I come in contact with many sheep producers through my educational role with UNL Extension and as a sheep producer. The majority of the producers credit their present involvement with sheep to youth programs, such as 4-H and FFA. A few attribute their interest to their parents, who in most cases trace their knowledge back to youth programs. Youth programs have many benefits but I will not go into that at this time, rather I would like to focus on a problem that many small sheep producers have. That is buying high quality breeding stock especially when it comes to rams.

Because of the size of the flock, in our area often ranging from 10 to 20 ewes, the producer does not want to invest a large amount of money in a ram. I think everyone would agree that to get a high quality genetic improving ram can be very expensive. But to get those high quality lambs it is a must.

One solution might be to form a breeding cooperative with a group of breeders in your area. A mature ram will handle at least 50 -60 ewes and maybe even more if the breeding season is extended. Four or five breeders could get together and purchase a ram then share the use of it by getting all the ewes bred at one central location or moving the ram around on a limited basis.

Let’s look at the economics of this scenario. In our operation it costs at least $100 per ram/year for feed. Assume paying $3000 for a superior ram and it would have a salvage value of $200 after four years which would calculate to $700 depreciation for each year. Interest cost is at 6% and that would add $180 expense. Other expenses such a worming, shearing and veterinarian bills might add another $20 per year. Annual expenses for this animal would add up to $1000 (feed=$100, depreciation=$700, interest=$180, other expenses=$20). Now, let’s assume this ram is mated to 50 ewes, with 75 lambs as the result. The breeding cost would only be $13 per lamb and with a $6000 ram you could figure about $26 per lamb.

Now, let’s look at what the breeding cost would be to the small flock owner. With the purchase of a $400 ram. Annual expenses would total $219 (feed=$100, depreciation=$75, interest=$24, and other expenses=$20). Assuming you get 15 lambs from 10 ewes, that would result in a cost of $15 per lamb.

Advantages and disadvantages of a breeding cooperative.

• All members must have the same goals
• The genetics of the ewe flocks need to be similar
• All members must have a very strict health program
• Only one member has to maintain the ram
• Multiple rams may be owned by the cooperative which would allow for less inbreeding
• The rams useful life could be extended
• Genetic improvement of retained females
• Not all animals costing $3000 are better then some costing $400
• Works best if shares in cooperative are sold based on ewe numbers

Forming a breeding cooperative should be looked at by persons wanting to make the most genetic progress and maintain a low investment. Other things to consider is leasing a ram or paying a breeding fee.

All matters concerning disease prevention and diagnosis should involve your veterinarian. If health problems exist, a postmortem examination can be conducted and tissues selected for submission to a diagnostic laboratory as an aid in securing a diagnosis. The veterinarian can also advise you about specific vaccination programs for your area. Vaccination programs and schedules will vary greatly so it is about impossible to give specific recommendations, but some general information may be helpful. Let us take a look at some of these issues from breeding up until late gestation.

During breeding season and up to one month after taking the rams out, precautions should be taken to prevent embryonic loss. This is the time period when the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, and this process could be adversely affected by stress along with improper nutrition.

During mid-gestation maintain ewes in a thrifty condition. Nutrition should be adequate to support placental development. Producers might want to feed poorer quality roughage during this period, saving better quality forage for lactation. Condition score the ewe flock at this time in order to sort off and feed the thin ewes extra, giving them the opportunity to gain weight. Always pay close attention to the mineral requirements of the sheep flock. Know the minerals that are deficient in your area, and make sure they are supplemented. Always feed iodized salt free choice.

Vaccinate for vibrio (campylobacter) and enzootic abortion (chlamydia) if called for in your flock health program. Usually a second injection needs to be given on new ewes 60 to 90 days after the first and the annual booster is given to ewes vaccinated in previous years.

In late gestation, we need to pay special attention to supplementing the high producing ewes. Starting about 6 weeks prior to lambing, begin feeding grain so that by lambing time they are at about 1 pound of grain/hd/day. Low producing ewes may need to get grain only about three weeks before lambing. Ewes should also be given their enterotoxemia injection about 4 weeks before lambing.

Remember many facts of disease prevention are acquired only through experience and a well-rounded grasp of modern animal husbandry.

Livestock producers know that different species of livestock have different dietary preferences and grazing behaviors. Cattle prefer grasses, sheep prefer forbs, and goats are browsers. Multi-species grazing exploits the complementary aspects of these dietary differences. For example, one noxious weed that has been infesting native ranges is leafy spurge. Cattle will not eat leafy spurge, and generally avoid heavily infested areas. Leafy spurge will increase and the range will continue to lose its productive capacity and limiting the number of cattle that it will support. Sheep and goats, however, will readily graze leafy spurge, thus converting a noxious weed into an economic gain rather than an added expense for control.

The weed in fact has high nutritional values and provides excellent forage for sheep and goats. It has good crude protein values and is highly digestible which provides excellent forage for lambs and lactating ewes. Replicated studies have shown that cattle grazed with sheep had weight gains as much as 21% more than cattle grazed alone. The same studies show that sheep grazed with cattle had gains of 12-36% more than sheep grazed alone.

For maximum benefits from multi-species grazing systems, close monitoring of pasture conditions is required. As weeds and woody plants are removed grass production will increase, or as grasses are removed the woody plants and weeds may increase.

As livestock producers become aware of the benefits of multi-species grazing they will have to determine which option provides the best fit for their operation. These options include, 1. getting free sheep to graze, 2. rent sheep to graze or 3. add a sheep operation to their farm. Providing free sheep or leasing out sheep for grazing purposes may provide additional income for existing sheep operations.

Multi-species grazing may require some modification in the existing fence. This can be remedied in different ways but in all cases it may require an added expense.

Multi-species grazing is not a cure-all or overnight solution, and it will not work every time in every situation. It is, however, a sustainable tool that offers many potential benefits, and it should always be considered when planning a long-term pasture management program.

Are sheep and goats the new biological weed control for the 21st century? Sheep and goats have been used for centuries by man to provide meat, fiber, and milk. But just recently, increasing interest has been shown in these small ruminants for various reasons. One factor is that small ruminants have the ability to manipulate forage to accomplish a variety of land management objectives, which benefit not only man, but also the environment. I can remember about 50 years ago, when I was growing up, we would purchase a few sheep each summer to control weeds around the farmstead and especially in the cattle lots. It was not very long before we added a flock of sheep to our diversified farming operation.

Biological control is the deliberate introduction or manipulation of a pest's natural enemies, with the goal of suppressing the pest population. This process has been used to manage insects, pathogens, and weeds. Biological control is not intended to eradicate the target weed, but rather to put enough pressure on the pest to reduce its dominance to a more acceptable level. Biological weed control is environmentally safe, self-perpetuating, cost effective, and suited to an integrated weed management program. However, it does have one limitation. It is a long-term undertaking, sometimes as long as three years before results are obvious.

Biological weed control may have a major impact on managing weeds in pasture systems in the future. Sheep and goats are currently being used throughout the Great Plains to control noxious weeds. Many of these weeds could not be controlled by means of chemical, mechanical, or cultural practices due to the high cost associated with these control methods or their relative ineffectiveness.

One such noxious weed is leafy spurge which has consumed many acres in Nebraska rangelands. These plants are very competitive, and they quickly crowd out all other plants to form a monoculture. Cattle will not consume leafy spurge because of digestive distress caused by the latex-like sap that it contains.

Another pasture pest is the Western red cedar. This tree is infesting many pasture lands throughout the state and causing large economic losses from decreased carrying capacities of the pastures.

Grazing management can be used to minimize the spread of certain weeds and to control large infestations. For grazing to be effective, animals might have to be fenced into or off an area in order to adjust grazing pressure. The ability to concentrate stock on weed infestations at some stages of growth or certain times of the year, and the ability to keep them off pasture or weeds at other times, is the key to weed control.

The livestock producer has to be familiar with the animal's wants and nutritional needs, and at the same time, understand the desirable grasses growth patterns, the weeds weak points, and manage them in a way to achieve the desired goals.

The true test of a shepherds sheep knowledge and management skills is to be successful raising sheep in a drylot confinement situation. In many cases this turns out to be a disaster. Many producers that have started raising sheep in a drylot confinement situation did so as a result of moving to a small acreage or a 4-H/FFA project growing too large. I do not want to give the idea that raising sheep on a total pasture scheme does not require sheep knowledge or top management but in some cases it can make some poor managers look better.

Before beginning a sheep operation, and especially a confinement operation, there must be reasons to justify the operation. There are pros and cons of a confinement operation that must be examined. Producers may want to produce sheep on a small acreage for their own use as meat, wool production for spinning, project animals for youth programs and yes, even for pets. There are also many reasons a large operation would want to consider confinement rearing of sheep. The first reason that comes to mind is predators.

Through research and on-farm experience, sheep have shown that they are a versatile animal. They can adapt to a wide range of environmental circumstances, including confinement. Confinement production may offer a producer advantages such as:

• Virtual elimination of losses from predators
• Lower maintenance energy requirement due to limited activity
• Opportunity to feed ewes according to their productivity and nutrient requirements rather than their appetities
• Reduction in internal parasite problems in lambs and ewes
• Greater lamb and wool production per acre on highly productive lands with the use of harvested forages
• Reduction in fencing costs
• Somewhat closer supervision of the flock.

Some disadvantages of confinement are:

• Higher initial capital investment, especially in buildings and equipment
• Superior management ability is required
• Nutrition and feeding of the ewe flock will require closer monitoring
• Certain heath problems may be enhanced, such as external parasites and pneumonia, due to closely confined animals
• Manure handling and bedding costs may be greater.

These are some of the major pros and cons of confinement production. Farm experience and research data may add to or change these factors in the future.

Sheep producers who intensify management techniques will be increasingly interested in sheep that will maximize the return per dollar invested in the sheep enterprise. Financial rewards from rearing sheep in drylot or confinement will be realized by a producer that has highly productive sheep, is a top manager, and has top marketing skills. Many times this means raising sheep for a niche market.

My discussion here was about sheep production but for you goat producers these principles also apply.

• It is best to approach animals quietly, without running – a person can be a high speed object.
• Leave whistles, horns and toys that make loud noises in the house.
• Let animals become familiar with you before you try to pet them.
• Always respect barriers, like fences, cages and gates. They offer the first line of protection from an animal that may not be familiar with people.

When the city borders lap farther into the rural country the livestock producer discovers that he now has new bosses in the name of planning commissioner, city building codes, and yes, the neighbors on all three sides. In the majority of these cases persons are not familiar with the noise, dusts, and smells associated with animal agriculture. It is important for the livestock producer to become familiar with these new bosses and at the same time educate them about animal agriculture.

One possible conflict arises when persons move to an acreage and think that it is free range for pets such as dogs. Dogs seem to think they found a new play thing in livestock, which may result damage or injury to the livestock. Acreage owners need to understand that they have just as much responsibility for keeping their pets on their own property as does the livestock owner with his animals.

Acreage owners need to know when they move into a rural area that they are entering an area that carries on agricultural operations. The biggest problem is that most of these people do not understand “agricultural operations”.