollar compared to those sold at other periods throughout the year.
Marketing lambs requires a great deal of planning and a little bit of luck. (Georgia is in a poor location relative to lamb slaughtering facilities. Therefore, prices quoted in other parts of the United States are generally not received for the same product in Georgia.) There are alternatives available in marketing lambs. A little bit of extra work is necessary, but people who do not make the extra effort are not going to be successful producers.
There are basically three methods of marketing lambs in Georgia: as feeder lambs, as market lambs (generally going out of state) or as a home freezer trade. Table 4 illustrates the effect of marketing method on potential income.
There are variations of these three methods, and the alternative they offer can mean the
difference between profit and loss in your operation.
| Table 4. Effect of Marketing Method on Potential Income | |||
| Method | Range | ||
| Wt. | Price/lb | Gross Income | |
| Feeder lamb | 60 | .60-.80 | $36.00-$48.00 |
| Market lamb | 100 | .60-.80 | $60.00-$80.00 |
| Home freezer | 100 | .80-.100 | $80.00-$100.00 |
The production and sale of feeder lambs is not as profitable as other forms of marketing. The price received is normally in the range of lambs sold as choice or prime lambs. Do not sacrifice returns by producing inferior quality lambs and selling them as feeder lambs at low prices. There are circumstances when it is advantageous to sell your lambs as feeders such as when there is a feed shortage, when there is insufficient lamb growth because of the season and the weather, and when there is a profitable price opportunity.
Study the market daily, and select the marketing outlet giving the highest net sale. For example, if feeder lambs can be sold for a price that is within range of a fat market price on a per head basis, considering feed costs for growing the lamb to slaughter weight, then it might be advantageous to sell the lambs as feeders. But it is to your advantage to produce a market lamb of desirable weight and quality to be a fat market lamb.
In Georgia, the traditional system of marketing has been group marketing with a lamb pool. Lambs are brought to a central location, weighed, graded and sold to packers or buyers by telephone. Market lambs must be a choice or prime lamb weighing between 90 and 125 pounds. Spring lambs are top quality lambs that have been fed grain to reach the desired weight within four to six months. The buyer transports the lambs from the pool site to the facilities. Because the buyer never sees the lambs before buying them, a high-quality product and absolute honesty are required to maintain this market from year to year. Truckload lots (up to 400 head) are required for top dollar. Prices less than those quoted at major markets are usually received if the buyer pays for transportation and if there are insufficient lambs for truckload lots.
The Georgia Sheep and Wool Growers Association coordinates this marketing effort. Obtain more information regarding lamb pools from the association or your county Extension agent.
Home freezer trade is a convenient way of marketing choice and prime lambs. However, extra effort is required to establish this market. Run newspaper ads in your area to advertise your product. Producers are often surprised at the response they receive. Once this market is established, demand often exceeds supply; however, this technique is better suited to small flocks than to larger flocks.
A quality product is an absolute must--a 90 to 125 pound spring lamb from four to six months old. A reliable slaughter house with an operator who has a knowledge of lamb processing and cutting is necessary. Lambs can be priced to buyers on the foot or carcass basis.
Another variation of the home freezer market is the ethnic trade. Certain ethnic groups require lamb during various religious seasons. These lambs can weigh 40 pounds and up. Many of these buyers will want to perform a ceremonial slaughter on your farm. A year to year trade can be developed with little difficulty; however, the ethnic market can be a changing market. Have an alternative marketing plan in case all of your lambs are not sold.
Market lambs when they reach their peak of efficient gain. Different breeds and types of lambs reach this peak at different weights. Normally, gains slow down but the lambs continue to eat as much feed as possible and put on fat. Overfinished lambs require more feed per pound of grain and are less desirable to the consumer. The market situation is a factor in deciding when to sell lambs. If the market price is stable or increasing, hold and move at heavier weights. If market price is going down or a seasonal decline is expected, sell earlier at slightly lighter weights. The present demand is for grade prime or choice lambs weighing between 90 and 125 pounds, but this could change. Remember, merchandising lambs is a never-ending task. Follow an efficient production plan throughout the year to enhance profit potential.
Bluetongue is a virus spread by gnats that infects many species of ruminant animals and is particularly serious in sheep. Cattle seldom show clinical signs of the disease but can serve as reservoirs to infect sheep and other ruminants. Blood testing in Georgia indicates that between 30 to 60 percent of sheep and cattle have been exposed to the virus.
Although a high percentage of cattle and sheep test positive to bluetongue, clinical signs are seldom present because of a high degree of immunity. There are five types (serotypes) of the virus found in the United States. Only two are found widespread in Georgia and these may not cause severe symptoms.
When symptoms occur in sheep, after an incubation period of five to 10 days, they start panting and get a reddening of the muzzle, lips and ears. Temperature rises up to 107.5 degrees Farenheit. Ulcers, as well as mouth and dental pad erosions, can occur. Frequently there is cyanosis of the tongue, thus the name blue tongue, swollen ears and muzzle and lameness resulting from impaired circulation of the coronary band. Untreated sheep often die of pneumonia. Ewes infected during pregnancy often abort or have deformed lambs.
Culicoides gnats breed in the mud and dirt around water holes, leaking watering tanks and ponds. Keep the area dry around watering tanks and keep the sheep away from ponds and mud. Spray the sheep and breeding areas to control the insects. Do not graze sheep with, or close to, cattle.
A vaccine is available for only one serotype of the virus. Unfortunately, this serotype is not widespread in Georgia, and the vaccine is not effective against the other four serotypes, two of which are widespread in Georgia.
If you suspect that your sheep have bluetongue, contact your veterinarian for testing and examinations. Bluetongue can be confused with many other diseases, including foot and mouth disease. Sheep often recover if they are kept on antibiotics, fed soft feed (such as soaked grain) and held in a small pen with plenty of fresh clean water.
Chlamydial abortion of ewes is also known as Endemic Abortion of Ewes (EAE). It is caused by bacteria ingested shortly after birth from infected afterbirth or from contaminated lots or pens by mature susceptible ewes. EAE usually does not cause more than 30 percent abortion in a newly infected flock and only about one to five percent abortion in a chronically infected flock.
Infected ewes or lambs usually abort the first time they become pregnant or during the current pregnancy if infected early in gestation. Abortion or the birth of weak lambs occurs late in pregnancy. Retained placenta occurs in a small number of ewes. When EAE is a problem in a flock, many of the ewes do not seem to "do well" even if they don't abort. There are more prolapsed vaginas and uteruses, lack of appetite and mastitis.
Control EAE by vaccinating susceptible ewes. If the disease is endemic in a flock, vaccinate replacement ewes. Once a flock becomes infected it remains infected. Infected ewes become immune after the first abortion. Feed 150 mg of chlortetracycline per head per day for about three weeks before breeding.
If the disease occurs in a flock, isolate aborting ewes. Collect and carefully dispose of aborted fetuses and placentas. Tetracyclines have been used to treat aborting flocks but with questionable value. Early diagnosis is necessary. Submit aborted fetuses and placentas to the laboratory because this disease is easily confused with other causes of abortion.
Enterotoxemia, or "overeating disease," is one of the most common causes of death in sheep. While it affects sheep of all ages, it usually either occurs in lambs under six weeks of age that are nursing heavy milking ewes or in weaned lambs on lush pasture or in finishing lots. Frequently, the large, single, most vigorous lambs on the pasture are lost.
Enterotoxemia is caused by bacteria Clostridium perfingens Types C and D releasing toxin in the digestive tract of sheep. The bacteria are normally in the bowels of most sheep. When normal conditions in the digestive tract are altered, the bacteria grow rapidly, enter the small bowel and produce a toxin that is absorbed through the intestinal wall causing death within a few hours.
This disease is brought about by a sluggish intestinal movement from lack of exercise, excessive feed intake or run-down conditions associated with poor nutrition, other diseases or parasitism.
Death from enterotoxemia usually occurs suddenly and without warning; there is no satisfactory treatment for affected animals. Therefore, prevention is of the utmost importance. Prevent losses in young lambs (up to six weeks old) by vaccinating the ewe during pregnancy. Ewes that have not been previously vaccinated should be vaccinated twice, two to four weeks apart, with the second vaccination being given two to four weeks before lambing. Give previously vaccinated ewes an annual booster two to four weeks before lambing. Vaccinate lambs with Type C and D vaccines when docking or weaning. Use antitoxin in lambs in the case of an outbreak.
Pregnant ewe disease (pregnancy toxemia, ketosis, twin lamb disease) is the most commonly occurring metabolic disease of sheep. Improperly fed ewes that are losing weight in advanced pregnancy are affected. In most cases, afflicted ewes are carrying twin or triplet lambs.
Ewes that are starry-eyed, walk with a halting or unsteady gait or lag behind the rest of the flock are in the early stages of this disease. In advanced stages, ewes have a sweetish odor to their breath that helps identify this disease.
Prevent pregnancy toxemia with proper nutrition and management. Do not allow ewes to become overfat in early pregnancy. Increase energy and protein intake during the last three to four weeks of pregnancy. Avoid stresses, such as moving sheep too rapidly, drenching, excessive working and crowding in corrals.
Unless treated early, the disease is fatal. As soon as any of the symptoms are noticed, increase the grain portion of the ration considerably and offer molasses free-choice.
Stricken ewes often show remarkable recovery when given a drench of four to six ounces of molasses and either injected with 50 to 60 milliliters of 50 percent glucose solution or treated orally with 150 to 175 milliliters of glycerol daily.
Pneumonia is one of the major health problems of sheep. It is caused by a number of organisms and foreign bodies affecting the lungs. Young lambs are particularly susceptible, but sheep of all ages are affected.
Healthy sheep can carry pneumonia in their respiratory tracts; however, the disease develops only after the animal becomes run-down from poor feeding, parasites or prolonged exposure. Chilling, fatigue, and exposure from dipping and shearing can allow pneumonia to develop.
Symptoms of pneumonia include fever, labored breathing and refusal to eat. In later stages, the animal becomes depressed and can have a discharge from its eyes and nose. Sometimes older sheep die without showing any symptoms.
Because exposure and chilling are factors in causing pneumonia, do everything possible to prevent these conditions. Provide warm, sanitary lambing pens. Do not dip or shear in cold, raw weather unless you have warm housing. Sound parasite control along with proper feeding and management also helps prevent pneumonia.
Because early treatment is usually effective, watch your flock constantly for signs of the disease and call your veterinarian as soon as symptoms appear in any of the sheep. Sulfonamides and antibiotics, such as penicillin, aureomycin or streptomycin, give satisfactory results in most cases.
Sore mouth is caused by a virus in the poxvirus genus. The virus is found all over the world and is common in Georgia in sheep and goats. It usually affects the young but can affect adult sheep which are not immune. It most often affects the lips and muzzle and can be a problem on teats and udders of ewes. Although the disease is usually not fatal, it can lead to starvation because of the animals impaired ability to eat.
Ulceration and heavy scabs are usually found on the lips and in the mouth. Lesions are found on the feet and legs. When a lesion is on the ewe's teats and udders, she will not let the lambs nurse. Lesions can be spread from the ewe to the lamb, and visa versa. Secondary bacterial infections can be a problem, so use an antibacterial ointment. The disease lasts from one to four weeks if there are no complications.
Humans can become infected with painful ulcers and nodules which usually appear on hands or face. When handling sheep with sore mouth, wear waterproof gloves and wash hands thoroughly after handling infected animals.
Inspect sheep for sore mouth before adding them to a non-immune flock. Reject them if they have sore mouth. The virus is very resistant and has been isolated from scabs for as long as 12 years. Once a premises has sore mouth, all lambs should be vaccinated at one month of age and again at two to three months. If the virus is introduced into a susceptible flock, vaccinate the non-afflicted animals. After the animal recovers from sore mouth, it has immunity for life. In most cases, the vaccination results in a good immunity.
Sheep are vaccinated by scarifying the skin and brushing a small amount of the live vaccine on the area. Sheep are usually vaccinated inside the thigh, but the inside of the ear can also be used.
Treat infected animals with topical antibacterial ointment to control secondary bacterial infections. There is nothing to kill the virus in the lesion, so it must run its course.
| Breeding Dates: | August 1 - October 1 |
| Lambing Dates: | December 24 - February 22 |
| Wean all lambs: | May 15 |
| Market all lambs: | By July 15 |
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
Trade and brand names are used only for information. The Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia College of Agriculture does not guarantee nor warrant the standard of any product mentioned; neither does it imply approval of any product to the exclusion of others which may also be suitable.
Bulletin 879/Revised October, 1990
The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State College, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability.
An Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
Gale A. Buchanan, Dean and Director