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Sheep Extension Program
Montana Farm Flock Sheep Production Handbook
Introduction - Section 1 of 7
By Rodney Kott, Extension Sheep Specialist,
Animal & Range Sciences Department, Montana State
University
Montana is one of the leading sheep producing
states in the US. Much of Montana is well suited to
sheep production. Sheep can be used to harvest Montana's
largest renewable resource--forage. They convert grass,
a large variety of weeds, some browse and crop residue
into food and fiber. Also, sheep grazing may be a cost
affective and viable alternative to chemical control
of noxious weeds.
The range sheep industry has declined
significantly over the last decade. However, the number
of small flocks that are used to supplement other farm
income has grown in recent years. A small flock of sheep
offers an opportunity for added income by utilizing
land, buildings, labor and skills that otherwise would
produce little. The initial investment and annual operation
costs of a sheep enterprise are relatively low. Sheep
production requires adequate but not elaborate facilities
and equipment. Sheep utilize roughage as their primary
feed supply and usually do not require large amounts
of purchased feed. Labor requirements are relatively
seasonal. Shearing and lambing can be scheduled to coincide
with available labor. In most instances, virtually all
the resources necessary for a small flock of sheep already
exist on Montana farms and ranches.
In addition, the sheep industry continues
to attract many newcomers. Sheep are a popular enterprise
for small landowners. Before getting into the sheep
business, a prospective producer should realize that
sheep production must be regarded as a business. First,
an assessment of one's available resources (labor, feed,
facilities and investment capital) should be made. Then
a realistic plan for the sheep enterprise can be developed.
For instance, the time of year when labor is available
should determine when to lamb. People who have off-farm
jobs often choose to lamb late (early summer) when the
climate is more moderate and there is less demand for
time during lambing. On the other hand, farmers and
ranchers may choose to lamb early (during late winter)
before spring crop work begins.
Any prospective producer who is not committed
to giving sheep the management and care needed should
reconsider prior to getting into the business. A genuine
interest and a suitable environment are the major requirements
for successful sheep production.
Productivity of a sheep enterprise is highly
variable and is largely dependent on the resources committed
to that enterprise.
When developing a sheep enterprise it is essential
the program and production levels are designed with
available resources in mind.
Another important factor that newcomers
to the sheep industry must realize is that sheep are
defenseless against dogs and coyotes. Owners must be
aware of the potential problem these predators can cause.
In areas where these problems exist precautions which
minimize the conflicts (guard dogs, electric fenced,
penning sheep at night, etc.) should be employed.
The purpose of this publication is to
provide some of the basic information needed to be successful
in the sheep industry. It does not go into detail on
the phases of management, breeding, nutrition and marketing.
This information combined with practical experience
will assist in making a sheep enterprise profitable.
Goals
Profit should be the goal of all sheep
owners. The following production goals or key indicators
should be within the reach of most sheep producers:
- 95% conception rate in a 45 day breeding period
for mature ewes (# ewes lambing divided by # ewes
turned to ram times 100)
- 150% lamb crop (190% in Finn cross ewes) born on
mature ewes of ewes lambing (# of lambs born divided
by # of ewes lambing times 100)
- Less than 10% lamb mortality from birth to 30 days
of age
- Less than 5% lamb mortality from 30 days of age
to weaning
Popular Breeds
of Sheep In Montana
There are more than 20 breeds of sheep
in the U.S. that contribute to commercial sheep production.
Their use is influenced primarily by environmental adaptability,
management goals and personal preference of the sheep
raiser. Some of the more prevalent breeds in Montana
are the Rambouillet, Targhee, Columbia, Hampshire, Suffolk,
Finn and Polypay. The Rambouillet, Targhee and Columbia
are white-face breeds and are selected for both lamb
and wool production..
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| Targhee |
Columbia |
The Hampshire and Suffolk are black-face,
meat-type breeds and are selected basically for lamb
production, growth rate, feed efficiency and carcass
quality. Hampshire or Suffolk rams often are used to
cross on white-face ewes for the production of market
lambs. Because the lambs are crossbred (black-face X
white-face), they all are usually marketed and replacement
ewes obtained elsewhere.
The Finn is a breed selected basically
for lambing rate and is used in crossbreeding programs
to improve lamb production. It generally is not recommended
that the ewes contain less than one-half Finn breeding.
Ewes with one-quarter Finn blood have the potential
to produce 200 percent lamb crops, which probably is
all the lambs that a producer wants or can economically
handle. The Polypay was developed at the USDA Sheep
Station at Dubois, Idaho, and is one-quarter Finn, one-quarter
Rambouillet, one-quarter Targhee and one-quarter Dorset.
It has the lamb production potential similar to other
crosses with one-fourth Finn breeding.
A rule of thumb is that for each 1% of Finn breeding,
a producer can expect an increase in lambing rate of
1%. Another
advantage of utilizing a small percentage of Finn breeding
in the ewe flock is that a higher percentage of those
ewes will breed and lamb at 1 year of age.
However, remember as lamb crop increases, management
level and nutritional inputs must increase.
Getting Started
in the Sheep Business: Selection of Ewes
The success in a sheep enterprise quite
often is determined by the type of sheep that a producer
starts with. Before buying, learn as much as you can
about the sheep you are interested in. Ask the seller
to put the sheep into pens so that each animal may be
thoroughly examined. Open their mouths and look at their
teeth to determine the age of the sheep. The udder,
or bag, should be soft, pliable and free of any knots
or lumps. All sheep should have two functional teats.
It has been said many times that unless you really know
what you are buying, you may find that you are buying
someone else=s
culls and troubles. If you feel that you do not have
the expertise to do an adequate job, take an experienced
sheep person with you when you select breeding stock.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Beware of buying
other people's problems.
Ideally, a beginning sheep raiser should
start with 30 to 50 head of 3- to 4-year-old ewes. This
number allows the investment in good rams and will require
little more time and facilities than would be required
for 10 to 20 ewes. The 3- to 4-year-old ewes have had
enough experience to serve as teachers.
This, however, is often not possible.
In many instances, the type of ewe that a beginning
producer uses to start his sheep flock depends more
upon what is available than what is preferred. Therefore,
consideration should be given to the following when
purchasing various age ewes:
| Ewe lambs |
Can often be purchased for much less
than yearling ewes, and in some cases, may be a
viable option. Their wool and possibly a lamb crop
in many cases will pay for their years keep and
provide a set of yearling ewes a year later that
cost appreciably less than if yearling ewes had
been purchased initially. Remember, however, if
you are going to breed lambs, they should weigh
about 95 pounds at the beginning of the breeding
season. Also, it should be noted that ewe lambs
have substantially lower fertility rates than older
ewes. With Finn-cross ewe lambs, one might expect
to get 80 to 90 percent bred as lambs. White-face
(Columbia, Targhee and Rambouillet) ewe lambs usually
do not mature sexually as early. One would expect
only to be able to get 30 to 60 percent to lamb
at 12 to 14 months of age. |
| Range-type, white-faced yearling ewes |
Are usually available and can provide excellent
foundation stock for beginning sheep producers.
However, it must be remembered that yearling ewes
are just beginners at motherhood. They require more
attention in their first lambing season, just as
a ewe lamb will, to avoid disowning and mothering
problems. |
| Two- to five year old ewes |
Are generally recommended to the newcomer, because
they have enough
experience to act as teachers and still have a productive
life of several years.
Good ewes of this age, however, usually are
available only when a flock is being liquidated.
Find out the reason for selling. There may be a
health problem that would make their purchase unwise. |
| Five- and six year old ewes |
Are often culled from range flocks because they
would have a difficult time going through another
lambing under adverse range conditions. But, with
good feed and care they can get along fine and be
quite productive for another year or two. Range
ewes of this age, with good mouths and udders, usually
will lamb at a satisfactory rate without difficulty
and will be good mothers. However, a ewe's true
age is a big concern when purchasing this type of
ewe. Unless the ewes have been identified so that
their age is known, there is no way to tell whether
they are 5, 6 or 9 years old. Also, these ewes must
be culled regularly on the basis of their productivity
and apparent ability to lamb another year. The most
common mistake is attempting to keep such ewes too
many years. |
| Single- or one-term ewes |
Are likely to be quite old and represent considerable
risk. A higher percentage may die, not lamb or present
problems at lambing time. Ewes of this kind normally
are fairly cheap--but for a good reason. An inexperienced
person would be well advised to avoid this kind
of ewe, although an experienced sheep person might
get along very well with them |
Under farm flock conditions, ewes normally are productive
until about 7 years old. Few remain productive after
8 years. Obviously, then, a young ewe in good condition
will produce more lamb crops and be worth more than
an older ewe.
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