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Sheep – Level 2

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Sheep – Level 2 SHEEP Project Guide Level 2 “Learn To Do By Doing” Table of Contents Objectives . .1 Flock Health ................................24 Fun Facts. .1 Identification . .24 Reproduction and Breeding of Sheep ............2 Farm Animal Review . .24 Purebred, Seed Stock Breeders. .2 Keeping Your Flock Healthy . .25 Crossbred, Commercial Breeders ..............2 Working with Your Veterinarian . .25 Breeding Sheep .............................3 Observe Your Flock .........................25 Ewes . .3 Watch For the Early Signs of Illness ............26 Rams. .4 Managing Health Problems . .27 Using a Marking Harness or Brisket Paint . .5 Parasites .................................28 Breeding Season . .5 Internal Parasites: ..........................29 Some Considerations for Choosing “Early-season or Winter” Managing Parasites .........................30 Lambing (January to March). .6 External Parasites ..........................31 Some Considerations for Choosing “Late-season or Spring” Trimming Hooves ..........................33 Lambing (April to June). .6 Body Condition Scoring. .34 Keep Good Records. 7 Using Condition Scoring .....................35 Gestation Table ............................8 Feeds and Feeding Your Sheep .................36 Breeding Out of Season. .9 Feeds Provide Nutrients .....................36 Planning Out of Season Breeding ..............9 Protein. .36 Pregnancy Diagnosis. .10 Carbohydrates .............................36 Lamb Care. .10 Fat . .37 Lambing .................................10 Vitamins .................................37 Be Prepared. .11 Minerals .................................37 Lambing Kit . .11 Water ...................................37 Learn to Recognize Signs that Lambing is Near. .11 Learn to sample feed correctly, test forages annually, and How long will it take your ewe to lamb? .........12 balance rations ............................38 Know When Assistance is Necessary. .12 Types of Feeds ............................39 What is Dystocia?. .13 Roughages ...............................39 Assisting with Lambing. .13 Concentrates. .40 Know What to Do at Birth . .15 Digestion .................................41 Reducing Lamb Losses ......................16 Rumen Development in Lambs ................42 Be Aware of the Main Causes of Lamb Deaths . .16 Feeding Sheep in Different Stages of Production. .42 Treating Chilled Lambs ......................16 Feeding Replacement Lambs. .43 Cause of Hypothermia. .17 Feeding for Maintenance .....................43 Mild Hypothermia ..........................17 Flushing. .43 Severe Hypothermia ........................18 Feeding During Early Pregnancy or Gestation .....43 TINT Your Lambs . .18 Feeding During Late Pregnancy or Gestation. .43 Tails .....................................18 . Feeding for Lactation. .43 Preparing the Lamb for Docking ...............19 Feeding for Late Lactation/Weaning ............44 Methods of Docking ........................20 Lamb Management. .44 Let’s Dock . .21 Newborn lambs. .44 Let’s Dock Summary Flow Chart. .21 Orphan Lambs .............................45 Injections .................................22 Feeding the Orphan Lamb ....................45 Navels. .22 Creep Feeding Lambs .......................46 Testicles .................................22 Weaning Lambs ...........................46 Methods of Castration. .23 Growing and Finishing Lambs .................48 Managing Grazing Sheep .....................49 Wool ......................................65 Key Points for Productive Pastures .............50 Hints for Making Shearing Easier ..............66 Manage Pasture Growth .....................50 Tagging Sheep . 66 Divide Pastures into Paddocks ................50 Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP) ....66 Don’t Put Sheep Out Too Early in the Spring ......50 Transporting Sheep .........................67 Rotate Paddocks so Grazing Fits Plant Growth ....51 Protecting Sheep from Predators ...............69 Aim for Good Utilization. .51 Guardian Dogs .............................69 Do Not Over-graze, Particularly Guardian Llamas ...........................70 Just Prior to Winter .........................51 Guardian Donkeys . .70 Recognize Surplus Forage Early. .51 Guardian “Flerds” ..........................70 Pasturing Lambs ...........................51 Predation Management Tips ...................70 Poisonous Weeds ..........................52 Keep Your Flock of Sheep Healthy . .70 Facilities for Sheep. .53 Maintain Careful and Regular Observation. .71 Lambing Pens .............................53 Use Corrals and Night Confinement .............71 Shelter. .54 Dispose of Dead Stock ......................71 Feeding Areas .............................55 Keep a Human Presence Around the Flock .......71 Creep Areas ..............................56 Use Novelties .............................71 Fencing . .57 Marketing Lambs ............................72 Fence Types ..............................57 Tips for Marketing Project Lambs ..............72 High-tensile, Electric ........................57 TIPS . 73 Woven Wire ..............................57 Tips for Keeping a Shepherd’s Calendar .........73 Barbed Wire Fences ........................57 Tips for Looking After the Environment . .75 Wood Rail Fencing .........................58 Tips for Estimating the Age of Sheep ...........76 Temporary Fencing .........................58 How old is Your Sheep?. .76 Breeds .....................................60 Tips for Hoof Care ..........................76 History. .60 Judging .................................. 77 Breeds and Breed Types .....................60 Market Lamb Terminology. .79 Border Cheviot ............................61 Steps in Placing a Class .....................82 Canadian Arcott ...........................61 General Terms for Use When Evaluating Sheep. .83 Charollais ................................62 Giving Reasons ............................83 Clun Forest ...............................62 Reasons Format ...........................84 Corriedale ................................62 Tips for Oral Reasons .......................85 Dorper . .62 Tips for Written Reasons .....................86 Dorset . .63 Sample Reasons – Hampshire Breeding Ewes ....86 East Friesen Milk Sheep .....................63 Activities . 87 Hampshire. .63 Match Up ................................87 North Country Cheviot. .63 Field Trip .................................87 Polypay ..................................64 Pictionary ................................87 Rambouillet . .64 Nutrition Word Search. .88 Romney. .64 Nurtrition Word Search Solutions ..............89 Southdown ...............................64 References ............................... 90 Suffolk. .65 Glossary. 91 Texel ....................................65 4-H Sheep Project Guide Level 2 Objectives The objectives of the Level 2 Sheep Project are to teach 4-H members about: • lamb care; • determining body condition scores; • the history of sheep; • the sheep industry in Alberta; • breeds of sheep common in Alberta; • wool; • facilities for sheep; • tagging sheep; • transporting sheep; • feeds; • lamb management; • managing grazing sheep; • protecting sheep from predators; • reproduction and breeding; • flock health; • desirable characteristics in sheep; and • judging. Fun Facts Most of Alberta’s sheep farms have crossbred ewes. Crossbreeding combines the traits of two or three different breeds. Crossbreeding also adds what is called hybrid vigour, which helps improve productivity. The main source of income from sheep in Canada is from producing lambs for meat. Wool is a secondary product in most flocks. Sheep dairy is a very small industry in Canada. Lambskin is a by-product of meat processing, and is used in high quality leather goods. Sheep are ruminants that graze and browse. They are able to eat woody plants, weeds, grasses, and grains that humans can’t. They efficiently convert those plant materials into high quality meat, wool, milk, and leather. Flocks of sheep can be used to control vegetation on farms, in cattle grazing areas, and in reforested areas. 1 4-H Sheep Project Guide Level 2 Canadian wool sheep must be shorn once a year. Wool grows continually providing sheep with protection against Canada’s climate. Wool is a valuable fiber that is used for fabrics, clothing, felt, and even insulation. It is a renewable resource. Wool has even been used to clean up oil spills; it can be squeezed out and reused up to eight times. Coyotes are the most common predator of sheep in Alberta. Other predators include foxes, wolves, cougars, bears, and ravens. For more information: www.ablamb.ca Predation Management Module 2014 www.agric.gov.ab (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry) Canadian heritage page Reproduction Purebred, Seed Stock Breeders and Breeding of There are roughly 1,000 breeders of purebred sheep in Canada. Purebred sheep carry Sheep the genetics of one breed, can have registration papers that guarantee the parentage of the animals, and must follow the guidelines of Canada’s Animal Pedigree Act. Random DNA sampling of sheep being registered helps assure pure genetics. Pure breeding sheep means to select and reproduce genetically similar animals. The benefit of having purebred sheep is for more genetic predictability. Selection is based on improving breed quality and economically important traits (growth rate, fertility, mothering ability, feed efficiency, and carcass quality). Purebred sheep, in particular terminal sire rams, are commonly used in commercial
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