Founding a Flock of sheep

Owning a herd of sheep is a beloved hobby for some or an aspect of preserving the heritage and a connection to the beautiful past, and it may not take more than finding some good sheep and providing adequate housing and food for them. However, establishing a successful sheep breeding project with a lucrative return requires following some basic measures that increase the chance of project success and maximize returns. These measures include taking care of the health of the herd, appropriate feeding for each group according to its production stage, as well as carrying out the regular and seasonal managemental procedures, but before all else, the first step that the breeder should pay attention to is establishing the herd itself.  In this article, we will review the most important factors that must be considered when establishing a sheep herd.

                                                                             Herd Of Sheep

The Factors Considered When Establishing The Herd.

First: Choosing the Appropriate Breed

The breed is determined based on several factors, the most important of which are:

1- Breeds common in the region

In hot and dry regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, local breeds are preferable because they can cope with the hot weather and the lack of pasture. These breeds and their products are easy to market due to the presence of strong demand for them, as well as their resistance to diseases prevalent in the region.

2- The productive purpose of the project

If the purpose of breeding, for example, is to produce lambs for fattening, then the herd must consist of a breed characterized by rapid growth rate and multiple births. Likewise, the selected breeds must be suitable for other productive purposes such as milk, wool, or improved animals.

                                                                       Merino Wool Breed

                                                                    Suffolk Meat Breed

Second: The size of the herd

The size of the herd should be economic, meaning that the capital is distributed among the largest possible number of sheep. Several factors contribute to determining the size of the herd, including:

1- The financial capacity of the breeder: where the capital includes construction costs such as barns, warehouses, isolation facility, workers’ accommodation, and others, it also includes the costs of purchasing sheep and providing care tools, over more, the capital should cover the costs of feed, water, medicines, vaccines,… etc. for the period before the project enters the production phase and makes returns.

2- The experience of the breeder: it is preferable for the breeder with limited experience to start raising a small number of sheep in order to acquire the appropriate experience.

Third: The Timing of Buying Sheep

The purchase should take place when prices are low, and this is usually in the breeding season when the supply increases and the breeders have a desire to sell some of their sheep.

Fourth: Ages of the Purchased Animals:

It is recommended to form a herd from ewes of multiple ages to ensure the stability of the production level and to allow for selection and culling, which helps to improve the characteristics of the herd. The following age structure can be applied:

    – 10% ewes age 5 years and over

    – 15% ewes age 4 years

    – 15% ewes age 3 years

    – 15% ewes age 2 years

    – 20% ewes age 1-2 years

    – 25% ewes age 7-8 months

It is not recommended to buy sheep that are more than seven years old, as their productivity declines and becomes more vulnerable to disease. Age is recognized by the development of the teeth located in the front of the lower jaw. 

                                                                      Sheep Age Estimation

Fifth: The Qualities of The Purchased Animals

It is important for the breeder to choose animals with the desired characteristics.

 The rams must enjoy strength and vitality, the legs and teeth should be strong and healthy, the chest is wide and deep, and the back is straight. The presence of healthy testicles within the scrotum must be ensured, and it is preferable to test the semen of purchased rams at a specialized laboratory.

 The ewes’ genitals are examined for any signs of infection. The udder should be free of fibrosis and abscesses and not drooping.  The teats are checked for any obstruction, infections, or swellings. The ewes should also show signs of strength and vitality and should have good teeth, straight and full legs, and straight back.

Sixth: The Health Status of Sheep

Purchased sheep should be healthy and active, with shiny wool and eyes, and rosy mucous membranes.

There are some procedures that should be applied to the recently brought animals to make sure that they are healthy and to avoid the introduction of disease to the existing animals, here are some of them:

1- Allocating a place to isolate the purchased animals for a period of not less than two weeks to ensure that they are free of diseases.

2- Vaccination of new sheep against the most important prevalent disease (Consult the vet).

3- Treatment of the sheep for external and internal parasites (Consult the vet).

4- Conducting laboratory tests to ensure that the purchased sheep are free of chronic diseases such as Brucellosis and paratuberculosis (Consult the vet).