SHEEP again!

1. ACQUIRING THE SHEEP

a. what breed? Tunis!

b. where? farm in Red Hook!

c. how much? $125 a piece

d. how many? 2 or 3

e. how to transport them? maybe borrow farm van?


2. FENCING

portable electric "net" fencing-- Dave has ???

3. FOOD

grass should be 2" to 6" for optimal grazing (shorter for younger lambs)
native grass ok, alfalfa, orchard grass, sweet clover, ladino, timothy, all fine it would be good to get a few bales of nice hay to supplement them at first & for emergencies & a little grain for training purposes

4. WATER some kind of bucket/trough needed and a long hose, maybe a wagon to carry it around

5. SUPPLEMENTS
salt block/ source of minerals

6. HEALTH
it is very difficult to control internal parasites in sheep without using chemical dewormers.
Regarding sheep health, please have a look at:http://www.sheep.cornell.edu/sheep/management/health/index.htmlespecially the information on sheep and goat anthelmintics:http://www.sheep.cornell.edu/sheep/management/health/btanthelmintics2005/index.html
7. SHADE
provide some tree shade or portable shade structure at all times

8. PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS

always keep within deer fence at night until I feel safe about danger of coyotes

9. SHEARING

find someone to help me with it, mid-June

10. HARVESTING
learn how to slaughter humanely & dress the meat
find someone who has done it before to help me!
eat the meat myself & share with friends & family http://www.sheepgoatmarketing.info/

Does anyone want to invest in some fall grass-fed lamb?