Judging a Flock By Its Cover

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"I was fascinated, drawn to them," she recalls.

Shortly after moving to the place where lambs beckoned her, Child obtained seven or eight Suffolk-based ewes. The sheep produced sparse, white, medium-weight wool, typical of mutton-type breeds in the region. It wasn't quite what Child had in mind.

Mary Child "skirts", or removes, less desirable wool from the edges of a recently sheared fleece.

Determined to produce dense, soft, naturally colored fleeces, she added to her flock a black, mostly Corriedale ram and a purebred Lincoln ram to improve the wool on future lambs.

Corriedales produce a soft, dense, medium-long fleece with a medium-tight crimp grading in the mid-50s (see " Wool Grades "). Lincoln fleeces yield a lustrous, extremely durable, long-staple fiber, great for specialty items such as socks or carpets.

Although Lincoln wool grades only in the low 40s, handspinners generally favor it over 50-grade Suffolk wool, which can be harsh or brittle and tends to handle poorly.

"Lincoln adds luster and strength to Corriedale wool," advises Child, who today shares six acres with 14 ewes and four rains. In a drier, less fertile area, six acres might limit her to a flock of six or less animals. In a more lush area, or with intensive rotational grazing, she might pasture 25 to 30 sheep. In all cases, well-drained sloping land reduces hoof and worm problems, and is an important first step in keeping a healthy herd.

Healthy Sheep, Healthy Wool

In general, sheep thrive on good quality pasture or hay, clean water and a sheep mineral salt. Mineral salt intended for cattle contains more copper than sheep usually need and can be toxic. Most sheep minerals contain higher levels of selenium, which is necessary to metabolize vitamin E, and prevent serious muscle-related diseases.

Sheep that graze on pasture with selenium - deficient soil are prone to prolapse (of uteruses or rectums) and may produce stillborn or weak lambs with poor lung capacity. In some regions, feeding miner also containing even the maximum legal level of selenium isn't enough. Supplements of selenium/vitamin E are available from your veterinarian, but be sure not to overdo it. Too much selenium can have the same effect as too little.

Sheep love alfalfa... too much. If suddenly given free access, they'll gorge and possibly die from bloating. Some shepherds graze alfalfa, but most store it for winter as a high-protein (about 17%) hay. Corn provides great energy, but is only about 8% protein. Corn-based feeds sold in 100-pound sacks at farm stores incorporate soybean meal (about 42% protein) and other protein-rich ingredients. Sheep do well on 10% to 12% protein; lambs need more. In cold weather and late pregnancy, ewes need extra energy. High-quality pasture or hay normally provides adequate energy and protein. Ewes carrying twins or triplets often run out of rumen room for hay and may need grain to supplement their diet.