392 Records and Animal Identifi cation performance-based selection criteria for things such as growth rate, percent lamb crops, and grease-wool production. Based on records that are entered into a computer program, the shepherd receives reports that detail “Expected Progeny Differences” (EPDs) for different animals. The EPD process has been used extensively in the dairy, beef cattle, and swine industries for many years and is only now being implemented in the sheep industry. NSIP works through the breed associations or with groups of producers to deliver across-fl ock EPDs to purebred breeders, who then use these EPDs to guide them in their selection and genetic-improvement programs. A producer who is a member of NSIP receives reports on the EPD values (reported as plus or minus numbers from the breed’s average) for every animal in a fl ock, based on the actual performance of the animals according to the shepherd’s records and also based on all the animals that are genetically related to them. Data are tracked over many years and many management systems, which increases the effi ciency and reliability of the data. EPDs essentially rank all the animals by certain genetic values, which helps the shepherd identify high-producing replacements, cull poor-producing animals, and improve certain genetic traits by pairing rams and ewes that will move the fl ock in the direction the shepherd wants. Computer Software and Spreadsheets With a home computer, you can use spreadsheets (such as Excel and Lotus) to create records. There are templates for spreadsheets available from a variety of sites on the Internet that let you balance rations and track fl ock records, but truly, today there are such great software options that are relatively inexpensive (anywhere from about $50 to $300) that I strongly recommend using software. N AT I O N A L A N I M A L IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM As this edition is being prepared, the National Animal Identifi cation System, or NAIS, a new and extremely controversial program from the USDA, has producers large and small engaged in a heated debate. Read more about NAIS and its status on page 400.
Records and Animal Identifi cation 393 IDENTIFYING YOUR ANIMALS You may be wondering, “Do I have to use a numbering system for identifying individual animals or can I simply name them?” If you have just a couple of animals, it is easy to remember them by name, but as your fl ock grows, names become more diffi cult to track than numbers. My rule of thumb: If you have more than six head, you probably should be using numbered ear tags, though you can still name favorite individuals. Some shepherds use ear notches, neck tags, or other forms of identifi cation, but the plastic ear tags are inexpensive, easy to use, and usually easy to see from a fair distance. Scrapie tags are required by law for all sheep entering interstate commerce (being sold outside your state). Many states also require you to tag any animals that will be removed from the premises of origin for purposes other than slaughter, so if you get involved in showing sheep, you should assume that you will need to tag them. Check www.eradicatescrapie.org to learn more about scrapie-identifi cation requirements where you live. Premier has the largest selection of tags and can custom imprint tags for you. (It also has the widest supply of specialty sheep products, and is a great resource for fencing; see Resources.) At least a dozen companies provide software that makes tracking fl ock information a snap. These systems include basic animal ID, but they also provide detailed health and medical records, ration balancing, marketing-related records (such as dairy, meat-quality, and wool-quality records), and complete fi nancial records. These programs are easy to use and will pay for themselves fairly quickly. Several work with handheld devices, such as a “Palm” device, making them ideal for recording data in the barn or fi eld. Most of the companies that produce software have free download trials, so you can actually play with a few before settling on a product. Susan Schoenian has a list of software programs on her Web site (see Resources for her Web address). Sample Record Charts If you want to avoid computers, or if you want to set up your own record system on a spreadsheet, here are a few samples to give you an idea:
394 Records and Animal Identifi cation SAMPLE EWE CHART EWE NAME OR # NUMBER OF LIVE LAMBS BORN (DATE) AVERAGE WEANING WEIGHT NUMBER OF WEANED LAMBS (DATE) WOOL CONDITION WOOL WEIGHT (DATE) VACCINATIONS, HOOF TRIMMINGS, ILLNESSES, OTHER INFORMATION (DATE) 101 2 (5/13) 48 2 (7/19) excellent 7 (4/28) trimmed hooves (4/28) 102 2 (5/19) 39 1 (7/19) excellent 7.5 (4.28) trimmed hooves (4/28); 1 lamb died of scours (5/22)
SAMPLE RAM CHART RAM NAME OR # RAM BREED RAM BIRTH DATE YEAR FIRST DAY OF BREEDING SEASON LAST DAY OF BREEDING SEASON TOTAL # OF EWES BRED IN CURRENT BREEDING SEASON LAMBING % (TOTAL LIVE LAMBS/EWES BRED) AVERAGE WEANING WEIGHT ALL LAMBS AVERAGE MARKET WEIGHT ALL LAMBS LEO Montadale 2007 September 15 October 19 16 1.7 67.7 122
395 Records and Animal Identifi cation
Feed Requirements for Sheep For Growing Sheep LIVE WEIGHT IN POUNDS 50 75 100 125 Dry matter lb. 2.2 3.5 4.0 4.6 Crude protein % 12.0 11.0 9.5 8.0 Crude protein lb. 0.26 0.39 0.38 0.37 TDN % 55.0 58.0 62.0 62.0 TDN lb. 1.21 2.03 2.48 2.85 Energy Mcal 1.14 1.18 1.27 1.27 Calcium % 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.18 Phosphorus % 0.21 0.18 0.18 0.16 For Breeding Sheep FIRST TWOTHIRDS OF GESTATION LAST THIRD OF GESTATION FIRST 10 WEEKS OF LACTATION LAST 14 WEEKS OF LACTATION RAMS AT MODERATE WORK Dry matter lb. per 100 lb. of body weight 2.5 3.5 4.2 3.5 3.5 Crude protein % 8.0 8.2 8.4 8.2 7.6 Crude protein lb. per 100 lb. of body weight 0.20 0.29 0.35 0.29 0.27 TDN % 50.0 52.0 58.0 52.0 55.0 TDN lb. per 100 lb. of body weight 1.25 1.82 2.44 1.82 1.93 Energy Mcal per lb. of feed 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.2 Calcium % 0.24 0.23 0.28 0.25 0.18 Phosporus % 0.19 0.17 0.21 0.19 0.16 TDN = total daily nutrients Note: Don’t feed sheep feed formulas or mineral mixtures that are not specifi cally recommended for them. The amounts of some trace minerals, such as copper, that are in feed for other classes of livestock may be toxic to sheep. 396
COMPOSITION OF COMMON FEEDSTUFFS FEED, COMMON NAME DESCRIPTION TYPICAL % DRY MATTER (DM) CRUDE PROTEIN %, DM BASIS CRUDE FIBER %, DM BASIS CALCIUM %, DM BASIS PHOSPHORUS %, DM BASIS TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS %, DM BASIS DIGESTIBLE ENERGY, MCAL/LB. Forages Alfalfa Fresh, vegetative 21 20.0 23 2.19 0.33 57–61 1.01–1.22 Alfalfa Hay, early-bloom 90 18.0 23 1.41 0.22 55–60 1.00–1.31 Alfalfa Hay, mature 91 13.0 38 1.13 0.18 50–55 0.90–1.10 Alfalfa Silage 38 15.5 30 1.30 0.27 55–58 1.06–1.17 Bermuda grass Fresh, vegetative 34 12.0 26 0.53 0.21 50–60 0.82–1.32 Bermuda grass Hay 90 6.0 31 0.43 0.20 45–49 0.94–1.10 Bird’sfoottrefoil Freshvegetative 24 210 25 191 022 6366 099150
397 Feed Requirements for Sheep Birds-foot trefoil Fresh, vegetative 24 21.0 25 1.91 0.22 63–66 0.99–1.50 Bluegrass Fresh, vegetative 31 17.4 25 0.50 0.44 56–72 0.92–1.40 Brome Fresh, vegetative 34 18.0 24 0.50 0.30 68–80 0.90–1.26 Brome Hay 89 10.0 37 0.30 0.35 54–55 0.99–1.29 Clover, red Fresh, vegetative 20 19.4 23 2.26 0.38 57–69 0.92–1.39 Clover, red Hay 89 16.0 29 1.53 0.25 49–60 0.91–1.37 Clover, crimson Fresh, vegetative 87 18.4 30 1.40 0.20 49–57 0.92–1.39 Clover, ladino Fresh, vegetative 19 27.2 14 1.93 0.35 56–68 1.13–1.57 Fescue Fresh, vegetative 28 22.1 21 0.53 0.38 70–73 0.79–1.24 Fescue Hay 92 9.5 37 0.30 0.26 48–62 0.82–1.24 Oat Hay 92 4.4 40 0.24 0.06 40–47 0.81–1.22 Orchard grass Fresh, vegetative 23 18.4 25 0.58 0.54 55–72 0.93–1.34 (continued on next page)
398 Feed Requirements for Sheep COMPOSITION OF COMMON FEEDSTUFFS (CONTINUED) FEED, COMMON NAME DESCRIPTION TYPICAL % DRY MATTER (DM) CRUDE PRO- TEIN %, DM BASIS CRUDE FIBER %, DM BASIS CALCIUM %, DM BASIS PHOSPHORUS %, DM BASIS TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS %, DM BASIS DIGESTIBLE ENERGY, MCAL/LB. Orchard grass Hay 91 8.4 34 0.26 0.30 45–54 0.86–1.38 Redtop Fresh, vegetative 29 11.6 27 0.46 0.29 60–65 0.84–1.24 Redtop Hay 94 11.7 31 0.63 0.35 54–57 0.90–1.15 Reed canary Fresh, vegetative 23 17.0 24 0.36 0.33 47–75 0.91–1.10 Ryegrass, annual Fresh, vegetative 25 14.5 24 0.65 0.41 50–60 0.79–1.24 Ryegrass, annual Hay 88 11.4 29 0.62 0.34 52–57 0.70–1.12 Ryegrass, perennial Fresh, vegetative 27 10.4 23 0.55 0.27 60–68 0.80–1.35 Ryegrassperennial Hay 86 86 30 062 032 4560 00120
Ryegrass, perennial Hay 86 8.6 30 0.62 0.32 45–60 0.0–1.20 Sudan grass Fresh, vegetative 18 16.8 23 0.43 0.41 63–70 0.83–1.40 Timothy Fresh, vegetative 26 18.0 32 0.39 0.32 61–72 0.76–1.34 Timothy Hay 89 9.1 31 0.48 0.22 45–60 0.78–1.31 Vetch Fesh, vegetative 22 20.8 28 1.36 0.34 55–57 1.02–1.23 Vetch Hay 89 20.8 31 1.18 0.32 67–72 0.91–1.10 Wheatgrass, crested Fresh, vegetative 28 21.5 22 0.46 0.34 70–75 0.95–1.26 Wheatgrass, crested Hay 93 12.4 33 0.33 0.21 50–53 0.85–1.11
FEED, COMMON NAME DESCRIPTION TYPICAL % DRY MATTER (DM) CRUDE PROTEIN %, DM BASIS CRUDE FIBER %, DM BASIS CALCIUM %, DM BASIS PHOSPHORUS %, DM BASIS TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS %, DM BASIS DIGESTIBLE ENERGY, MCAL/LB. GRAINS AND OTHER FEEDS Barley Grain 88 13.5 6 0.05 0.38 80–84 1.34–1.75 Beet pulp Dried with molasses 92 9.0 13 0.56 0.08 68–70 2.99–3.07 Brewer’s grain Dehydrated 92 30.0 14 0.33 0.55 64–68 1.14–1.60 Corn Shell (grain) 86 9.0 2 0.03 0.27 78–79 3.45–3.48 Corn ears Ground 87 9.0 9 0.07 0.28 74–83 1.36–1.70 Corn Distiller’s grains 94 23.0 12 0.11 0.43 70–86 1.25–1.75 Corn Silage 33 81 24 024 022 66–71 132–142
399 Feed Requirements for Sheep Corn Silage 33 8.1 24 0.24 0.22 66–71 1.32–1.42 Cotton Seed hulls 91 4.1 48 0.15 0.09 33–42 0.65–0.97 Cotton Seed meal 93 44.3 13 0.21 1.16 75–78 0.97–1.72 Cotton Seeds 92 24.0 21 0.16 0.75 90–96 1.05–1.57 Oats Grain 89 13.0 12 0.07 0.38 76–77 1.29–1.54 Rye Grain 88 11.3 2 0.07 0.34 71–78 3.15–3.43 Soybean Meal 89 50.0 7 0.33 0.71 82–86 1.22–1.71 Soybean Seeds 92 43.0 6 0.27 0.65 56–64 1.67–1.88 Sunfl ower Seeds, no hulls 93 47.0 11 0.53 0.50 61–68 2.67–3.01 Turnip Roots, fresh 10 1.0 1 0.03 – 7–8 0.32–0.37 Wheat Middlings 87 16.0 3 0.08 0.50 73–78 3.21–3.45 Note: The ranges for total digestible nutrients and digestible energy that are available in a feedstuff vary by species. As a rule of thumb, monogastric animals are at the low end of these ranges and ruminants are at the highest end.
National Animal Identifi cation System The National Animal Identifi cation System, or NAIS, is a controversial program that would require every farm animal in the country to have Radio Frequency IDs implanted, and every animal owner’s property registered with the government. The USDA’s justifi cation for the program is that it will “protect the health of U.S. livestock and poultry and the economic well-being of those industries” by enabling quick and effective tracing of an animal disease to its source. However, the program was developed by industrial agriculture, and it is not necessarily in the best interest of small farmers and livestock owners. The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) is an industry-led group that counts among its members some of the biggest corporate players in U.S. meat production (for example, the National Pork Producers, Monsanto, and Cargill Meat) and (surprise, surprise) the manufacturers and marketers of high-tech animal ID equipment (such as Digital Angel Inc.; EZ-ID/AVID ID Systems; and Micro Beef Technologies Ltd.). Beginning in 2002, the NIAA used 9/11 and subsequently the BSE scares to lobby the USDA for a nationwide, all-livestock registration and tracking system. The result is the USDA’s proposed NAIS, set forth in a Draft Strategic Plan (Plan) and Draft Program Standards (Standards) released on April 25, 2005. When the program is fully implemented, the USDA says it will be able to identify all premises on which animals and poultry are located, and all animals that have had contact with a disease of concern, within 48 hours of discovery. Yet no one has conducted any scientifi c peer-reviewed studies or epidemiological models to analyze the effectiveness of the NAIS, nor has the agency performed a cost-benefi t analysis, which it would normally do when implementing a new program. Initially USDA said that the program is “voluntary” at the federal level, yet it has issued grants to the states to make it enforceable at the state level. It has said its goal is 100 percent participation by January 2009 (and by that date it was nowhere near meeting this goal). In fact, 4 years into the program, “participation” is below its expectations (with only about 35 percent of livestock producers registering), so in March of 2009, Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack said that the USDA may pursue making it mandatory at the federal level. As 400
National Animal Identifi cation System 401 that discussion and regulatory process moves forward, the USDA is trying to use other tools to push participation in the program. In my view, a goal of “100 percent participation” implies that the program was not voluntary at all. Last year in my county, kids taking animals to the county fair had to be enrolled in NAIS to participate at the fair. This is not voluntary. If you are an industrial producer of livestock, you can take advantage of loopholes in the program large enough to drive a Hummer through: this group will not have to ID each animal. Someone with a single sheep in the backyard, however, will have to have the premises registered with the government, have that single sheep tagged with a Radio Frequency ID, and report any movements of that lone sheep to the government. NAIS applies to all farm animals, including horses and poultry, and the cost of the program is prohibitive for small-scale farmers and ranchers. In other countries where such tracking has been implemented, there have been more problems than solutions. And the program does nothing to provide traceback for meat that has been infected with disease organisms, such as E. coli, nor for providing a traceback mechanism for animals imported into the country from overseas. I am personally against NAIS as currently set out. So are many people within the agriculture community whom I greatly respect. But it is very important to learn more about the program yourself, and to make decisions based on what you learn. Visit the USDA Web site, or the Web sites of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance and the “No NAIS” group (Resources) for opposition opinions. And as the debate and regulatory process continues on, get involved and make your voice heard. The idea of being able to respond to animal-disease outbreaks in timely fashion is good, but as a friend of mine said about NAIS, the devil is in the details, and as laid out today, those details place an unfair burden on small farmers and backyard livestock owners, without necessarily meeting the stated goal of protecting our food supply.
Resources Books Campbell, Stu. Let It Rot. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1998. Great information about preparing and using compost. Carroll, Ricki. Home Cheese Making. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1996. A good starting point if you want to try making your own sheep’s-milk cheese. Cavitch, Susan Miller. The Natural Soap Book. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1995. Basic soap-making instructions and specialty techniques like marbling, layering, and making transparent and liquid soaps. Damerow, Gail. Fences for Pasture & Garden. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1992. This book is packed full of great advice and techniques for building all types of fencing. Ekarius, Carol. How to Build Animal Housing. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2004. The defi nitive guide to building suitable housing for our animals. ———. Small-Scale Livestock Farming. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1999. If you want to learn more about managed grazing, marketing, and general animal husbandry, read this book. ———. Storey’s Illustrated Breed Guide to Sheep, Goats, Cattle, and Pigs. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2008. This book provides in-depth details on all the breeds and is lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of each breed. Fogt, Bruce. Lessons from a Stock Dog. Sidney, OH: Working Border Collie, Inc., 1996. For any novice herding-dog trainer, from the publisher of Working Border Collie magazine. 402
Resources 403 Haynes, Bruce. Keeping Livestock Healthy. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1994. Anyone raising livestock should have a copy of this book. Hirning, H. J., et al. Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook. Ames, IA: MidWest Plan Service, 1994. Excellent plans for sheep buildings and all sorts of equipment. Available online at www.mwps.org. Kahn, Cynthia M., Scott Line, and Susan E. Aiello, eds. The Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th edition. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co. Inc., 2005. This title is also available online at www.merckvetmanual.com. Martin, Ann. Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts about Pet Food. Troutdale, OR: New Sage Press, 1997. Good info if you want to market pet food. Oppenheimer, Betty. The Candlemaker’s Companion. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1997. A great book for candlemakers of all abilities. Reavis, Charles. Home Sausage Making. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2003. Sausage is a great way to use mutton! Robinson, Jo. Pasture Perfect. Vashon Island, WA: Vashon Island Press, 2004. A must-read for anyone marketing grass-fed meat. Schroedter, Peter. More Sheep, More Grass, More Money. Manitoba, Canada: Ramshead Publishing, 1997. A great little book about how this Canadian shepherd turned his operation into a profi table enterprise by using spring lambing on pasture. Simmons, Paula. Spinning and Weaving with Wool. Unicom Books & Crafts, 1991. The best book about spinning and weaving for beginner and experienced spinners and weavers. Simmons, Paula, and Darrell Salsbury. Your Sheep. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1992. A great book for kids who are getting their fi rst sheep.
404 Resources Spaulding, C. E. A Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1996. Another must-have for animal owners. Warren, Jill Stanford. Lamb Country Cooking: Lamb with All the Trimmings. Lake Oswego, OR: Culinary Arts, Ltd., 1995. Lots of good lamb recipes, as well as serving hints and ideas for using leftovers. Magazines The Banner Sheep Magazine 309-785-5058 www.bannersheepmagazine.com This is especially suited for those folks who are interested in registered sheep and in showing sheep Black Sheep Newsletter 503-621-3063 www.blacksheepnewsletter.net Geared toward anyone who is interested in raising naturally colored sheep Countryside & Small Stock Journal 800-551-5691 www.countrysidemag.com A good general homesteading magazine, with lots of info on sheep and goats Handwoven Interweave Press 800-433-6451 www.interweave.com/weave The magazine for weaving Sheep Canada 888-241-5124 www.sheepcanada.com Contains lots of information on sheep shows and registered sheep in Canada Sheep Industry News American Sheep Industry Association 303-771-3500 www.sheepindustrynews.org News about what’s happening in the sheep industry, including legislative information sheep! Magazine 800-551-5691 www.sheepmagazine.com This is the best all-around magazine for shepherds with small- and medium-sized fl ocks; lots of informative articles and good ads
Resources 405 The Shepherd 419-492-2364 Aimed at larger-scale, commercial shepherds; contains lots of information on sheep research coming out of USDA and the agricultural colleges, as well as information on laws and regulations that impact the sheep industry Spin-Off Interweave Press 800-767-9638 http://spinoffmagazine.com The magazine for spinning The Stockman Grass Farmer 800-748-9808 www.stockmangrassfarmer.net Excellent source of information about managed grazing. If we could afford just one agricultural magazine, this would be the one we’d keep. General Information Farming and Sheep Agricultural Marketing Service United States Department of Agriculture 202-720-3252 http://search.ams.usda.gov Manages the National Organic Program that is responsible for organic certifi cation and standards American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners Guthrie, Kentucky 270-483-2090 www.aasrp.org A forum for farmers raising small ruminants American Grassfed Association Denver, Colorado 877-774-7277 www.americangrassfed.org A producer association representing the grassfed industry American Lamb Board Denver, Colorado 866-327-5262 www.americanlambboard.org The marketing organization formed through the national “check-off” fund for sheep promotion American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Pittsboro, North Carolina 919-542-5704 www.albc-usa.org If you are interested in raising heritage breeds, these folks can help you locate other shepherds who work with the breed that interests you American Sheep Industry Association Centennial, Colorado 303-771-3500 www.sheepusa.org The main industry association for shepherds
406 Resources ATTRA — National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service National Center for Appropriate Technology Fayetteville, Arkansas 800-346-9140 www.attra.org A phenomenal resource that provides information and answers questions Breeds of Livestock Oklahoma State University, Department of Animal Science 405-744-6062 www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds Provides a really good Web page with information about livestock breeds from around the world Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance Austin, Texas 866-687-6452 http://farmandranchfreedom.org “Leading the fi ght to save family farms and individuals from expensive and unnecessary government regulation,” with an emphasis on fi ghting the National Animal Identifi cation System (NAIS) Forage Information System Oregon State University http://forages.oregonstate.edu Has the best site on the Web for learning about forage plants of all types; the site also lists plant tissue testing labs. Maryland Small Ruminant Page www.sheepandgoat.com Maintained by Susan Schoenian, a sheep and goat specialist at the University of Maryland National Animal Identifi cation System (NAIS) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais The offi cial USDA program for implementing NAIS National Sheep Improvement Program Fayetteville, Arkansas 479-444-6075 www.nsip.org Provides performance-based evaluation systems for shepherds NoNAIS.org http://nonais.org A group “fi ghting to protect traditional rights to farm;” gathers and disseminates information about the National Animal Identifi cation System OPP Concerned Sheep Breeders Society [emailprotected] www.oppsociety.org Breeders who are working to prevent ovine progressive pneumonia
Resources 407 Rare Breeds Canada Castleton, Ontario 905-344-7768 www.rarebreedscanada.ca The Canadian counterpart to ALBC; helps preserve agricultural genetic diversity and heritage breeds in Canada The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation 580-223-5810 www.noble.org Features a wonderful plant image gallery, is a great site for learning about a wide variety of pasture plants Sheep101.info www.sheep101.info Maintained by Susan Schoenian, a sheep and goat specialist at the University of Maryland Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control www.scsrpc.org Veterinarians, academics, government people, and producers helping address parasite control and resistance, particularly in the South but helpful throughout the country. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Washington, D.C. 202-720-2791 www.usda.gov General information Marketing Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 866-277-5567 www.agmrc.org Valuable information on all aspects of marketing Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. www.aphis.usda.gov Information on wildlife services and scrapie certifi cation Blogger www.blogger.com A free site that allows you to start a blog for your farm with little technical skill required
408 Resources Chefs Collaborative Boston, Massachusetts 617-236-5200 http://chefscollaborative.org A national network for chefs who promote local and sustainably produced food. They have a farmto-chef program and are partners in Renewing America’s Food Traditions, a project in partnership with ALBC and Slow Food to raise awareness about the benefi ts of agricultural biodiversity. Eatwild Tacoma, Washington 866-453-8489 www.eatwild.com Author Jo Robinson’s site about eating grassfed meats. Jo has gathered tons of information on the benefi ts of grassfed and provides a searchable database where farmers producing grassfed meats can register so consumers can fi nd them. Live Journal www.livejournal.com A free blogging site for anyone interested in starting his or her own farm blog Local Harvest www.localharvest.org The go-to Web site for consumers looking for organic and local food. They “maintain a defi nitive and reliable ‘living’ public nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources. If you are direct marketing, you should be registered with LocalHarvest! Locavores www.locavores.com The Web site of the Locavore movement and the folks who started the 100-mile diet (buying and eating food that has been grown within 100 miles of where you live) National Organic Program Washington, D.C. www.ams.usda.gov/nop Rules and regulations regarding the organic program Organic Trade Association Greenfi eld, Massachusetts 413-774-7511 www.ota.com Can help you identify an organic certifying agency that is working in your state SheepGoatMarketing.info http://sheepgoatmarketing.info An excellent resource for all sorts of marketing information; includes a way for producers to register their sites and to search the sites of marketing businesses, such as shippers, slaughter facilities, and sale barns
Resources 409 Slow Food USA Brooklyn, New York 877-756-9366 www.slowfoodusa.org An international organization that believes “everyone has a fundamental right to pleasure and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. It has grown tremendously over the last decade or so and provides a great mechanism for connecting farmers and conscientious food consumers. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Washington, D.C. www.ams.usda.gov For information on the program for lamb promotion Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative 800-409-7953 www.sheepmilk.biz Has valuable information for anyone considering going into the sheepmilk and cheese business WordPress http://wordpress.com www.wordpress.org A free Web blogging service is available at http://wordpress.com. Or, if you have a Web site already and want to incorporate the blog into an existing site, you can use WordPress software from http://wordpress.org. This option does require a little more computer savvy. Working Dogs American Herding Breed Association [emailprotected] www.ahba-herding.org American Kennel Club Raleigh, North Carolina 919-233-9767 www.akc.org Herding on the Web www.herdingontheweb.com A virtual community for herding dog enthusiasts Livestock Guardian Dogs Association www.lgd.org An online collaborative of guardian dog enthusiasts, with a listserv and an excellent library of articles about guardian animals Stock Dog Server www.stockdog.com A wide variety of information for working-dog owners United States Border Collie Handlers’ Association Crawford, Texas 254-486-2500 www.usbcha.com Specifi cally dedicated to Border collies
410 Resources Working Dogs Cyberzine www.workingdogs.com A resource for networking and extensive articles on all working-dog breeds Working Dog Competitions Sheepdog trials are entertaining and educational. If you are interested in working dogs, check out these trials: Bank of the West Soldier Hollow Classic Midway, Utah www.soldierhollowclassic.com Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trial Lexington, Kentucky www.bluegrassclassicsdt.com Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials Meeker, Colorado www.meekersheepdog.com National Sheepdog Finals www.nationalsheepdogfi nals.com Locale varies World Sheepdog Trials Llandeilo, Wales www.worldsheepdogtrials.org If your travel budget allows, the biggest event of the sheepdog world is the world trials in Wales. Global competitors with some of the fi nest working dogs on the planet are sure to inspire awe. Commercial Providers All Kinds of Supplies NASCO Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 800-558-9595 www.enasco.com/farmandranch The Sears catalog of agriculture has just about anything you might need but can’t fi nd elsewhere Artifi cial Insemination Heritage Genetics Cornersville, Tennessee 931-293-4466 www.heritagegenetics.com Specializes in breed preservation of rare and minor breeds of cattle and sheep through the importation of semen into the USA from other populations around the world Small Ruminant Genetics Markdale, Ontario www.srgenetics.com Offers a variety of breeds but in particular covers the Arcott breed Super Sire, Ltd. Lebanon, Oregon [emailprotected] www.toprams.com Carries a wide variety of genetics, representing many breeds
Resources 411 Fencing and Sheep Supplies Biotic Industries Bell Buckle, Tennessee www.biotic.com Manufactures calf, lamb, and kid feeders Farmstead Health Supply Hillsborough, North Carolina 919-643-0300 www.farmsteadhealth.com Herbal parasite control and do-ityourself test kits Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative Association Canal Winchester, Ohio 800-841-9665 http://midstateswoolgrowers.com/ catalog.asp One of the oldest wool co-ops in the country, representing over 6,000 producers in 20 states; markets everything you need, and represents Gallagher Fencing from New Zealand Pipestone Veterinary Supply Pipestone Veterinary Clinic Pipestone, Montana 800-658-2523 www.pipevet.com Probably the best-known sheep vet clinic in the country; also has a supply service with almost anything you could think of needing for a sheep operation Powell Sheep Company Ramona, California 760-789-1758 Offers 12 sizes of sheep coats Premier1 Supplies Washington, Iowa 800-282-6631 www.premier1supplies.com Excellent fencing catalog and shepherd’s catalog; a wide selection of specialized products, including ram masks Sheepman Supply Company Frederick, Maryland 800-331-9122 www.sheepman.com In business since 1937; carries a wide range of supplies and is known for sharpening shearing equipment Show Stopper Equipment Vittetoe, Inc. Keota, Iowa 888-848-8373 www.vittetoe.com Specializes in equipment for showing, but also carries a variety of other products for shepherds Sausage-Making Supplies Eldon’s Jerky and Sausage Supply Kooskia, Idaho 800-352-9453 www.eldonsausage.com Equipment, sausage casings, and seasonings
412 Resources The Sausage Maker, Inc. Buffalo, New York 888-490-8525 www.sausagemaker.com Equipment, sausage casings, and seasonings Wool Equipment Belfast Mini Mills Belfast, Prince Edward Island 902-659-2533 www.minimills.net Producers of a variety of woolprocessing equipment; specializes in equipment for exotics, such as alpaca, llama, mohair, and Qiviut Patrick Green Carders Ltd. Chilliwack, British Columbia 877-898-2273 www.patgreencarders.com Paula and Patrick’s company makes all the equipment you might need if you plan to go into the cottage wool business; even if you aren’t interested in commercial preparation of wool, they sell an excellent drum carder Stonehedge Fiber Milling Equipment, Inc. East Jordan, Michigan 866-536-2779 www.fi bermillingequipment.com Started in 1998 by a farm family looking to improve the bottom line; manufactures a full line of custom equipment Tex Tek Technologies, Inc. Wainfl eet, Ontario 905-899-4872 www.textek.net Full line of wool-processing equipment Favorite Web Sites and Blogs 3-Corner Field Farm www.dairysheepfarm.com Carol Ekarius www.carolekarius.com Greenwood Farms www.greenwoodfarms.com Lava Lake Lamb www.lavalakelamb.com Musings and Ramblings of the Shepherd, PhD http://shepherddoc.blogspot.com River Oaks Farm & Studio http://riveroaksfarmstudioblog. blogspot.com Rurban Ramblings www.rurbanramblings.com Carol Ekarius’s food, farming, and energy blog A Shepherd’s Voice http://shepherdsvoice.blogspot.com Thirteen Mile Lam & Wool Company www.lambandwool.com Uncompahgre Polypay Farm www.polypays4u.com
Glossary abscess. A localized collection of pus, generally caused by an infected wound, a sting, or a splinter that’s encapsulated under the skin. acclimatization. Becoming accustomed to a new environment. acute infection. An infection or disease that has rapid onset and pronounced signs and symptoms. additive. An ingredient or substance added to a feed mixture, generally in small quantities. May be added for nutritional reasons, such as vitamins or minerals, or for medicinal purposes, such as antibiotics. afterbirth. The placenta and membranes that are passed from the ewe’s body after she gives birth. AI. Abbreviation for artifi cial insemination. anemia. A defi ciency in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. Can be caused by loss of blood or by certain disease conditions but in sheep is most often caused by loss of blood due to blood-feeding worms. anestrus. The nonbreeding season; females that are not in heat. anthelmintic. A drug that kills or expels intestinal worms. antibiotic. A medicine that inhibits the growth of, or kills, bacteria. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, fungi, or worms. antibody. A protein substance developed in the body to fi ght a specifi c antigen. antigen. A “foreign invader,” which the body’s immune system recognizes as such. Usually a bacterium or a virus. antiseptic. A chemical used to reduce or kill bacteria. artifi cial insemination (AI). The introduction of semen into the reproductive system of a ewe for the purposes of impregnating her. Must be done by a trained technician or veterinarian. ash. The mineral matter of feed. bacterium. A single-celled microorganism. Some bacteria are benefi cial and necessary for good health — for example, the bacteria that regularly live in the rumen — and others cause disease. bag. The ewe’s udder, or mammary glands. balanced ration. A feed ration that supplies all the required nutrients for an animal’s needs at the time. 413
414 Glossary band. Used by ranchers running thousands of sheep on a range to signify one group; like a fl ock but much larger. Also, a small rubber device that looks like a little doughnut that is used for castrating and docking. black wool. Any wool containing black, or dark, fi bers. bloat. A disorder characterized by an abnormal accumulation of gas in the rumen. Bloat is often fatal if not caught and treated quickly. blood grading. The degree of fi neness of wool; measured as a fraction. Originally, the fraction indicated the portion of Merino blood in the animal. body condition scoring. A system of assessing the condition a sheep is in, with scores ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 being thin and 5 being fat. bolus. Regurgitated food that is being chewed or has been chewed and is ready to be swallowed (also called cud); a large pill for animals. breech. The buttocks; a birth in which the fetus is presented “rear” fi rst. breed. A like group of animals that have been bred to exhibit certain defi nable, inherited traits; the mating of animals. bright wool. Light, clean wool. broken mouth. Old ewe or ram that has lost teeth. The condition usually begins around 4 years of age. browse. Woody or brushy plants that can be eaten. buck. Mature male; also called ram. bummer. A lamb that has to be bottle-fed by the shepherd. Usually an orphan, though sometimes a lamb whose mother doesn’t produce enough milk for multiple lambs. Burdizzo. A tool used to castrate lambs by severing the cord without breaking the skin. bushel. A unit of capacity approximately equal to 1.25 cu ft (37.5 cm3 ). carcass. The dressed body of a meat animal from which internal organs and offal have been removed. carding. An operation that converts loose, clean wool into continuous, untwisted strands. May be done with hand cards or a carding machine. carpet wool. Coarse, harsh, strong wool suitable for producing carpets. carrier. An animal that carries a disease but doesn’t show signs of it. carrying capacity. The number of animals a piece of land is capable of sustaining for a given period of time. castrate. To remove the testicles from a ram so he is permanently incapable of breeding.
Glossary 415 clean wool. Usually refers to scoured wool, though handspinners may use the phrase to describe a grease wool that has little or no vegetable contamination. clip. The total annual wool production from a fl ock. closed face. A sheep that has heavy wool about the eyes and cheeks. club lamb. A lamb raised as a 4-H, FFA, or other club project. colic. An abdominal condition generally characterized by severe pain. colostrum. The fi rst milk produced by a ewe after giving birth. Colostrum contains antibodies from the ewe’s immune system, which can be absorbed through the lamb’s intestines for the fi rst 24 hours of life. combing. An operation that removes short fi bers and leaves long fi bers laid out straight and parallel. composite. A uniform group of animals created through selective crossbreeding. concentrate. A high-energy, low-fi ber feed. conformation. The shape, proportions, and “design” of the animal. count. The fi neness to which yarn may be spun; a system of grading wool based on how fi ne it can be spun. creep. An enclosure that allows lambs to enter for supplemental feeding but prohibits older animals from entering. crimp. The “wave” effect in wool fi bers. crossbred. Animals that are known to have more than one breed in their lineage. Many crossbreds perform well due to hybrid vigor. cross-fencing. Fences used to subdivide pastures into smaller paddocks. cud. A bolus of regurgitated food. cull. To remove a breeding animal from the fl ock that isn’t meeting the needs of breeding animals within the fl ock, often because of health, age, poor reproductive record, and so on. In the case of rams, they’re often culled so they don’t breed their own daughters. One farmer’s cull animal may make a fi ne addition to another farmer’s fl ock! dam. The female parent. defi ciency disease. An illness caused by a lack of one or more nutrients. For example, calcium defi ciency in heavily milking ewes (also known as milk fever) can cause stiffness, lameness, bone deformities, and convulsions in the ewe or her lambs. degreased wool. Wool that’s been cleaned chemically to remove all “grease,” or lanolin.
416 Glossary density. Number of wool fi bers per unit area of a sheep’s body. Fine-wool breeds have greater density than coarse-wool breeds. dental pad. The fi rm upper gum, which lacks teeth. dock. To cut off the tail; the remaining portion of the tail of a sheep that has been docked. drench. A liquid medicine given orally. drift lambing. A pasture-based system of lambing in which ewes that have not yet lambed are moved each day, while ewes with new lambs remain in the pasture where they dropped their lambs. dry. A nonlactating ewe; the period between lactations. drylot. A small enclosure in which animals are confi ned. dry matter. The proportion of a given feedstuff that doesn’t contain any water. Found in a laboratory by “cooking” a feed sample at about 120°F (48.9°C) to drive off all water molecules. edema. Swelling due to excess accumulation of fl uid in tissue spaces. elasticity. The ability of wool fi bers to return to their original length after being stretched. Good-quality wool has a great deal of elasticity. Elastrator. A device that is used to apply a heavy rubber band to the tail or scrotum of a lamb for docking or castrating. electrolytes. Salts naturally found in an animal’s blood. May be administered orally or intravenously during illness. emaciated. An animal that is overly thin, often caused by illness. estrous cycle. The time and physiological events that take place in one heat period of 17 days in a ewe. estrus. The time during which a ewe will allow a ram to breed her. Normally, a ewe is in estrus for about 28 hours. ewe. Mature female. ewe breed. Fine-wool, prolifi c breed of sheep. ewe lamb. Immature female. extensive management. A management system that relies on low-input methods of production, centered on pastures and grazing. See intensive management. facing. Trimming wool from around the face of closed-face sheep; see also wigging. fecundity. The ability to produce many offspring, either within one year or over a lifetime. feeder lambs. Animals under 1 year of age that make good gains if placed on high-input feedstuffs.
Glossary 417 feedstuff. An ingredient or material fed to an animal. felting. The interlocking of fi bers when rubbed together under conditions of heat, moisture, and pressure. fermentation. Microbial decomposition of organic matter in an oxygen-free environment, including the breakdown of food by microorganisms in the sheep’s rumen. fertility. Ability of an animal to reproduce. fetus. An animal in the uterus until birth. fi nish. To fatten animals for slaughter. fi tting. Preparing an animal for show. fl eece. The wool from one sheep. fl ock. A group of sheep. fl ushing. Feeding ewes additional feed for 2 to 3 weeks prior to breeding. forage. Vegetable matter in pasture, hay, or silage. free choice. Food available at all times. freshening. Giving birth. gestation. Time between breeding and lambing; in sheep, between 147 and 153 days. grade. Grade animals may be crossbred or purebred, but there defi nitely are no records of breeding recorded with a breed association. grading. Classifying fl eeces according to fi neness, length, character, and quality. graft. Have a ewe accept and mother a lamb that isn’t her own. grease wool. Wool as it comes from the sheep. gummer. An old sheep missing all or most of its teeth. halter. A rope or leather headgear used to control or lead an animal. hot house lamb. A lamb born in fall or early winter and butchered at 9 to 16 weeks of age. hybrid vigor. The extra vigor, strength, hardiness, and productive capacity that comes from crossbreeding animals. immunity. An animal’s ability to resist or overcome infection; may be natural or the result of vaccinations. inbreeding. The breeding of animals that are closely related. infestation. Presence of a large number of parasites or insects. intensive management. A production system that relies on high levels of inputs, including harvested feeds and specialized facilities. See extensive management.
418 Glossary jug. A small pen large enough for just one ewe and her offspring, generally used for several days after birthing. ked. An external parasite that affects sheep; sometimes referred to as a sheep tick, but actually the organism is a fl at, brown, wingless fl y. lactation. The period during which a ewe is producing milk. lamb. Newborn or immature sheep, typically under 1 year of age. lanolin. The naturally occurring “grease” that coats wool. long wool. Wool that is 12 to 15 inches (30.5 to 38.1 cm) long, typically from the Lincoln, Leicester, and Cotswold breeds. luster. The natural gloss or sheen of a fl eece. maintenance requirement. Feed ration required to maintain an animal’s condition at rest; does not provide adequate nutrition for growth. mastitis. Infection of the mammary gland or udder. meconium. The fi rst manure passed by a lamb. milk letdown. A physiological process that allows milk to be removed from the udder by sucking or mechanical means. minor breeds. Those breeds that have fallen from favor in commercial agriculture; consequently their numbers decrease — sometimes to the extent that a breed becomes endangered or extinct. mutton. Meat from a mature or aged sheep. open face. A sheep that doesn’t have much wool around the eyes and cheeks. Ovis aries. Scientifi c name for domestic sheep. oxytocin. A hormone that controls milk letdown. packers. Animals that are destined to go to the butcher; cull ewes and rams. palatable. Acceptable taste and quality for an animal to readily ingest. papered. See registered. pathogen. A disease-causing organism. pelt. The skin from a slaughtered sheep that still has the wool on it. physiological. Pertaining to the science that deals with the functions of living organisms. piebald. An animal that is spotted. polled. Naturally hornless. purebred. Purebred animals have 100 percent of their bloodlines coming from one breed. quarantine. Keeping an animal isolated from other animals to prevent spread of infection. ram. Mature male; also called buck.
Glossary 419 ram lamb. Immature male. ration. The amount of feed supplied to an animal or a group of animals during a specifi c period. registered. Registered animals are purebred or bred in accordance with the standards of the breed’s association or registry; also called papered. replacement. A young animal selected to be kept for the breeding fl ock. retained placenta. A placenta not passed as afterbirth. roughage. Course and bulky feed that is high in fi ber, such as hay or silage. ruminant. A category of animals, such as sheep, goats, or cattle, that have a four-compartment stomach system. scours. Diarrhea. second cuts. Short lengths of wool resulting from cutting the same spot twice during shearing. shearing. The act of clipping wool from a sheep. shearling. Pelt from a slaughtered sheep that carries less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of new wool. shrinkage. The amount of weight an animal loses during adverse conditions or transport; the loss of carcass weight during aging; the loss of weight in wool during scouring. skirting. The practice of removing the edges of a fl eece at shearing. stanchion. A device for holding the head of an animal for milking or to perform veterinary procedures. stripping. Removing milk from the udder; usually refers to removing the last of the milk. tagging. Cutting dung locks off a sheep. tags. Locks of wool contaminated by dung and dirt. tallow. The extracted fat from sheep and cattle. teaser. A ram or stag that is incapable of breeding ewes but is used to fi nd ewes that are in heat. udder. The mammary glands with nipples. unsound. An animal that has health problems, poor conformation, and so on. weaning. Stopping lambs from suckling on their dams. wether. Castrated or neutered male. wigging. Trimming wool from around the face of closed-face sheep; also called facing. yearling. Ewe or ram between 1 and 2 years old.
Index A abortion, 239–42 enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE), 240–41 milking considerations after, 242 salmonellosis, 242 toxoplamosis, 241 vibrosis, 240, 241 accelerated lambing, 8, 34 acidosis, 251 “adoption coat,” 300 advertising. See marketing agritourism, 322, 369 Akbash (guardian dog), 161, 161 alleles. See breeding sheep alternative health practices, 196–97 alternative markets, 3 American Association of Small Ruminant Practioners, 192 American Blackbelly, 40, 41, 42 American Grassfed Association (AGA), 12–13 American Herding Breed Association, 139 American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), 38, 39 Anatolian Shepherd (guardian dog), 161 anatomy of a sheep, 2, 168 anemia, 201 FAMACHA and, 206 animal identifi cation. See records and animal identifi cation antibiotics, 232–33 antisera, 234–35 APHIS, 219 Arcanobacterium pyogenes (foot abscess bacteria), 225 artifi cial insemination (AI), 263–64 ATTRA — National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, 185 Australian locker hooking, 343 B baby lambs, care of, 306–9 castration, 307–8, 309 cryptorchid or short scrotum, 308–9, 309 docking, 306–7 vaccination, 306 backcrossing. See under breeding sheep bacterial infections, 217–19 blackleg, 217 caseous lymphadenitis (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis), 217–18 Johne’s disease, 218 listeriosis, 218 Page references in italics refer to illustrations. Page references in bold refer to charts. 420
Index 421 malignant edema, 219 pinkeye, 219 bacterins, 235 Bakewell, Robert, 30, 70 Balsillie, Ian, 149 Banner, 377 Barbados Blackbelly, 40, 41, 42 barns. See buildings; facilities Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game (Mettler), 350 basics. See starting with sheep “battering rams,” 268–70 Bean, Karen, 149 Beaucero Pyrenean Shepherd, 139, 139 bedding. See deep-bedding method behavior of sheep, 13–17 emotions/senses, 14–17 handling facility design and, 122 sight, 15–16 social structure, 14 tips on, 15 “biocontrol.” See weed and brush control biologicals. See vaccines/biologicals birthing lambs. See lamb positions; lambing Blackbelly (Barbados and American), 40–42, 41 Black Face Highland. See Scottish Blackface Blackleg (Clostridium cavoei), 217 “black sheep,” 337 bloat, 214–15 change in diet and, 114 dangers of, 169 dry hay and, 28–29 treatment for, 214 “blood grading” of fi bers, 319 Bluefaced Leicester, 42, 42–43 bluetongue, 215 body composition at various ages, 176 Booroola Merino, 32, 43 Border Cheviot, 44, 45 Border collies, 138 Border Leicester, 44, 45 bots. See nose bots bottle jaw, 202 bottle lamb, 22, 303–5 bottle feeding, 174 feeding schedule for, 305 hot fl ashes of, 304 overfeeding of, 304 Brecknock Hill Cheviot, 46, 47 breeding sheep, 30–36, 261–64 artifi cial insemination, 263–64 backcrossing for black, 338 color inheritance, 34, 34 estrus cycles, 34 FecB gene and, 43 feed requirements chart for, 396 fi rst recognized program, 68 heritability, 34–35 inheritance, 32–34 marketing and, 36 Mendel’s Genetics Experiment, 30, 31 multiple births, 35 mutations/genetic defects, 32 purebred/specialty breeding stock, 361–62 rams for, 264–68 undesirable characteristics, 35–36 undesirable recessive traits, 33 breeds of sheep, 18–19. See also specifi c breed crossbred sheep, 18 defi nition of breed, 36 foraging capabilities of, 100 genetic diversity and, 37–40 native and western ewes, 19
422 Index breeds of sheep (continued) number of domestic, 40 rare and heritage breeds, 38–40 Briard (guardian dog), 161, 161 British Milk Sheep, 46, 47 British sheepdog trials, 145 scoring diagram for, 146 broken mouth, 23, 24 Brucella ovis, 238 buildings, 123–25 hoop houses, 124, 124, 125 portable structures, 123, 123 sheep and lambing shed, 124, 124 ventilation for, 194 bummer lambs, 22, 290, 299, 304–5. See also bottle lamb; orphan lambs Burdizzo emasculator, 306–7 Burdizzo shears, 222 butchering. See meat products buying sheep, 19–28, 194 buyer’s guidelines, 20 conformation, 24–26 fi rst steps at home, 28–29 general health, 26–28 sheep age vs. price, 21–22 teeth, 22–24, 23 where to buy, 20–21 C California Milk Test (CMT), 243 California Red, 48, 49 California Variegated Mutant, 32, 48, 49 Campylobacter fetus/jejuni (vibrosis), 241 Canadian Arcott, 50, 51 Canadian Rare Breeds Conservancy, 38 candles, homemade, 366–68 candle dipping, 367 candle wicking, 366–67 colored candles, 368 molded candles, 368 mutton tallow/lamb fat for, 367 purifying tallow for, 367 carpentry projects, 368 feed trough, 133, 133 footbath trough, 221, 221 salt feeder, 188, 188 warming box, 294, 294 carrying capacity of pasture, 101–2 caseous lymphadenitis (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis), 217–18 castration, 306–7, 309 Charollais, 50, 51 cheese from sheep’s milk, 3, 353 nutritional facts on, 12 Chefs Collaborative, 5 chemical storage/disposal, 190 Christmas trees, sheep and, 37 “claiming pens,” 126 Clamydia psittaci (enzootic abortion of ewes), 240 “clogging” a ram, 270 closed fl ock, 195–96 Clostridia C. chauvoei (blackleg), 217 C. perfringens (enterotoxemia), 253 malignant edema, 219 vaccinations for, 271, 306 Clun Forest, 50, 51, 52 coat of sheep, 27. See also wool coccidiosis, 203–4 “cockle,” 210, 353 colored fi bers/fl eeces, 318, 337 colostrum, 171–73 antibodies in, 173, 291 deprivation of, 173 emergency homemade formula, 172
Index 423 freezing/thawing surplus of, 291–92 substitutions for, 171–72 Columbia (sheep breed), 52, 53 commercial fl ocks, 7–8 culling ewes in, 22 community supported agriculture (CSA), 102 composite breeds, 38 conformation body, 25 good/bad conformation, 24, 378, 378 for meat breed, 378 ram conformation, 26 teeth/shape of head, 25, 25 udder, 25 for wool breed, 378 conservation efforts, sheep and, 84 constipation, 251–52 cooking lamb & mutton. See recipes Coopworth, 52, 53 Cormo, 54, 55 Corriedale, 54, 55 Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (caseous lymphadenitis), 217–18 renale (pizzle rot), 239 Cotswold, 38, 56, 57 Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), 5 creep feeders, 133, 133 crossbred sheep, 18 crotching, 279, 301 culling sheep breed development and, 38 ewes, 22, 273 D Darwin, Charles, 30 Day, Darrin, 322 “dead lamb’s skin” grafting, 303 Debouillet, 56, 57 deep-bedding method, 127, 128 defects, lethal/nonlethal, 33 Delaine Merino, 58, 59 deworming. See worming sheep diarrhea. See scours Dichelobacter nodosus (foot rot bacteria), 223–24 dietary disorders, 214–15 digestion, 167–74 bloat and, 169 cud, 170 fi nal phases of, 170 fi rst phases of, 168–70 in lambs, 170–74 parts of stomach, 168, 169–70 rumen, 168, 168–69 diseases. See also ewes, disorders in; lamb problems; rams, problems with; specifi c disease causes of, 199–200 health records and, 28 isolation of sick animals, 195 recognizing sickness, 196 docking, 306–7 dog control, state laws and, 154 dogs. See guardian dogs; herding dogs dog trials, 145–47 scoring diagram for, 146 dominance hierarchy, 14 dominant/recessive traits. See breeding sheep Dorper, 58, 59 Dorset, 60, 61 “down” sheep, 191 driving breeds (dogs), 140 drugs for sheep, 226–36 administering of, 226–27 antibiotics, 232–33 immunizing shots, 236
424 Index drugs for sheep (continued) injections, 227–32 parasite preparations, 234 unapproved drugs, 236 vaccines/biologicals, 234–36 dual purpose sheep, 40 E early-spring-confi nement lambing, 10 ear tags, use of, 293, 393 East Friesian, 60, 61 ecthyma, 216–17 Eidman, Glen, 48 Elastrator, 306–7, 308 electrolyte solution, homemade, 257 ELISA, 28, 218, 238 emasculator. See Burdizzo emasculator emergency lamb feeding newborn-lamb milk formula, 172 stomach tube feeding, 296–97, 298–99, 299 English Leicester. See Leicester Longwool enterotoxemia (Clostridium perfringens), 260, 306 entropion, 252, 252 enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) (Chlamydia psittaci), 240–41 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. See ELISA epididymitis, 28, 237–38 ewes, 270–77 artifi cial insemination for, 263–64 culling of, 273 estrus cycles of, 34, 262 ewe chart, sample, 394 feeds/feeding, 180, 186, 274–77 fl ushing of, 180, 264, 272 ketone test for, 277 native and western, 19 ram’s effect on, 267 reproductive functions of, 262 reproductive tract of, 271 shearing prior to lambing, 278–79 standing in heat, 262, 267 “unplugging” teats of, 290 vaccines for, 271 water requirements for, 171 ewes, disorders in, 239–51 abortion, 239–42 mastitis, 242–44 milk fever, 244–45 pregnancy toxemia, 245–47 retained afterbirth, 247–48 vaginal prolapse, 248–51 “Expected Progeny Differences” (EPDs), 392 extensive vs. intensive management, 7–10 external parasites, 209–13 lice, 211 maggots, 211–12 nose bots, 213 scab mites, 213 sheep keds, 209–11 F facilities, 122–34. See also carpentry projects; handling facilities buildings, 123, 123–25 deep-bedding method, 127, 128 farm equipment and, 134 for feeding, 132–33, 133 jugs, 125–27 lambing-barn environment, 127 restraining devices, 131–32, 132 scales/weights, 130–31, 131 facing, 279 fall lambing, 10 FAMACHA, 206 farm equipment, 134
Index 425 FecB gene, fertility and, 43 feeding facilities, 132–33, 133 creep feeders, 133, 133 feed troughs, 133, 133 feeding practices, 178–82 feed changes, 179–80 feeding behavior, 179 growth stages and, 180, 182–83 last 4–5 weeks prior to lambing, 275–77 program for feeding, 180–81 time/amount of feeding, 181–82 feeds, 167–90. See also forage plants; pasture carbohydrates, 178 composition of common, 397–99 digestion and, 167–74 energy and, 174 for ewes, 274–77 extras, 187 fats, 178 feeding practices, 178–82 feed requirements charts, 396 feed values/growth stages, 182–83 grains, 183–84 hay, 185–87 of newborn lambs, 170–74 nutrients and, 174–78 performance optimization, 181 poisonous plants and, 188–90 proteins, 176 salt and minerals, 187–88, 188 terminology for, 175 toxic substances and, 190 types of, 182–90 vitamins and minerals, 176–77 water and, 177 feet of sheep, 27–28. See also hoofrelated problems/care female sheep. See ewes Fences for Pasture and Garden (Damerow), 117 fencing, 116–22. See also paddocks barbed wire, 117, 117 corners and ends, 121, 121–22 electric, 13, 118–20, 119 importance of, 116 interior fences, 116 jumpers and, 1, 116 perimeter fences, 116 polynet, 119 polywire, 118–19 posts, 120 smooth-wire electric, 118 soft steel cable, 119–20 temporary, 115, 118–20, 119 T-posts, 121, 122 types of, 117–20 wooden rail, 117–18 woven-wire, 118 fertility ewe estrus cycles, 24, 262 FecB gene and, 43 inheritance and, 33 ram temperature and, 266 fi ber qualities, 318–19 fi ber structure. See under wool fi ne-wool sheep, 19 Finnsheep, 62, 63 fl eeces. See handspinning; processed wool; wool products fl ock management, 261–77 early/late lambing, 263 fl ushing. See under ewes fl y-strike. See maggots foot trimming. See also hoof-related problems/care sheep chair for, 132, 132 turning cradle for, 132, 132 forage plants, 103–5 composition of common, 397–99
426 Index forage plants (continued) dicots, 103–4, 104 monocots, 103–4, 104 S-curve and, 110, 110 foraging capabilities, breeds and, 100 forbs, 103, 104 “fostering coat,” 300 4-H projects, 6, 90, 322 club lamb sales, 361, 362 hand-cards for wool, 341 showing sheep, 378 Fusobacterium necrophorum (foot rot/ foot abscess bacteria), 223, 225 Future Farmers of America (FFA), 90, 378 G gambrel restraint, 131, 132 gathering breeds (dogs), 139 genetics. See breeding sheep genus name for sheep, 2 globalization, 3 grafting lambs. See under orphan lambs grasses, shrubs, forbs. See forage plants grassfed movement, 5 grassfed production, 11–13 health benefi ts of, 12 grass tetany, 215 grazing approaches, 110–14. See also paddocks foraging capabilities and, 100 managed grazing, 99–100, 101, 111–14 multispecies grazing, 179 orchards, 114–15 overgrazing/undergrazing, 110–11 set stocking, 110, 111 Great Pyrenees (guardian dog), 164, 164 Groeschl, Bryon, 322 guardian animals, 155–66 animals which can be, 156 benefi ts of, 158 guardian dogs, 156–66 problems with, 158 guardian dogs, 156–66 attributes for success, 160 bonding process, 158–59 breeds of, 160–61, 164–66 dangle stick training, 159 essential commands, 160 hip dysplasia and, 157 starting with a puppy, 157, 157 training of, 159, 160 Gulf Coast Native, 62, 63, 64 gummers, 24 H hair of sheep, 27. See also wool halterless leading, 381–82 halter training, 379–81 Hampshire, 64, 65 handcarding, four steps in, 342 handcarding in four steps, 342 handling facilities, 127–30, 129. See also facilities chutes, 129–30 design of, 122 forcing pen, 129 gates, 129–30 gathering pens, 128–29 headgates, 301, 301 holding pens, 129 sorting pens, 130 hand-raised lambs, 22 handspinning, 3, 6 handspun yarn, 343 heritage breeds and, 39 sales of wool for, 336–37 wool requirements for, 320
Index 427 headgate, 301, 301 health considerations, general, 26–28, 191–236 alternative health practices, 196–97 bacterial infections, 217–19 disorders of sheep, other, 214–25 drugs for sheep, 226–36 healthy strategies, 193–96 hoof-related problems/care, 220–25 illness causes, 199–200 immune system, 194, 198 natural defenses, 197–98 parasites, 200–213 recognizing sick sheep, 196 scrapie, 219 signs of health/sickness, 27 spider lamb syndrome, 220 temperature, normal, 196 viral infections, 215–17 health of sheep, 26–28 coat, 27 feet, 27–28 mucous membranes, 26–27 records for, 28 respiration, 27 skin, 28 herding dogs, 17, 135–47. See also specifi c breed basic training for, 143 breeds of, 138–40 “broken”/“unbroken” sheep and, 142 buying a trained dog, 144 characteristics of, 136 commands for, traditional, 144 dog trials, 145–47 driving breeds, 140 “fetching”/“wearing,” 143 gathering breeds, 139 health concerns and, 141–42 puppy selection, 140–42 selection of, 140–42 tending breeds, 139–40 terminology for, 147 training of, 142–44 traits of, 136, 137–38 veterinary issues of, 141–42 heritage breeds, 38–40 population status of, 39 traits of, 40 Herrick, Donna, 354–55 hides. See pelts high-input systems, 7 Hoag, Bill, 84 Hog Island (sheep breed), 64, 65, 66 homeopathy, 196–97 homestead fl ocks, 6 hoof-related problems/care, 220–25, 221. See also foot trimming foot abscesses, 225 footbath, 220 foot rot, 223–24 foot scald, 224–25 hoof trimming, 222–23 lameness, 220 limping sheep, checking, 222, 223 “hoppling” (hobbling) a ram, 270 Horned Dorset, 61 hybrid vigor, 18 hypocalcemia. See milk fever hypothermia, 293–95 I Icelandic Sheep, 66, 67 ID’s for sheep ear tags, 293, 393 Radio Frequency IDs, 400–401 Ile de France, 66, 67 illness, causes of, 199–200 biological agents, 199–200
428 Index illness, causes of (continued) chemical agents, 199 immunizing shots. See vaccinations injections, 227–32. See also vaccinations fi lling syringe, 228 intradermal or intracutaneos, 230 intramammary, 232 intramuscular, 230–31, 231 intraperitoneal, 231, 232 selenium supplementation, 250 sheep chair for, 132 sterile procedures for, 227–29 storage of drugs for, 229 subcutaneous, 229–30, 230 intensive vs. extensive management, 7–10 internal parasites, 200–209 coccidiosis, 203–4 control of, 205 deworming, 206–9 FAMACHA and, 206 less common types, 202–3 roundworms, 201 targeted worming, 208–9 worm infestations, 201–2 worm life cycle, 204, 204–5 worm resistance, 207–8 international sheepdog trial scoring diagram, 146 Internet resources. See Web sites J Jacob Sheep, 38, 68, 69 Johne’s disease, 28, 218 Jones, Amos Dee, 56 jugs (pens), 125–27 lambing jugs, 126, 126 requirements for, 126 K Karakul, 35, 68, 69, 266 Katahdin, 70, 71 keds. See sheep keds Keeping Livestock Healthy (Haynes), 192 ketosis. See pregnancy toxemia Kleinpeter, Ken, 102–3 Komondor (guardian dog), 164, 164 Krinsky, Rebecca, 388 Kuvasz (guardian dog), 165, 165 L Lacaune, 70, 71 Laidlaw, James, 76 “lamb coat,” 295 “lamb cradles,” 127 lambing, 278–309. See also postlambing care early/late, 263 helping out, 280–82 lambing snare, 283 lamb positions, 282–88 orphan lambs, 297–306 post-lambing care, 288–93 predators and, 151 preparation for, 278–79 problems with newborn lambs, 293–97 process of, 279–88 ringwomb, 282 shearing prior to, 278–79 when to assist, 281 when to call the veterinarian, 287–88 lambing pens. See under jugs lambing sickness. See milk fever lamb positions, 282–88 both legs presented, head turned back, 284–85, 285 breech birth, 285–86, 286
Index 429 crosswise position, 286, 286 four legs at once, 287, 287 front half out, hips stuck, 283 head coming out before legs, 284 large head or shoulders, 282–83 normal birth, 282–84, 283 one leg back, 284, 284 tight delivery, 282–83 twins, one backward, 287, 287 twins, together, 287, 287 two legs back, 284 lamb problems, 251–60, 252 acidosis, 251 constipation, 251–52 enterotoxemia, 253 entropion, 252 mechanical pneumonia, 255 navel ill, 254 pneumonia, 254–55 polio, 255 scours, 255–58 tetanus, 258 urinary calculi, 258–59 white muscle disease, 259–60 lambs. See also newborn lambs body composition, various ages, 176 ewe lambs, fl ushing and, 272–73 feeding/stage of production, 180 vaccines for, 271 “lamb swings,” 127 lameness, 220 land management, 3, 84 Larocca, Phil, 376 late-spring pasture lambing, 10 leader-follower relationships, 14 legumes in hay, 186 nitrogen fi xation and, 105 U.S. pasture areas for, 107 Leicester Longwool, 70, 71, 72 Levin, Betty, 137 lice, 211 Lincoln Longwool, 72, 73 listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes), 218 live-animal business, 363–63 club lamb sales, 362 mowing services, 362–63 purebred/specialty breeding stock, 361–62 ram rental, 361 liver fl ukes, 202–3, 204, 204 livestock auction barns, 21, 194 Livestock Guard Dogs Association, 160 Locavore movement, 5 “lockjaw.” See tetanus long lower jaw conformation, 25, 25 low-input systems, 7, 99 heritage breeds and, 40 lungworms, 202 M magazines, 377, 404-405 maggots, 211–12 magnesium defi ciency. See grass tetany male sheep. See rams malignant edema, 219 managed grazing, 99–100, 101, 111–14 paddock numbers, 112–13 timing fl ock’s movements, 112 management-intensive grazing. See managed grazing “mange mite.” See scab mites manure, 363–64 chemical content of, 363 Maremma (guardian dog), 165, 165 marketing, 36, 310–14 blogosphere, 314
430 Index marketing (continued) details matter in, 337 direct marketing, 7 easy ways to advertise, 311 Web sites, 312–14 marking lambs, 293 mastitis, 242–44 test for, 243 treatment for, 243 meat. See meat products; mutton meat products, 344–53 cutting instructions for, 350–51 dressed weights/yields, 347 Easter lambs, 348–49 locker lambs, 346–48 mutton, 349–51 nutritional facts on, 12 organic lambs, 348 relative percentages, meat cuts, 346 “tenderstretch” carcass hanging, 351–52, 352 yield grades, sheep and lambs, 345 medication. See drugs for sheep Mendel, Gregor, 31 merchandising. See marketing Merck Veterinary Manual, 192 Merian, Lisa, 312–13 MidWest Plan Service, 133 milk fever, 244–45 vs. pregnancy toxemia, 246 milk formula, emergency newbornlamb, 172 milking ewes, abortion/stillbirth and, 242 milk products, 353 nutritional facts on, 12 mineral supplements. See under nutrients in feeds mites. See scab mites Montadale, 72, 73 mouth conformation, 25, 25. See also teeth of sheep mowing services, sheep used as, 362–63 multiple births. See twinning mutations/genetic defects, 31, 32 mutton, 349–51 cutting instructions for, 350–51 recurrent ram selection and, 269 N National Animal Identifi cation System (NAIS), 392, 400–401 National Institute for Animal Agriculture, 400 National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP), 391–92 native ewes, 19 Nature Conservancy, The, 64, 84 Navajo-Churro, 72, 73, 74 navel ill, 254 newborn lambs. See also baby lambs, care of; problems with newborn lambs bottle-fed, 174 colostrum deprived, 173 colostrum for, 171–73 digestion in, 170–74 emergency milk formula, 172 milk quantity for, 173 nitrogen fi xation, legumes and, 105 North, Karl and Jane, 8–9 North Country Cheviot, 74, 75 Northland Dairy, 8–9 nose bots, 213 “no-tail” docking, 307 nutrients in feeds, 174–78 alternative nutrition, 197 beauty of wool and, 316 carbohydrates, 178 fats, 178
Index 431 immune systems and, 194 lamb body composition and, 176 proteins, 176 salt, 187–88 vitamins and minerals, 176–77, 187–88, 197 water, 177 O orchards, grazing in, 114–15 subdividing of orchard, 115 tree trunk protection, 115 orchitis, 238 organic production, 10, 348 alternative health practices and, 197 orphan lambs, 297–306. See also bummer lambs bottle lamb, 303–5 cafeteria-style feeding of, 305–6 for ewe with dead lamb, 303 feeding schedule for, 305 forcible acceptance, 301–2 grafting of, 299–303 out-of-season lambing, 262 ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP), 28, 216. See also pneumonia Ovis aries (domestic sheep), 2 Oxford, 74, 75, 76 P paddocks advantage of, 111 grazing period vs. numbers of, 114 management of, 113, 113 number of, 112–13 Panama (sheep breed), 76, 77 paperwork. See records and animal identifi cation parasites, 1, 200–213 external, 209–13 heritability and, 35 internal, 200–209 parasite preparations, 234 parrot mouth, 25, 25 Parry, Richard, 274–75 pasture, 101–15, 184–85. See also paddocks bare spots, rejuvenation of, 108, 109 carrying capacity/stocking rate of, 101–2 clipping/mowing of, 113 feeding your, 105, 108 forage plants for, 103–5 frost seeding of, 109 grass growth in, 109–10, 110 grazing approaches, 110–14 ideal pasture mix, 104 nitrogen fi xation and, 105, 108 overgrowth control, 108–9 plants, pasture areas and, 106–7 rest periods, paddocks for, 111, 112 tame vs. native, 101 U.S. pasture areas for, 107 pasture plants. See forage plants pecking order, 14 pelts, 353–60 baking soda-kerosine tanning method, 360 care of, 357–58 drying and softening of, 360 fl eshing out of, 357 home tanning of, 358–60 live sheep handling and, 356 salt-acid tanning of, 359 tanning preparation, 358 pens. See handling facilities; jugs Perendale, 76, 77, 78 pet food, mutton for, 349 phase lambing, 9–10 Piel, Michael, 70, 90
432 Index pinkeye, 219 “pinning.” See constipation pizzle rot (Corynebacterium renale), 239 planned grazing. See managed grazing “Plant Image Gallery,” Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, 105 plants/pasture areas, U.S. for grasses, shrubs, forbs, 106 for legumes, 107 map of, 107 pneumonia, 254–55, 306. See also ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) poisonous plants, 188–90, 189 polio (polioencephalomalacia), 255 Polypay, 78, 79 post-lambing care, 288–93 ear tags, use of, 293 feeding the lamb, 289–92 marking lambs, 292–93 molasses/feed for mama, 292 multiple lambs, 292 starvation of lambs, 291 umbilical cord care, 288 postmortem examinations, 196 potbelly, 202 “Predator-Friendly” movement, 149, 162–63 predators, 148–54 coyotes as, 151–52 discouraging, 150–51 dogs as, 152–53, 154 Endangered Species Act and, 155 identifying, 150 laws regarding, 154 managing for, 148–54 multispecies grazing and, 179 tracks of, 153, 153 variety of, 153–54 victimization, signs of, 152 pregnancy/delivery. See ewes, disorders in; lambing; lamb positions pregnancy toxemia, 245–47 early treatment of, 247 ketone test for, 277 vs. milk fever, 246 problems with newborn lambs, 293–97 hypothermia, 293–95 inverted eyelids, 297 resuscitation of lamb, 296 stomach tube emergency feeding, 296–97, 298–99, 299 warming a frozen lamb, 295 weak lambs, 295–96 processed wool, 339–43 carding, 341–43, 342 carding machine for, 341 cleaning fl eeces for, 339–40 drying fl eeces, 340–41 handcraft uses of fl eece, 343 odd uses of wool, 343–44 production systems, 8–10 accelerated lambing, 8, 34 early-spring-confi nement lambing, 10 fall lambing, 10 grassfed production, 11–12 late-spring pasture lambing, 10 organic production, 10–11 phase lambing, 9–10 winter-confi nement lambing, 9 products. See also wool products live-animal business, 361–63 meat and milk, 344–53 odds and ends, 363–69 pelts, 353–60 pulsed grazing. See managed grazing purchasing sheep. See buying sheep
Index 433 Q quarantining sheep, 29, 194–95, 223 R Radio Frequency IDs, 400–401 Rambouillet, 78, 79 rams, 264–70 “battering rams,” 268–70 body temperature, fertility and, 266 breeding, preparation for, 265–68 conformation of, 26 effect upon ewes, 267 feeding of, 180, 266 harness/brisket marking for, 267–68 hoppling/yoking/clogging of, 270 raising your own, 268 ram chart, sample, 395 ram rental, 361 recurrent selection of, 269 replacement rams, 19 reproductive tract of, 265, 265 rams, problems with, 237–39 epididymitis, 237–38 orchitis, 238 pizzle rot, 239 ulcerative dermatosis, 239 range sheep, 19 rare breeds, 38–40 ALBC priority for, 39 population status of, 39 recessive traits, undesirable, 33 recipes, 369–75 Anna’s Casserole, 374–75 Breakfast Sausage, 370–71 Cornmeal Crust, 372–73 Garden Meat Loaf Squares, 373 Hasty Hash, 371 Oregon Lamb or Mutton, 375 Sloppy Joes, 374 Smoked Leg of Mutton “Ham,” 369–70 Vi’s Tamale Pie, 372 records and animal identifi cation, 390–401 computer software/spreadsheets, 392–93 EPD values, 392 ewe chart, sample, 394 feed requirements charts, 396 health records, 28 identifying your animals, 393 National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP), 391–92 ram chart, sample, 395 record charts, samples, 393–95 recurrent selection of rams, 269 registered breeding stock, 18 reproduction. See breeding sheep; ewes; rams resources, 192. See also Web sites restraining devices, 131–32, 132 resuscitation of lamb, 296 retained afterbirth, 247–48 Rideau Arcott, 80 ringwomb, 282 Romanov, 81 Romeldale, 82, 83 Romney, 82, 83 rotational grazing. See managed grazing roundworms, 201 Royal White, 84, 85 S safety with CCA posts, 120 toxic substances and, 190 salmonellosis (Salmonella bacteria), 242 salt. See nutrients in feeds
434 Index Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation “Plant Image Gallery,” 105 sanitation, 193–94 Santa Cruz (sheep breed), 84, 85 Sarplaninac. See Shar Planinetz scab mites, 213 scales/weights, 130–31, 131 Schoenian, Susan, 192, 393 Scottish Blackface (Black Face Highland), 86, 87 scours, 202, 255–58 dry hay and, 28–29 electrolyte solution for, 257 signs of, 27 white scours (Escherichia coli infection), 257–58 yellow scours, 256–57 scrapie, 28, 219 scrapie-identifi cation requirements, 393 selenium-vitamin E injectables, 250, 260 senses/emotions of sheep, 14–17 hearing, 16–17 sight, 15–16, 16 smell, 17 taste/touch, 17 set stocking as grazing approach, 110, 111 parasite control and, 205 sewing projects sheep coats, 320, 320–21 Shar Planinetz (guardian dog), 166, 166 shearing sheep, 278–79, 321–23 crotching, 279, 279 facing, 279 “fi tting” (preshow preparation), 387, 387–89 how to shear, 324–34 local services for, 335–36 pelt value and, 354–55 preparing to shear, 323–24 sharpening blades, 323 suggestions for, 334–35 twenty steps in, 324–34 “shearling” lining. See pelts sheep chairs, 131–32, 132 sheep coats, 320, 320–21 Sheep Disease Management (Gates), 193 sheepdog trials, 145–46, 146 sheep farming today, 3–13 homestead fl ocks, 6 intensive vs. extensive management, 7–10 vertical integration, 5–6 Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook, The, 133 “Sheep Industry Economic Impact Analysis” (report), 3, 5 sheep keds, 209–11 Sheep Production Handbook, 122 sheep shearing. See shearing sheep sheepskin cross-section, 315, 315 sheep ticks. See sheep keds Shepherd Magazine, 338 Shepherd’s Journal, 377 Shepherd Stories Betty Levin’s Help, 137 Christmas Trees and Sheep, 37 Dogs on Duty, 149 Facilities Expert, 102–3 The Judge, 380–81 Lessons Learned, 354–55 Manager Extraordinaire, 274–75 Northland Dairy, 8–9 Organic: I’ll Drink to That, 376 Predator-Friendly ranchers, 162–63 In the Ring, 388 Wool as Art, 312–13
Index 435 Shetland, 86, 87 shipping, shrinkage and, 130 showing sheep, 377–90. See also conformation kinds of shows, 377–78 show classes, 379 training sheep for shows, 379–90 shrinkage, shipping and, 130 Shropshire, 88, 89 sickness. See diseases; specifi c disease sight. See vision, fi eld of skin folds, 36 Sloan, J., 43 Slow Food movement, 5 soap, homemade, 364–66 containers for, 365 lamb tallow soap recipe, 364–65 variations of, 365–66 Soay, 88, 89 solid mouth, 24 soremouth (ecthyma), 216–17 sound mouth, 25, 25 Southdown, 88, 89 Southern Cheviot. See Border Cheviot specialty wool markets, 3 Spider Lamb Syndrome (SLS), 220 “spinning count,” 319 Spurlock, Dr. Glenn, 48 Staphylococcus, mastitis and, 242 starting with sheep, 1–29 background on sheep, 2 behavior of sheep, 13–17 buying sheep, 19–28 production systems, 8–13 sheep farming today, 3–13 working sheep, 17 St. Croix (sheep breed), 90, 91 “stiff lamb.” See white muscle disease stillbirth, milking considerations after, 242 stock dogs. See herding dogs stocking rate of pasture, 101–2 Stockman Grass Farmer, 185 stomach tube emergency feeding, 296–97, 298–99, 299 Suffolk (sheep breed), 90, 91 sustainability, 4–5, 7, 185. See also low-input systems T tagging. See crotching tail removal. See docking tallow. See candles, homemade; soap, homemade tanning. See under pelts tapeworms, 202 Targhee, 92, 93 teaching/writing about sheep, 368–69 Teeswater, 92, 93 teeth of sheep, 22–24 age determination by, 23, 23 conformation and, 25, 25 terminology for, 24 wear of, 23, 23 tending breeds (dogs), 139–40 terminology for feeds/feeding, 175 for herding dogs, 147 for sheeps’ teeth, 24 tetanus (“lockjaw”), 258, 260, 306 Texel, 94, 95 Tibetan Mastiff, 167, 167 tick bites. See “cockle” total digestible nutrients (TDN), 175, 185 toxic substances, 190. See also poisonous plants toxoids, 235 toxoplamosis, 241 training sheep for shows, 379–90
436 Index training sheep for shows (continued) bracing, 385 eight steps for showing, 383–85 fi nal fi tting, 389 “fi tting” (preshow preparation), 387–89 foot placement, 384 halterless leading, 381–82 halter training, 379–87 handling during shows, 386, 386 lineups, 383, 385 obstinate students, 382 preshow carding, 389 show ring strategies, 390 squaring up, 384 squatting, 384 training to stand, 382–83 Tunis, 94, 95 Turner, D. Helen Newton, 54 turning cradles, 131, 132 Turning Wool into a Cottage Industry (Simmons), 339 twinning fl ushing and, 272 multiple births, 35 post-lambing care and, 292 Tyler, Dave, 162–63 “types” of sheep, 19 U ulcerative dermatosis, 239 unapproved drugs, 236 unbroken sheep, 147 undesirable recessive traits, 33 urinary calculi (“water belly”), 258–59 USDA, Wildlife Services offi ce, 154 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 105, 111 USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 219 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 10, 13, 400–401 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 236 U.S. Sheep Industry Development program, 36 U.S. standard yield grades, slaughtering and, 345 V vaccinations, 195, 236 vaccines/biologicals, 234–36 antisera, 234–35 bacterins, 234, 235 for ewes and lambs, 271 toxoids, 234, 235 vaccines, 234, 235–36 vaginal prolapse, 248, 248–51 selenium supplementation for, 250 vertical integration, 5–6 Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners, A (Spaulding), 191, 192 vibrosis (Campylobacter fetus/jejuni), 240, 241 viral infections, 215–17 bluetongue, 215 ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP), 216 soremouth (ecthyma), 216–17 vision, fi eld of, 15–16 bifocal/monofocal vision, 16 blind spots, 15, 16 vitamins and minerals, 176–77 selenium, 250, 259–60 W warming box for lamb, 295, 295 water. See under feeds “water belly.” See urinary calculi Web sites, 4, 185 for grassfed movement, 12
Index 437 for local products, 346 marketing products using, 312–14 on NAIS, 401 for sheep health issues, 192 for stomach tube feeding, 297 for sustainability, 185 Weed, Becky, 162–63 weed and brush control, 3 for leafy spurge, 104 weights estimation of, 131, 131 scales and, 130–31, 131 status/age/body composition, 176 Welsh Mountain, 96, 97 Wensleydale, 96, 97 Western ewes, 19 wether (castrated male), 270 White, Bill, 37 white muscle disease (“stiff lamb”), 183, 259–60 wigging. See facing wild animals. See predators Wiltshire Horn, 98, 98 winter-confi nement lambing, 9 wool, 314–44. See also processed wool; shearing sheep; wool products clean wool yield, 318, 319, 319 crimp of, 318 evaluation of, 318–19 fi ber structure, 315, 315, 317, 317 fi neness/density, 319, 319 micron system for, 319 nutrition, beauty of wool, 316 processed wool, 339–43 production of, 315–16 sheep coats to protect, 320, 320–21 on sheep’s faces, 35–36, 279 on sheep’s legs, 35 wool blindness, 36 wool break, 202 wool products, 336–44. See also pelts; processed wool bedding, wool in, 336 colored fl eeces, 337–39 for handspinners, 336–37 working sheep, 17. See also herding dogs worm infestations. See internal parasites worming sheep, 29, 195, 206–9 targeted worming, 208–9 worm resistance, 207–8 Y yield grades, sheep and lambs, 345 “yoking” two rams, 270