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New Owners’ Hand Book of

Caring for Sheep

Sheep are great fun to keep, easy to breed and

can have great personalities! Before you

actually get your sheep there are a few things

that you need to consider. Here are 3 things you

need to consider before your purchase your 1st

sheep.

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1. What breed of sheep do you want?

2. Where you are keeping them?

3. How do I look after them?

1. WHAT BREED DO WE CHOOSE?

Breed of sheep is really quite important.

There are many breeds to choose from and all have a

different a purpose. (Below L to R: Merino, Dorper, Moorit (Coloured Sheep) and Damara

If you just want lawn mowers it really doesn’t matter

what breed you get.

You must however think of all the work you need to do

to care for them.

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If you choose Merino, for example, they are a wool

breed and need to be shorn once a year and be

crutched 6 months after they are shorn as their wool

gets very daggy at the back end and they are prone to

fly strike.

They are good if you want to breed for wool.

If you chose Damaras or Dorpers they don’t need

shearing as they shed their wool, but can be very flighty,

however they do produce nice meat.

Black Faced Suffolks are great for small farms are quite

and easy to tame and handle and are a great meat

sheep.

The White Suffolk is the latest thing in commercial

flocks as their wool isn’t too bad and their meat is quite

good.

If you are into spinning and knitting, Coloured Sheep

come in several breeds like Merino, Corriedale and

Romney, just to name a few.

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2. HOW DO WE HOUSE OUR SHEEP?

Where you house your sheep is also very important.

You need to have good strong dog proof fences.

Dogs are the single biggest problem with owning

sheep and around Bargo it is pet dogs that are not

locked up and allowed to roam. Although sheep are

quite happy to live outside, they need a shed or

shelter for really inclement weather. Like most

animals they don’t like getting wet and a shelter will

ensure they stay safe in really poor weather. It is also

handy to have a shed and yard so during lambing you

can keep an eye on them, or if you need to treat a

sick sheep you have

somewhere to keep it. If

they are newly shorn and

we have a cold snap then

they can seek shelter in a

shed too.

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We use Livestock Guardian Dogs

in this case the Maremma to

protect our flock from wandering

dogs.

3. HOW MUCH DO SHEEP EAT?

They eat a lot!

In Bargo we put 2 sheep per acre. This is a rough guide

as it does depend on how much grass and what type of

grass you have and how productive it is.

Hand feeding can get rather expensive, so don’t over

stock.

When you need to supplement their diet pick a good

clean hay that isn’t to coarse, as sheep will pull course

hay apart and lay on it!

We like to feed our sheep in a feeder and they tend not

to waste as much. We just use an old gate or piece of

mesh tied up on a gate as a

feeder (see below) and it

works well!

It is advisable that you you

supply them with a salt lick

once or twice a year as this

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keeps up their minerals that may be deficient in their

diet.

We recommend and use Olssons Peak 50 block.

We also feed and recommend Laucke Sheep or Laucke

Ewe and Lamb Nuts.

This ensures your flock get all the vitamins and minerals

that they need to stay healthy.

Not only are the Nuts good for them but they will sell

their souls to eat them!

We always call our sheep and shake a dipper with Sheep

Nuts in it and when they hear the noise they come

running!!

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4. HOW DO I CARE FOR MY SHEEP?

There 3 things that are vitally important: Food, water

and shelter.

We have covered shelter and

food, so water is the next

thing.

If the sheep don’t have access

to a dam or creek you will need to supply fresh water

daily.

Many people use automatic waterers, which are OK, but

always check them as they can break down.

Don’t assume your automatic waterer is working.

Check it every few days.

Also check that a bird or other small

animal hasn’t fallen into the water

and drowned as a rotting carcass will

pretty quickly pollute your water

and kill your sheep!

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Worming

Worming is most important for your sheep. Worms can

have a catastrophic effect on flock if not controlled.

There are many types of worms that can live in your

sheep. They all have the potential to kill your animals.

Barbers Pole will kill your sheep overnight if not

treated.

The sheep will exhibit a ‘bottle jaw’

(right) with a large swelling under the

jaw and will have very pale or white

membranes when you look at the

skin inside the eye.

These animals will die within hours if not treated

immediately.

We worm our flock every 3

months, and worm them every 8

weeks in wet humid conditions.

Worms breed and spread faster in

these conditions. Use a good

wormer recommended by your vet or feed store.

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We recommend Zolvix and QDrench.

Paddock rotation, harrowing and liming your paddocks

are good ways to help control worm burdens.

For further information on worming, go our web page at

http://www.critterbits.com.au/sheep-equipment-at-

critter-bits/

Vaccination

All sheep should be vaccinated against black leg and

pulpy kidney and other nasties with a product called 5 in

1.

THIS DOES NOT VACCINATE AGAINST WORMS

They need to be vaccinated at 8 weeks then done again

at 12 weeks then again yearly at shearing time.

Sick Sheep

If your sheep look unwell, aren’t eating are scouring or

exhibiting odd behaviour, talk to your vet.

Sheep die very quickly, so speed is essential in treating

the sick sheep.

If your sheep is unwell, take its temperature rectally,

which normally should be 38.3 to 39.9, and if it is

elevated call your vet.

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While waiting for the vet, isolate the sick sheep so it is

easy to catch when the vet arrives.

Its temperature may not be elevated,

but again if you aren’t sure call the

vet.

You may also give it electrolytes to

counter dehydration.

Injuries

Sheep can easily injure themselves and even break a leg.

A broken leg can be set and the sheep will recover quite

well.

Once again isolate the sheep and call the vet or ask

someone to help you set the leg.

Sheep can be given Butazoladine for pain.

The sheep will need to be locked up in a small yard, big

enough for it to stand up in and turn around and lay

down comfortably for up to 6 weeks.

You will need some bedding like straw, shavings or rice

hulls to absorb the urine, which will need to be cleaned

daily.

Access to hay in a hay net and a bucket of water is

essential!

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Fly Strike

Fly strike can occur on any part of the sheep where

there has been an injury or around the back side were

the site is constantly wet and daggy.

The wool will turn a black

colour and if not

treated will kill the

sheep.

The maggots will

virtually eat the

sheep alive so immediate action is required.

Treatment is simple.

Clip as much wool as possible from the affected area

and treat with Extinosad or similar.

The effect will be immediate.

Reapply every day until healed or no maggots are

visible.

5. SHEARING AND

CRUTCHING

All sheep need

some type of

shearing.

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Even Dorpers and Damaras may require some type of

annual spring clean! Wool breeds like Merinos will need

more care than Suffolks. Merinos will need shearing

once per year and crutched 6 month later.

Crutching removes wool on the back end that gets

daggy and this helps to prevent fly strike.

Freshly shorn sheep and a freshly crutched ram

6. BREEDING

Selecting a good ram is

essential.

It costs the same to feed a

bad ram as it costs to feed

a good one.

It is best to keep your ram separate from the ewes

unless breeding.

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This allows you to time your breeding through the year,

so that you can plan for when the lambs will arrive.

It is best that the ewes are only bred with once per year.

Keeping them in lamb all the time stresses them and

they don’t produce as well, have more health issues and

don’t stay as fertile for as long.

Select a ram that is to your specifications, for example,

if you breeding for meat, choose a ram that is long and

wide in the back and loin, as this where all the good

meat is located!

Have a good look at the back leg, pick a ram that is large

in the hind quarter which is also a great cut for the

Sunday roast!

Make sure the ram

comes from a

reputable breeder

that can tell you

the ram’s history

like date of birth, worming and vaccination program.

Date of birth is vitally important as you can then gauge

the growth rate of the ram and his current size will

reflect on his lambs.

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Buying a weedy under developed ram is poor economy

as he will produce the same type of lambs. The quicker

and bigger they grow the less they cost to feed!

The lamb in the picture is only 10 weeks old and is

standing next one of our very large rams.

It’s all in breeding!

We like to slaughter at hogget stage which is around

9mths to 1yr old as you get a larger carcass and the

meat is delicious. Ask the breeder what carcass weight

you get as hogget, as I would expect a carcass of around

25kg to 30kg.

Also check the animal’s

temperament too.

If you are going to be

keeping a ram on a small

acreage, you need to know

what its temperament is

like.

An aggressive ram that may weigh 100kg, that attacks

you is no laughing matter and can cause serious injuries

to its owners and their children!

Don’t handle the rams too much or encourage them to

become too friendly with treats as this usually leads the

ram down the path of head butting you to get food, and

the problem never gets better.

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If we ever sell a ram that is aggressive, it will go to a

property where minimal handling is needed such as on

large rural property.

6. PICKING YOUR EWES

When you go to buy your

ewes, check that they are

well cared for and healthy.

Remember you will get what

you pay for.

Be very careful buying from a sale yard.

Once again ask about when they were drenched, and

what with and when they were last vaccinated.

It is most disappointing when you arrive home with your

new flock of sheep and they start dying!

Visit our web site for a short blog on choosing healthy

sheep at www.critterbit.com.au/blog.

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Below is a teeth chart so you can see how old your

sheep are before you purchase

7. PROPERTY INFORMATION CODE

If you want breed sheep to sell, or breed to eat you will

need a PIC number. This number will tell the Rural Lands

Board where sheep have originated.

This helps with livestock theft that is rife in Australia.

Any sheep you purchase must come with a tag in its ear

with the PIC on it and must be sold with an NVD form.

Moving sheep without this form (unless you are moving

your own sheep) is illegal!

Watch the video on our web page about PIC Numbers

and NVD forms. Go to:

http://www.critterbits.com.au/sheep-equipment-at-

critter-bits/

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http://www.critterbits.com.au/sheep-paper-work/

8. LAMBING

Lambing can be a stressful time. If you breed sheep, you

will lose some lambs and may even lose some of the

ewes.

Vigilance is important.

Visit our website for practical information about new

born lambs at www.critterbits.com.au/blog.

Keep an eye on a ewe that is in labour, and checking on

her until you are sure she is OK.

A ewe in labour makes a very distinct warbling baa that

indicates she has just lambed or is ready to give birth.

Noticing a lamb that isn’t feeding or a ewe that won’t

get up, and treating it quickly, is literally a life and death

situation.

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Call your vet immediately if you are worried. Ewes die

very quickly from infections or mastitis.

They can show signs of mastitis (Milk Fever) by limping

on the back legs, laying down all the time and not

feeding the lambs.

Call the vet immediately.

Your ewe will die without treatment.

If treated early the ewe can make a full recovery!

Mostly though, after mastitis I retire them to homes

that only want lawn mowers.

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Below are some types of abnormal lamb presentations.

If I find a ewe in labour I will go inside and check her

again in 20 minutes to ensure that the birth is normal.

Ewes with poorly presented lambs can be in labour for

too long killing the lamb and possibly the ewe.

The lamb should be born quickly and with its 2 front legs

emerging followed by its snout.

A ewe with a stuck lamb can be in serious trouble and if

you are not sure how to assist the ewe, call the vet.

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If you are experienced, help the ewe by only gently

pulling when she has a contraction.

Once again call the vet if you aren’t sure!

Never pull out the after birth. It will naturally come

away at a later time. It shouldn’t take more than a few

hours to come away.

Have a good look at it to ensure that it is all there. If you

are worried about a retained placenta, call the vet.

If the weather is really cold you can buy Woolovers that

will protect new born lambs from sudden chills and rain

coats to protect from wet inclement weather.

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Poddy Lambs

Every so often you will get a poddy lamb.

If the mother dies of rejects it, then you can feed and

look after it until weaning.

Remember that it is preferable that the lamb goes back

onto the mother, so even when bottle feeding a lamb,

keep it with the mother, feed it in there and hopefully it

will still bond with her.

Watch the blog on healthy lambs on our web page at

http://www.critterbits.com.au/suffolk-lambs-lovely-

and-healthy/

Sometimes lambs are born as “Dummy Lambs”. This

means they can’t feed from the mother or even suck on

a bottle. For more information got our web page and

watch the blog on “Dummy Lambs”

http://www.critterbits.com.au/dummy-lambs-lambs-

that-cant-feed/

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Poddy lambs make great pets, but I have one rule.

If it is a male I will castrate it!

Rams that are hand reared can become very aggressive

as they mature as they are very familiar with people and

therefore have no fear and as the old hormones start to

kick in, they see you as an easy push over!

Literally!

I keep a kit ready (above) for Poddy Lambs.

It has a packet of nappies (for inside for the first few

days), teats and bottles, small lamb coats or woolovers

or rain coats, Lamb Reviver stomach tube, electrolytes

and formula.

You may wish to keep some colostrum too.

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You can watch a video on how to use a Lamb Reviver on

our web page at www.critterbits.com.au/stomach-tube-

sick-lamb/

The first few days of feeding a poddy lamb are crucial.

Buy a good milk replacer like Profelac Shepherd and a

packet of electrolyte.

Poddy lambs can die very easily from dehydration if

they start scouring.

If the pooh gets really runny and lamb becomes

depressed, lays down and doesn’t move much, it would

be best to discontinue the milk formula and just feed it

Electrolyte for a day, then put it back on milk once the

poohs have firmed.

If a lamb has a bit of runny pooh, but looks bright and is

feeding well, just keep an eye

on it, but once again if you are

worried go to your vet.

You may also get one large

lamb and one small lamb. So

long as the little one is feeding

it should be fine!

You can watch a video on this

problem at:

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http://www.critterbits.com.au/twin-lambs-one-twin-

bigger/

8. MARKING YOUR LAMBS

Marking lambs (putting a band on their tails and

testicles) should be done at around 6 weeks of age.

I also give them their 1st dose of 5 in 1 (2nd dose in 4

weeks’ time) vaccination, ear tag them and then do tails

and testicles.

Check out our web page for practical demonstrations on

how to mark lambs at (video to come soon)

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I hope this booklet is helpful to new sheep

owners! There is so much to learn and this is just

a quick guide.

There are plenty of great publications on Breeds,

breeding, Diseases and Husbandry.

Remember you can always drop in or call the

shop for further advice!

Deb from Critter Bits Bargo.