(QUICK) BEGINNER GUIDE TO RAISING SHEEP on Pasture | Farming Small Scale Homestead Meat Sheep Dorper

Here are the top 3 things I wish we knew as beginner sheep farmers! 5 years ago we brought Dorper Sheeep back to our 30 acre farm. Despite much preparation, there were 3 major areas in which we were unrpepared. I hope this video helps you as you jump into sheep farming for your small farm or homestead!
-the Shepherdess

IN THIS VIDEO:
Sheep farming for beginners
Parasite management
Deworming sheep
Rotational grazing
homestead sheep
hair sheep
meat sheep
DORPER SHEEP

How to sheep farm
is sheep farming profitable?
Sheep for homestead
Why are my sheep dying?

About this Channel:

This channel chronicles my journey as a sheep farmer from the very beginning. My primary occupation is in business management. In 2020, I discovered the principles of regenerative agriculture and embarked on a journey with the end goal of building a profitable small farm on 23 acres by 2027. Thank you for joining the journey!

[LtColDaddy]

My goodness we had the most amazing lamb for dinner tonight, and we don’t raise such a fancy breed like you. As low level as we are, they are parasite resistant after 20 years of work. I wish more eaters understood how wonderful lamb is as a source of nutrition. .

[TheodenEdnewDoesDnD]

This is my first year and I have Polypay. I learned that when I use electric fences I need to make sure that the sheep don't find an easy exit, because they will exploit their knowledge on the entire fence. Also give them plenty of shade. Wool sheep pant a lot in the hot summer sun of Belle Fourche South Dakota.

[Lysander_Spooner]

We started with Southdown, but we're moving into Romney. Better wool and better meat.

My tip would be, if you want to raise sheep, figure out what your goals are, and get the breed of sheep that fits those goals.

[jimmydon]

Hey Shepherdess, Sometimes when you get a little free time would you mind doing a video on your rams and explain confinement and management? Breeding schedules and feeding requirements. Thank you, jimmy don - Paducah, TX.😁😁😁

[eznec]

At @cramfarms we raise Dorper/Katahdin crosses. They’re not a milk breed, but we HAVE milked them and their milk is DELICIOUS! We’ve had them for about 2 years, and we’ve raised 2 sets of lambs (4 in 2022, and 6 in 2023).
Similar to your advice, I would recommend GOOD fencing. We also have Great Pyrenees, so we’ve had no problem so far with predators.

[dhayasanjai]

I'm from India And these tips are mostly suits for my goats as well. Thanks Shephherdess

[ajalicea]

That is the best advice for those who are just starting.
We have NEW neighbors. So, like you we are investing in woven field fencing for the perimeter of our property.

[marcus]

Hello. Not sure if you can, but do you mind doing a short video on mistake number 2? I feel like that would be much easier for beginners like me to understand if we see with more detail.
Love your videos, and thank you for all you are doing. God bless.

*** Edit ***

I was referring more to the discussion about open grazing space when penning sheep for the night.

[thelordreigns]

Valuable video. Thank you for the proactive tips and letting us learn from your experiences!💖

[miraearles]

I raise Katahdins and Dorpers. My advice is to not wait until you have losses to get a guardian animal. Deterring predators is more effective when they don't know how tasty your lamb is.We started with a llama then trained an LGD. I hear coyotes most evenings on our property but we've never lost a single animal to them.

[rwun]

Thank you. We've been trying to get the farm ready for sheep. We started with cows, and have been gradually surrounding the farm with field fence. This year we added goats, figuring it would be a good test of the fences. Our ultimate goal is the American Black Belly sheep. We still have work to do, but, your posts have been both encouraging and informative. Thank you.

[lotti]

I use FAMACHA and if possible select for worm resistance and resilience. 4 years ago we started I realised there was dose resistance in certain species of round worms and our pasture load was very high (poor management). We now use a vaccine. I also have started feeding a protein block at critical times for my lambs even in summer. If you have a lamb struggling to overcome anemia a b co injection. I am slowly moving towards high intensive grazing but it's as I can invest in fences.

[nwadikepascal]

Hello i LOVE all your TEACHINGS ❤

GOD BLESS YOU MORE MA....🙌🏻

[alisonkirton]

We have had our 8 St Croix ewes for almost a year, and i second that mistake of not having a rotation plan! We started with electric netting with a small solar charger (not strong enough!) and a few of them worked out how to go right under it. It was a huge pain until we got the woven wire perimeter fence up. I just got some polytape that is now connected to the perimeter fence strand using a plug in charger at about 8 - 10 kv. Its working somewhat with 3 strands, but still have some escapees. I need to get another few rolls when my budget allows. The two rams we got a few months ago are much better behaved, they stay within just one or two strands of the polytape. Its better to train them right away with a STRONG charger! Once they learn they can go under the tape or netting, its not good!

[eman]

If 30 acres or less is a “small farm” then my 1 acre with 3 Gotlands must be a micro-farm 🤣

[genesismccormack]

Another great video!!❤ I have Black Dorper sheep guarded by donkeys. I would add to consider your forage for you animals. We are very dry and weedy with tons of sunflowers and oak forest. All wonderful food for my goats and donkeys, but not so much for my lady lambs…I am considering getting 2 black belly ewes from a friend at church. They will take longer to finish out but I think they might just be happier on what our land offers. Anything to feed less hay! Perhaps after grazing for a few years grass might appear in the seed bank.😊

[quailjailss]

Do you mind sharing what varieties of grass you graze your sheep on in TX?? I’m also in the south trying to figure out what I should choose for my main pasture mix. Mine will not eat Bermuda or Bahia.

[BrianWendland-cpvq]

I like dorpers. What ever breed you use don't keep replacements from ewes you have to nursmade. By their 2nd lambing you shouldn't have to help them except to check that their udder is soft and milking on both sides.

[garretsabourin]

Ive started running a theoretical farm on my whiteboard to try and get some basic targets to aim at and work out a budget and timescales. To fence i pasture it would cost me avout 4000$ in straight wire at 5 strands but closer to 22000$ for woven wire. Is it possible to contain sheep with Extra straight wire with a tighter spacing or will they still try and squirm through? The strsight wire would be electrified though and i would have some cattle with the sheep just for context.

[tomahawkpermaculture]

I'm a big fan of yours. Get a pair of LGDs. Coyotes and determined rural dogs can get over your fencing easily. When that happens, you are going to experience serious unnecessary loss. Dog food is expensive and necessary investment. Look at other people doing this and you will arrive at the same conclusion. Hope you see this in time.