| Sheep Health and Flock Management Tips On this page I have provided links that either I have developed or that I have discovered on the internet as they pertain to sheep care and management. I hope that you will find this information useful. **Of special consideration in raising Icelandic sheep - the need for adequate selenium (DISCLAIMER - I am not an expert - I am trying to share what works on our farm. Each farm flock, sheep breed, individual management style and climate will greatly affect what will work on YOUR farm. Just like raising children, there are many ways to do it! Some of our management techniques will differ from what the books say. Always consult your own veterinarian before treating your flock.) |
| Since shepherds first began tending their sheep, they have battled parasites. Please visit this web page to learn more about deworming your flock. |
| Kelp is a natural part of the Icelandic sheeps' diet in their native Iceland. We began adding kelp 50/50 with free choice minerals and we have found our flock to be not only healthier, but their wool to be much softer and silkier. For more information on kelp and another source, visit Thorvin.com |
| Apple Cider Vinegar and a health miracle. Please read Mr. Martin's speech and "Libby's Story" to find out more about cider vinegar and livestock health. |
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| Above, ewes lined up for their minerals. Always use a loose mineral/salt mix formulated specifically for sheep (we do not use a salt block). Mixing in kelp, some soybean meal and even other herbs that build the immune system and help with deworming (i.e. wormwood, garlic, etc.) helps to keep your flock healthy and productive. |
| Parentage Verification - Now there is a bloodless test for verifying parentage of lambs. Visit the UC Davis website for more information. |
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| Sheep and the heat of summer - tips for keeping your flock healthy during the worse heat and humidity |
| Pipestone Veterinary Clinic has a collection of articles at their website that are very informative. Please be sure to visit their articles page for more sheep health and management help. |
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| When an abscess or boil is not CL - be sure to read about CRUELS, a common problem in Icelandic sheep. And one that is often misdiagnosed. |
| We carry the "shepherds' bibles" - essential lambing books by Laura Lawson. Email me for availability. |
| Sheep 101 - this very extensive website is a good resource for those just starting to look at the possibility of raising sheep |
| Feeding & Minerals |
| Parasite Management |
| Flock Management |
| Disease Management |
| Resources |
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| A Flock Care Calendar (A Quick Checklist - note this is for spring lambing) January At some point you can separate the rams from their ewes by late December or into January. Some years we put a clean-up ram in with the main ewe flock, but this extends lambing into late May or even June. If it has been a good cold winter with hard frost, we don't worry about deworming the sheep through the winter months. Try to remember to check and trim hooves each time you handle your sheep. February A quiet time here. It's important to get fresh water to the sheep daily. In winter's cold climates, this is the biggest challenge to the shepherd (chipping ice is not fun work!) The best thing we ever did was to get hydrants and electricity near the barn so we could use tank heaters. Be sure to keep mineral feeders topped off. March Depending on when your lambs are due, ewes can be shorn and their CD/T vaccinations (2 cc) given about 4 weeks prior to lambs arrival (the llamas also need a 2cc booster of CD/T yearly). We've recently changed to shearing after lambing, in early May. This results in much nicer fall fleeces, so we're going to stick with this schedule now and shear again in early October. Icelandics need shorn twice a year. Remember to trim hooves. Anytime you handle the sheep, do a quick check of their gums and eyelids to make sure their tissues are pink - white membranes indicate anemia and possible parasite overload. We've also discovered that white eye membranes may also indicate selenium deficiency. Be sure your sheep have access to a good quality mineral mix with enough selenium supplementation for your area of the country. We feed grass/mix hay all winter, switching to an alfalfa/clover blend after lambs arrive. We do not routinely grain the flock. The ideal weight for newborn Icelandic lambs is 5-7 lbs. April Prepare your lambing jugs in case any lambs or ewes need some "alone time" after delivery. Keep a "delivery kit" available in case ewes or lambs need assistance with lambing. We keep "Lamb Drench" as well as CMPK gel and iodine handy in the barn, and frozen colostrum (collected the previous spring). We give lambs a Bo-SE shot after they are born (1/2-1cc depending on size of the lamb). This helps to prevent white muscle disease. Make sure the lambs are getting enough milk -- occasionally stick your finger in their mouth. If it is warm, they are fine! We bring the ewes (after they've successfully lambed & nursed each lamb) into the barn into a pen for 24 hours and deworm them.This puts the worms they pass into straw in a pen, rather than out on spring pastures. We clean each pen after the ewe & her lambs vacate it and ready it with fresh, clean straw for the next family. We believe this helps to keep the wormload off the pastures -by bringing the ewes into the barn for their deworming. May Remember to vaccinate the lambs with their first CD/T (2cc each) at 6 weeks of age and repeat at 8 weeks. We use CD/T with SPUR. We sometimes give a 2nd Bo-SE shot at that time and also deworm the lambs either at 6 or 8 weeks of age. Monitor lamb's weights on a regular basis to make sure they are growing well. This also helps track which of your ewes are the best milkers. June Watch those fast growing lambs for any sign of selenium deficiency, coccidia or worms. Wet spring pastures may cause tapeworms to flourish at this time. Also it's good practice to check protein levels of the grasses to make sure growing lambs and lactating ewes don't become deficient in protein. July Deworm the flock as necessary. Monitor eye membranes for signs of parasite infestation. Watch for signs of heat stress (See article link below). You will need to tag/tattoo the lambs before they can leave the farm. August Lambs should be weaned by 12-16 weeks of age. Separate the ram lambs from the ewes to prevent any "unwanted" pregnancies. September Take lots of photos of your flock -- this is when they are at their prettiest, in full fleece. You may want to begin "flushing" the ewe flock prior to breeding. Check fencing and shelters to make sure rams stay where you want them during breeding season! October Schedule shearing by mid-October, depending on where you live. Trim hooves and prepare your "breeding groups." Icelandic ewes usually start to cycle by the end of October. We've found that most of our ewes breed by the 3rd or 4th week in November. Click here for a handy "lambing date" calculator. November This is when we have the most work, since we have as many as 12-13 breeding groups and need to take out hay, water & minerals to each separate group of sheep. But because it's cooler here in Michigan during the fall, the stress from summer heat is abated and the sheep are healthy & happy. December We take apart our breeding groups by the end of December. Sometimes we put all of the ewes with one "clean-up" ram for a few more weeks. Once the rams are all back as one group and the ewes are back together, the work load is reduced. It helps to have water near hydrants and electricity for tank heaters. |
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| If you see bottlejaw on a sheep, then you must deworm for barberpole worm immediately - note that Ivomec/Ivermectin may not take care of barberpole anymore. Photo courtesy of Libbye Miller. |
| NEW at our farm in 2010 DYNAMIN - a clay full of essential minerals that even the lambs will eat. I think this is helping ward off parasite infestations and highly recommend you look into this product. |
| CLRC Tattoo Year Letters (2011 is "Y") |