Ten Commandments for Raising Healthy Sheep

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As a general rule, though, you only need to feed "pastureless" mature sheep about 3-1/2 pounds of legume—or 4 pounds of grass—hay per day. If you have plenty of corn or other grain, you can replace half of each day's hay ration with one pound of grain. Even windfall apples—or root crops like turnips—can provide good supplemental feed for sheep.

IX. CODDLE THE BABIES

It's important that you, the shepherd, begin preparations for your "crop" of newborn lambs at least two weeks before they're scheduled to arrive. Then, a few days before birthing should occur, pen the expectant ewe up in a corner of the shed or barn (a 4' X 4' enclosure is ideal) and provide her with plenty of clean bedding. Also, clip the wool from around the mother's vulva and cut off any matted "tags" of wool that are close to the udder (a lamb might mistake the furry clumps for teats).

If at all possible, plan to be with each lambing ewe so you can quietly observe the birth, douse the newborn youngsters' navels with iodine, and—if necessary—help dry them off with clean rags. Most lambs will come into the world with nary a hitch, but if your ewe's still in labor after two hours, get help from your vet or an experienced shepherd.

Lambs are often born in the early—and sometimes frigid—spring of the year, and such newborns will need some help to stay alive and healthy. You can aid the young'uns by shearing the thickly wooled mothers shortly after they give birth. (The "haircut" will force the ewe to stay in her warm shed and let the lambs cuddle up... instead of heading to the nearest snowbank—with her shivering youngsters in tow—to cool off.)

You may also need to use a heat lamp to provide the lambs with additional warmth. Just hang the light three or four feet off the ground—in a corner of the lambing pen—and let the little woollies pick their own comfortable distance from the heat source.

Be certain that each lamb gels its fair share of the mother's antibody-laden first milk (the colostrum). Remember, too, to increase the milking ewe's daily ration to five or six pounds of hay and one or two pounds of grain... so she'll be able to provide plenty of ongoing nourishment to her lambs. (You can—if need be—bottle-feed any abandoned lambs with undiluted cow or goat milk.) You should also construct a creep feeder—with an opening 8" wide by 18" high—and stock that lamb-sized box with rich, solid foods. Such a feeder will encourage the youngsters to start using—and developing—their rumens.

X. HELP YOUR ANIMALS PREVENT THEIR OWN DISEASE

If you follow commandments I through IX, you'll almost certainly have one of the healthiest flocks in the territory. There are, however, a few extra precautionary measures that good shepherds take to keep their sheep vigorous and productive.

First of all, be downright tenacious in your efforts to avoid the number-one health problem of sheep: internal parasites. Please—for your flock's sake—follow Dr. Kidd's Famous Five Point Parasite Control Program (presented in Issue No. 56, page 76 and No. 57, page 56) to keep your woollies worm-free.

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