Breeding sheep and rams at home: recommendations for beginners. Breeding sheep for meat at home for beginners

Sheep farming is not one of the most profitable types of business. However, with a reasonable approach, the farm owner will provide his family with meat, milk and skins, and, if desired, organize small production on the basis of his farm. Beginners should consider beef farming: today it is the most promising. Additional profit will come from the sale of breeding stock.

Sheep farming: pros and cons

The question of whether it is profitable to raise sheep occupies all farmers.

Rams and lambs are much less demanding than cattle; they do not need extensive insulated stalls, being content with light shelters.

However, sheep management systems provide extensive pastures that must be seeded yourself. Without the required amount of land, it will not be possible to organize a break-even farm.

Sheep farming is a profitable business in rural areas

Raising sheep at home has the following advantages:

1. Female fertility. The best breeds produce 2 litters per year.
2. The animals are hardy, have good health, and do not suffer from temperature changes.
3. Pasture farming allows you to significantly save on the construction of livestock housing.
4. Sheep provide not only meat, but also skins, six, and milk. Even the sale of litter can bring some income.

The disadvantages of the project include:

• the need for large one-time investments to purchase livestock;
• business needs additional workers (shepherds, livestock specialists, shearers, milkmen);
• fertile land is required for fattening meadows.

It is better to breed sheep on the territory of a former state farm. Suitable land can be purchased or leased. It is convenient if there is a settlement nearby, where you can hire workers for your future enterprise.

Before purchasing livestock, you must register as a farm or peasant enterprise. Organizing a legal entity is not necessary, but many prefer to form an LLC or obtain individual entrepreneur status.

This makes it possible to purchase a favorable loan, select an investor and save on taxes. In addition, many large buyers prefer to work with a legal entity, so timely registration will be useful in the long run. Livestock raised must obtain veterinary passports.

Finding a suitable plot for a farm is not easy. In some regions there are practically no territories left that can be rented profitably. Among them are Kalmykia, Stavropol region, North Caucasus, Astrakhan region. But in the Central Belt area and in Siberia there are still suitable areas. The disadvantage of leasing in these regions may be insufficient soil fertility, which does not allow animals to be transferred to pasture. However, there are also advantages - lower grain prices and the ability to fatten animals in stalls.

Formation of livestock

The future farm owner must decide what animals he will raise. Much depends on the specific region. For example, fat-tailed breeds are traditionally in demand in the south, while meat varieties are popular in central Russia. Farmers rarely raise sheep for their skins, but collecting fine wool may well be the start of a separate business.

The Romanov breed is hardy and unpretentious

Modern sheep farming is focused on growing meat breeds. The demand for high-quality lamb is growing; it will be easier for the future farmer to organize a sales market. Raising sheep for meat is cheaper; there is no need to hire milkers or purchase special equipment, which is necessary when creating a dairy farm.

The choice of breeds is quite large.

In the southern regions, fat-tailed sheep with dense meat and a lot of fat are popular.

Karachay and Edilbaev rams are especially popular in this category. They grow very quickly, are distinguished by good fertility, endurance and good health. Animals quickly fatten up meat; it tastes good, is high in calories, and is suitable for preparing a wide variety of dishes.

A good choice for beginning farmers is the extra-large Gissarov sheep. They develop very quickly, do not require special feed, and are content with grazing. Hissars reproduce successfully and allow you to increase the herd in the shortest possible time. The only disadvantage of fat-tailed breeds is their heat-loving nature. They tolerate daily changes in weather, but do not tolerate long, cold winters.

Karachay and Edilbaevsike sheep produce a lot of tasty and juicy meat

For the harsh conditions of central Russia and Siberia, Romanov sheep are more suitable. This breed is a real record holder for fertility. Queens usually lamb in twins, the offspring have good immunity, and the survival rate of the young is high. Romanov breeds have tasty meat without excess fat, they produce milk suitable for cheese production, and high-quality wool. The breed is quite accessible; young animals can be purchased at most sheep farms that deal with breeding stock.

For those who want to get the most delicious and delicious meat, Tekkelevts are suitable.

The breed was bred in Holland, it is difficult to purchase young animals, but after organizing a herd, you can breed sheep for sale. The meat of Teckel sheep has no characteristic odor and is suitable for preparing the most delicious dishes.

A separate direction is fine-fleece sheep breeding. Before placing a bet on animals with long, high-quality hair, it is worth finding a sales market; it is quite specific. Experts are confident that today this area is less in demand than raising sheep for meat.

Raw materials require pre-processing and hiring additional personnel for shearing.

Reliable shelters will also be needed, since unfavorable weather conditions can ruin the delicate cover. Fine-fleece sheep farming is not a good idea for new farmers; it is suitable for experienced livestock farmers who have enough space to support a large herd.

Animal care

Numerous manuals for beginning farmers will help you understand how to care for sheep. However, some nuances can only be learned through personal experience.

It is important to take care of the quality of the grass: the higher it is, the better the animals develop. Meadows with mixed herbs are suitable; most farmers are not content with the gifts of nature, preferring to sow the areas themselves.

To graze healthy sheep, you need good pastures with edible forbs

A variety of legumes, bluegrass, sweet clover, fescue, winter rye, clover, granary, and sorghum are good for adequate nutrition of animals. It is advisable to organize several pastures where you can grow different varieties of herbs. While pasture-raised cattle graze in one field, another is sown with fast-growing seeds. After the first plot is emptied, the animals are moved to a new plot.

Separate fields are organized for the preparation of feed. To ensure that livestock does not suffer from lack of food during the cold season, it is important to correctly calculate reserves.

An adult sheep needs about 2 kg of high-quality hay per day. Keeping sheep in winter also requires more nutritious supplements in the form of barley and oats. However, you should not abuse this type of food, since if there is an excess of grains, animals will begin to intensively accumulate fat, which worsens the taste of the meat. Lambs additionally receive steamed bran.

Winter keeping of sheep requires the organization of a spacious paddock. Animals must be protected from wind, rain and snow, so special attention is paid to the quality of the roof. Sheep housing does not require special heaters; animals can easily tolerate lower temperatures. In the common enclosure, a room must be fenced off for pregnant and lactating females with their young. If the ewe produces large offspring (this is typical for Romanov sheep), the lambs are fed artificially. Goat's milk is suitable; it is absorbed better than cow's milk.

In winter, lambs are additionally fed bran

In particularly cold winters, these enclosures can be heated, or at least the floor can be covered with a large amount of hay.

Raising sheep for fattening involves predominant housing in stalls. However, pastures help save money on feed; the meat becomes tastier and less fatty.

Keeping young animals: subtleties for beginners

Raising sheep at home begins with organizing special conditions for lambs. It is not difficult to understand how to keep young animals; just read several popular manuals for livestock specialists. In the first days of life, the offspring are fed colostrum. For several days, the lamb is kept with the uterus in a separate pen, then the family can be combined with other sheep that have offspring.

Young individuals are the weakest, so they require special care

Young lambs are released into the general herd after 3 months. At this time, animals become completely independent and graze along with adults. The most difficult time to raise a lamb is until it is 3-4 months old; at this age it is especially vulnerable to infections and needs constant supervision. At the age of 8 months, the young animals begin to estrus; closer to 11 months, the young animals are able to give birth.

Sheep breeding usually occurs in autumn. At this point, the farm organizers must calculate how much of the young stock will be left for fattening and breeding, and how much will go for slaughter or sale. Depending on this, the supply of feed for the winter is calculated.

Raising lambs is a difficult but profitable business. It is better to rely on purebred cattle.

Animals need more careful care and high-quality feed; they must be vaccinated on time, and, if necessary, isolated from the general herd and treated. But properly raised purebred young animals can be sold profitably.

Before starting work, a detailed business plan is drawn up, including a feasibility study of the project. This information may be useful when obtaining a loan or selecting a partner. For more information on how to raise sheep for meat, watch this video:

For break-even production, it is important to correctly calculate the size of the future herd. It is better to start a family enterprise with 1000 animals; by autumn it naturally increases by 700 - 800 animals. Breeding animals for meat does not require long-term cultivation; products from young animals are in great demand on the market.

If it is not possible to provide the necessary livestock, you can purchase 200 heads.

Experts believe that this is the minimum amount to ensure the operation of the farm throughout the year. It is worth considering that some animals may die (this percentage is especially high among young animals).

Proper selection of personnel is very important. It is advisable to have at least one specialist with a veterinary education on staff. Methods for raising sheep can be different, but you can’t do without a good shepherd (or better yet two) with free grazing. The well-being of the herd depends on these people, so there is no need to save. An experienced shepherd must understand how to properly maintain sheep; he is responsible for all livestock. Sometimes this role is played by one of the farmer's family members. To see how much money it will take to open a farm, watch this video:

The main care of the sheep will be taken over by unskilled workers who come under the supervision of a shepherd. They can be hired in the nearest locality; wages depend on the region and can be calculated by the hour.

Sales of products

A very important issue is the sale of meat, skins, and wool. Most often, farmers negotiate with wholesalers. This guarantees a constant distribution channel, but brings a minimum of profit, since raw materials are purchased at the lowest price. It is much more profitable to negotiate direct sales with retail buyers.

Catering chains, single restaurants and cafes, recreation centers, small shops and stalls can become regular consumers of high-quality lamb.

For independent trading, you can rent a counter at the market or open an online store, this will expand the circle of customers. A good idea is to unite with other farmers and organize cooperative shops. The owner of a sheep farm can supply not only meat and fat, but also milk.

Another profitable idea is organizing production directly on the farm. From meat you can make smoked delicacies, semi-finished products, sausages, and stewed meat. It’s easy to make healthy yogurt and delicious cheese from sheep’s milk.

Equipment for a meat or dairy shop can be leased; used machines purchased at auction will also be inexpensive.

The success of a home sheep farming business depends on the funds invested in the project, the efficiency of the organizers and, of course, luck. Even at the start, you should prepare for the upcoming difficulties and failures. If successful, the farm can break even in 2-3 years, and in the future it will bring a stable profit.

Starting a farming business for newbies in this industry will not be an easy task, but with the right approach, it can bring good profits. The most profitable entrepreneurial step, in terms of profit, is the decision to start raising sheep. In order for a business to generate income, you need to draw up a business plan, invest a lot of effort and money in development, and it is advisable to have at least superficial knowledge in this area.

To successfully raise sheep you need some knowledge

Rams are one of the fastest growing domestic animals, so you can make good money in this business. A few months after birth, the lamb weighs as much as half an adult ram, and when it reaches a year, it is only 10% inferior in weight to an adult ram. And sheep do not need any special care. To get high-quality meat, it is recommended to choose meat breeds of sheep, of which there are many bred today.

The most common breed of sheep, which is most often kept for meat, is Romanov. It was developed back in the 18th century in Russia.

Young lambs up to one year old already weigh more than 35 kg, when adults reach 90 kg, and sheep - up to 50 kg. It is precisely because of its precocity and productivity that the Romanov breed has become so popular for breeding at home. Sheep of this breed give birth to lambs twice a year, or maybe three times, depending on the time of year.

Sheep of the Romanov breed are also distinguished by high milk production. In 100 days, one sheep produces more than 100 liters of milk.

Keeping these animals involves building a pen where they spend all their time and sleep. Please note that the structure must be reliable and insulated. Animals must have constant access to water and food, and to ensure cleanliness in the pen, it is better to use straw as bedding. This is how the business plan describes where the sheep will live.

Sheep of the Romanov breed

Making a profit and fattening the lamb

An adult sheep can be sold at a high price, since its meat is highly valued among gourmets and is not only healthy, but also dietary.

But raising a lamb to the size of an adult animal will have to wait at least a year, or even more. During this time, the ram, with quality care, is able to grow good wool, which is cut and sold, bringing additional money to the breeder. When drawing up a business plan, this point must be added to the profit point that involves keeping these animals.

At the initial stage of business development, you will need to purchase at least a hundred sheep. Considering that when kept for a year, a ram of any breed is shorn at least once, or even twice, receiving 6 kg of wool at a time, by selling which you can make a profit, which is also included in the business plan.

The Ladyzhenskaya farm calculated that maintaining one adult sheep would require spending 1.5 kg of grain and 4 kg of hay per day. And if you calculate the cost of feed per year per 100 heads, they will amount to 54,750 tons of grain and 146 thousand tons of hay. The sheep still need grazing as they need fresh grass and movement.

Sheep need fresh grass

Selling lamb

Rams can be donated either whole or carcasses can be cut up at home. Such a sale will be much more profitable. It is also possible to sign a cooperation agreement with the restaurant owner and regularly supply them with fresh meat.

Another good option is to cooperate with a meat processing plant, where lamb carcasses are regularly delivered.

Positive aspects of sheep breeding

For centuries in many countries, even in Russia, farmers have been raising sheep at home. Previously, it was impossible to imagine how one could do without a fur coat or a sheepskin hat in the bitter winter. Hard-working peasants always had at least two dozen sheep in their households. Their maintenance bordered on breeding cattle, horses and poultry. Gradually, sheep breeding faded into the background, but today large farmers, having drawn up a business plan, understand how profitable this type of business is and continue to actively develop it.

Now there is an active revival of sheep farming

The revival of the process of raising sheep at home is undeniable, and the Ladyzhenskaya sheepfold is an example of this. And the list of advantages of such a business includes:

• flexible adaptation to economic changes, compared with other animals. To start raising sheep in small quantities you don’t need to have a lot of money, and making a profit won’t take long.
• keeping sheep will not be difficult even in the country if there is not a lot of area to create a pen. Even a small sheepfold can provide comfortable living for a large herd in winter. Sheep of any breed are more comfortable with limited space and crowding than other types of livestock. They are not at all picky about their maintenance, which is very beneficial for farmers in winter.

If you want to raise sheep in your country house, then you should take into account that although animals are not afraid of frost, they are very sensitive to dampness and cannot tolerate wet pastures.

Prolonged stay in a damp room weakens the sheep's immunity, exposing its body to serious diseases.

Breeding sheep at home can be considered a good business, the development of which does not require large start-up capital. The taste characteristics of lamb and its dietary properties increase the demand for high quality meat. A business plan for sheep breeding notes profits not only from the sale of meat, but also wool, which rural enterprises willingly buy. And the rapid growth of lambs allows the business to actively develop and generate good income in a short time, even at home.

Lambs gain weight quickly

Sheep Breeding Methods

Several breeding methods are used in sheep farming:

• purebred;
• through crossing.

The first type of animal breeding involves mating individuals of the same breed. It is used to produce breeding offspring on sheep farms and those working to produce a specific product from a specific sheep. Karakul sheep breeds can only be crossed with each other, so as not to spoil the appearance of their wool.

In purebred breeding, the Ladyzhensky method involves such an event as blood refreshment. For this purpose, individuals of the same breed, which were raised in different conditions, also mate.

This method will help cope with depressive signs of sheep, with a decrease in productivity and vitality.

In crossbreeding, sheep of different breeds are mated. Thus, farmers can, at home, quickly influence the appearance and general health of future offspring, meat, namely its quality, breeding a new breed, etc.

Breeding and keeping these animals is one of the most profitable agricultural industries for business, but only if the business plan is drawn up correctly. Recently, lamb has become in demand; this meat is a delicacy that cannot be replaced. Their maintenance is not a troublesome or time-consuming task; they can be bred without problems even in the countryside, if conditions permit. And making a profit with minimal investment will naturally please every businessman!

Igor Nikolaev

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Is it difficult to keep and raise sheep at home? In this article we will try to understand the basic rules for keeping this type of small cattle. Let's take a closer look at the peculiarities of keeping them in winter and summer and find out what conditions for feeding and keeping sheep will help them grow healthy and quickly gain weight.

Sheep farming is one of the agricultural sectors that has been most actively developing in our country recently.

Sheep have always been valued not only for their tasty and healthy meat, but also for such a valuable product as wool, which is a valuable and sought-after raw material for light industry enterprises. In addition, various types of cheeses and good butter are made from the milk of ewes. In the culture of Asian peoples, most national dishes are prepared using sheep fat, which is distinguished not only by its excellent taste, but also by acting as a natural preservative.

Sheep are very unpretentious animals; they easily adapt to a wide variety of climate conditions and are distinguished by a high level of endurance.

Just like cows, sheep are ruminants, and as a result their diet is based on naturally growing pasture forage. This economic factor makes this livestock industry very attractive from a commercial point of view, since during the spring-summer period there is no need for additional costs for the purchase of feed.

What kind of sheep is best to breed? The breeds of these animals, depending on the type of products obtained from them, are divided into the following areas:

• wool direction;
• wool and meat;
• meat and wool;
• meat and fat (fat-tailed breeds of cattle);
• combined (meat-wool-dairy);
• smushkovoe (Karakul breeds);
• fur coat meat.

A common important indicator for all existing breeds is their fertility.

It is determined as a percentage and calculated according to the principle: how many lambs per year can 100 ewes produce. According to this indicator, the undisputed leader in our country is the Romanov breed. The fertility rate of these animals reaches 250-270 percent.

One of the most important indicators of the productivity of meat sheep is the slaughter yield.

The first indicator tells how much marketable meat can be obtained from a killed animal. It is determined as a percentage of live weight and can reach up to 50 percent. The slaughter yield of rams is always greater than that of ewes. This indicator directly depends on the fatness of the animal. It can be determined at the stage of handing over the animal for slaughter by palpating the subcutaneous fat deposits on the back, in the ribs and on the lower back.

For wool sheep, the most important indicator is the quality of wool.

It can be fine-fleece, semi-fine-fleece, semi-coarse and coarse. The quality of wool material is determined by its fineness, length and structure. Wool obtained in autumn is more valuable than wool obtained in summer. Fine and semi-fine wool is used for the production of fabrics, and semi-coarse and coarse - for the production of carpets, felt and felted shoes.

The main qualitative characteristic for the dairy sector of sheep farming is the amount of protein and fat in milk.

Dairy sheep are highly productive. According to its characteristics, this milk is inferior to cow's milk, so it is used mainly as a raw material for the preparation of cheeses, cottage cheese, butter and other products.

A distinctive feature of this type of domestic animal is its precocity.

The first time they are allowed to mate at the age of one year, although sexually they mature at 6-8 months. Pregnancy in sheep lasts up to 165 days. The lifespan of these animals is up to 25 years, but breeding rams and ewes for their intended purpose can be used for a maximum of seven years.

Since sheep are grazing animals, they are kept on grazing in the spring and summer.

The basis of their diet is pasture, and it is during this period of time that grazing lands are especially rich in green forages necessary for normal development.

The following types of pastures are distinguished:

• artificially created (people sow land with fodder grasses);
• natural (naturally growing food);
• with a predominance of perennial plants;
• with a predominance of annual plants.

It should be remembered that not all sheep breeds quickly adapt when switching from one type of feed to another (from winter to summer diet). Therefore, when keeping sheep, it is recommended to gradually adapt them to green feed.

In addition, it should be taken into account that not all types of grasses growing on pastures are suitable for this type of animal. For example, sheep should not be grazed in damp or swampy areas, since improper feeding leads to various diseases that can lead to the death of animals.

Herding sheep is quite difficult, since they are not very agile and have a highly developed herd instinct, and are also poorly oriented in space.

In this regard, sheep are usually grazed together with goats, whose orientation in the area is fine. The herd instinct only helps here, since where the goat goes, the whole flock will move there. The disorientation in space and sluggishness of sheep is explained by their poor eyesight, hence their desire to stay close to each other. However, if after the start of grazing the sheep continue to be fed at home, they are quite capable of remembering the way to their native shed. In summer, sheep drink up to 10 liters of water per day, so there should be a drinking bowl or some kind of reservoir next to each pasture. The sheep keeping system determines a strict grazing regime: from 5-6 o'clock in the morning to 8-9 o'clock in the evening.

When animals are kept for the purpose of fattening (for meat or lard), year-round stall housing is often used.

The animals are kept in stalls throughout the winter period. Caring for sheep at this time requires special attention.

Since sheep are resistant to both high and low temperatures, there are no special requirements for room insulation. In winter, the basis of the diet of these animals is hay harvested from the summer and various types of purchased feed and feed additives. For the winter, one adult needs up to five hundred kilograms of hay, the same amount of silage and other succulent feed, as well as 50 kilograms of concentrates. If there is not enough hay, then up to a third of its amount can be replaced with oat, grain or bean straw. Sheep also eat well the so-called branch food (brooms). The branches for these brooms are harvested in the summer. Young shoots of trees with green leaves are best.

Room

Not only their health, but also their immunity and growth directly depend on the conditions in which animals are kept.

Premises intended for keeping sheep are divided into stalls. They can be either single or group. The area in the stall for one individual should be:

For ewes with lambs, a separate stall must be allocated, the area of ​​which must be at least 2.5 sq.m. If there is more than one baby per lamb, an additional 0.7 sq.m. is required. Despite the unpretentiousness of sheep, the sheepfold should be equipped with heating and ventilation systems.

Since sheep walk in large herds close to each other, the entrance to the room must be made wide. In addition, the sheepfold must be adapted for easy cleaning and ventilation. A lack of fresh air can cause a deterioration in appetite and a decrease in immunity, as well as a decrease in the quality of the coat and other not the most pleasant consequences. However, on the other hand, there should be no drafts in the room, so windows for ventilation should have no cracks. It is better if the paddock is close to the grazing.

Breeding sheep and rams is a good chance for a beginning farmer to find his niche in the livestock business. These animals are hardy, have excellent health and are able to demonstrate high productivity even with meager feeding.

In addition, this type of livestock is versatile. Breeding lambs makes it possible to equally produce meat, wool and milk. In this article we will try to answer all your questions. Where to start a business, how to properly feed and care for these amazing animals.

Where to begin

Any experienced farmer, when asked “where to start raising sheep?” Without hesitation, the answer will be, of course, by drawing up a business plan. This will help you better think through the financial costs of purchasing animals, building a sheepfold and grazing space. In addition, you will be able to calculate the planned profit from the sale of products, thereby finding out the profitability of your business.

Then you need to select a pasture where the animals will spend most of the year and for winter maintenance.

The choice of pasture directly depends on the size of the flock. For comfortable grazing of one sheep with lambs, about one hectare of land per year is required.

In addition, sheep grazing is best done in close proximity to a reservoir. One adult consumes about 10 liters of water per day.

For winter maintenance it is necessary to build a sheepfold. To keep a dozen females with lambs, it is quite possible to limit yourself to a room of about 40 square meters.

Despite the fact that sheep are immune to temperature changes, the temperature in the room should be at least 9 degrees Celsius. In addition, it is necessary to take care of ventilation and the absence of drafts.

Having understood the conditions of keeping the flock, you can begin purchasing animals. You can buy sheep from farms. Many farmers recommend buying yarok first.

Features of feeding

Shearing

Don't forget that raising sheep means getting not only meat, but also wool. This results in a double benefit.

The wool of these animals is very valuable in production. Gloves, socks, sweaters, carpets, and blankets are made from it.

It is recommended twice a year, before the start of grazing and in late autumn, before the onset of frost. For these purposes, it is best to purchase a special one. This will allow you to process the entire flock with minimal effort.

Advice. Before you begin shearing animals, you must leave them without water or food for approximately 14 hours.

How to properly care for sheep

Caring for sheep at home, although troublesome, is not problematic. The main thing is to follow a few basic rules.

Caring for your flock begins with mandatory vaccination of the entire livestock. This will reduce the risk of infections.

It's worth noting that the vaccine usually lasts for about six months, so be sure to repeat this exercise regularly.
Do not forget to regularly invite a veterinarian to examine your charges.

The fact is that some diseases that are fatal to sheep do not have pronounced symptoms in the initial stage. Therefore, only an experienced specialist can determine the disease.

Despite the fact that sheep can withstand low temperatures, they also have a weak point. These are hooves. Therefore, the floor in the sheepfold must be made of planks and covered with straw. In addition, hooves need to be cleaned and trimmed regularly, otherwise joint problems may develop.

It is useful to include salt in your daily diet. In addition, tree branches can be given to sheep as a source of vitamins.

Remember that you should not try to bring sheep into obedience by beating or grabbing the wool. This can cause stress in the animals, which can negatively impact productivity.

Features of lambing

Sheep are very prolific animals. Some breeds are capable of producing up to five lambs at a time.

It is worth noting the fact that the survival rate of young animals is very high, about 100%. Lambs do not require special housing conditions or additional care. Females have a very developed maternal instinct, so they usually take care of their offspring on their own.

Lambing usually proceeds without complications, but to be on the safe side, it is recommended to invite a veterinarian. Human participation in the birth of lambs usually comes down to freeing the baby from the amniotic sac and removing mucus from the respiratory tract.

Remember that in the first 2-3 hours after birth, the lamb must be given its mother’s milk. If the female is unable to feed her baby on her own, the farmer needs to milk her and give her lamb's milk.

It is worth noting the fact that almost all varieties of domestic sheep during lactation can feed two or three babies without any problems.

Each female is capable of producing about 150 liters of milk during the feeding period. Therefore, some farmers slaughter newborn lambs (their skin is very valuable), and donate sheep milk to cheese factories.

Although this type of business takes place, it does not bring much profit. The fact is that despite the fat content, sheep's milk is much inferior in composition to cow's and goat's milk. Therefore, if you decide to build your business on the sale of smushki (fleece of a newborn lamb) and milk, it makes sense to decide on the sales market in advance.

We hope that all of the above information will help you decide where to start raising sheep and how to care for the animals in the future. Instead of a conclusion, we want to give you some useful tips on keeping sheep at home:

1. Choose pasture away from busy highways. The fact is that sheep are herd animals and cowardly ones. The flock will instantly run away from sharp and loud sounds. Moreover, the animals are also frankly stupid; they are not able to find their own way to a place of grazing or a sheepfold.
2. For more comfortable keeping of sheep on pasture, you should think about purchasing. This device will protect your charges from predators and save on maintenance personnel.
3. It often happens that a flock does not have a leader, so the sheep graze on their own. To keep them in obedience, you can get guard dogs or herd a flock with goats.
4. In order to control the mating of animals, it is recommended to keep breeding rams separately.

• meat;
• milk and dairy products;
• wool;
• skins.

1. Sheep and meat: Romanovskaya.

Buying rams

• artificial – 80-90%.

Lambs are born:

• in early spring;
• late spring;
• in winter.

Sheep breeding is a popular type of business in rural areas, and if the process is properly organized, it is also very profitable.

Where to begin?

If you decide to start raising sheep at home, first of all you need to decide what breed of rams to buy. To do this, it is worth studying the market, determining which product will be in greatest demand. You can make a profit by selling:

• meat;
• milk and dairy products;
• wool;
• skins.

In addition, selling manure can be an additional source of income. It is considered the best in terms of heat transfer during the decomposition process.

Raising sheep is beneficial because absolutely everything that can be obtained from the animals is sold.

Depending on the chosen direction of production, the most suitable breed is determined. In Russia, the most popular are the following:

1. Wool: Grozny, Soviet merino, Stavropol.
2. Meat-fat: Saradzhinskaya, Altaiskaya, Gissarskaya.
3. Meat-wool and wool-meat: Altai, Georgian, Kuibyshev, Krasnoyarsk.
4. Sheep and meat: Romanovskaya.

With proper feeding and maintenance, livestock will give high productivity indicators, and proper breeding work on the farm will gradually increase the output. Sheep that are bred, maintained and cared for in accordance with the recommendations of experts grow quickly and produce high yields of meat and high-quality wool.

Buying rams

Having decided on the desired breed, you need to approach the purchase of animals with all responsibility. If you are a beginner, it is advisable to find a seller who has sufficient experience in breeding and can advise on breeding issues. At the market, do not rush to buy lambs, focusing on the stories of the seller. It is better to take a closer look at the animals and only then make a choice.

Effective breeding and raising of sheep at home

Animals must be:

Ask the breeder about the lamb feeding regime and diet. Perhaps the animals are accustomed to certain foods.

After purchasing, be sure to quarantine the livestock and exclude any contact with other animals. An examination by a pediatrician will be required, as well as vaccinations.

Place for keeping animals

A prerequisite for the success of a sheep farming business is the presence of pasture near the sheepfold. Otherwise, keeping a large number of rams will not bring sufficient profit. The required field area for grazing depends on the type of pasture, it can be:

• natural – the level of grass stand use is 50-60%;
• improved natural – 70-80%;
• artificial – 80-90%.

The average daily consumption of green feed per head is 10 kilograms. An area of ​​0.1-0.2 hectares is sufficient for one sheep. It is not necessary to rent special pastures. These animals are unpretentious and successfully graze on natural habitats. And the ideal place for grazing is considered to be mountain fields where many cereals and legumes grow.

In addition to the exclusively pasture type of keeping, which is typical for areas with a warm climate, there is also a basic sheepdog method: in the warm season, animals are on pasture, and in the winter they spend in a stable or sheepfold.

Regardless of the time of year and climatic conditions of the region, the sheep are driven under a shed at night.

This will not only protect the herd from predators, but also protect it from rain, which is no less important. Wet wool becomes heavy, dirty, and tangled. This is not so important if sheep breeding is aimed at meat. But such wool is no longer suitable for shearing and obtaining fleece.

Year-round housing and breeding of sheep is practiced in Siberia and central Russia. Here it is important to provide sufficient space for the sheep and ensure that there are no drafts in the sheepfold or barn.

Insemination and rearing of lambs

In order for the mating to be as successful as possible, it is necessary to wait until the ewes come into heat. Usually it occurs one and a half months after the lambs are weaned and milking stops. Before this, both sheep and rams are fed with concentrates. Insemination is carried out twice: at the beginning of the hunt and again at the end, after 11-14 hours. But the sperm in the second case must be from the second ram. Yarok are allowed to mate after reaching one year of age.

The gestation period lasts on average 145 days. A month before the expected lambing, the queens' entire coat or individual areas are cut off: around the nipples and tail. This is done so that the cubs have access to the nipples, and in the first case, also to obtain high-quality wool.

Lambs are born:

• in early spring;
• late spring;
• in winter.

Usually they try to schedule lambing for early spring. Then, by the time they are fed on the pasture, the babies have time to grow up and graze on their own, quickly gaining weight. Winter lambing presents certain difficulties. It is necessary to make the room warm enough to provide enhanced nutrition to the ewe.

The weight gain of lambs depends on the characteristics of the breed. But on average, feeding on mother's milk, babies gain 200 grams per day. After a week, the lambs begin to be transferred to concentrated feed to replenish the need for vitamins.

If lambing occurs in winter with basic sheep-keeping, at the age of one week the cubs are taken away from the mothers and taken to pasture with everyone else.

At night, lambs are returned to their mothers, where feeding is monitored every 2-3 hours.

To increase the productivity of the herd, babies are transferred to artificial feeding three days after birth. This allows the uterus to happen again earlier.

As you can see, raising sheep at home is not very difficult. Provide adequate nutrition and good living conditions for your animals to ensure high productivity and successful business.

According to experts, livestock farming is not very attractive to entrepreneurs. However, animal breeding, including sheep farming as a business, has high profitability and is considered one of the most profitable activities in agriculture. This is due to several factors.

1. Sheep are unpretentious animals. They do not require special conditions of detention or serious care and are in good health. The mortality rate in sheep is significantly lower compared to other animals.
2. Sheep are grazing animals, so most likely you will not have any problems with feed.
3. You can start sheep farming even with a small herd. In this case, of course, you should carefully calculate the costs and draw up a detailed action plan.
4. Another stimulating factor for agricultural enterprises is the continuous growth in demand for lamb, sheep wool, cheese, and lamb.

Among the disadvantages, it should be noted the relatively low profitability of the business, which is approximately 25-30%. Under unfavorable conditions, profitability can drop by up to 10%. However, much depends on the size of the enterprise and the experience of livestock breeders.

It really doesn't matter what field you want to start a business in. In any case, the first step is to create a carefully thought-out business plan. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to turn sheep farming in rural areas into a profitable business.

Ideally, you should start by finding a suitable plot of land. You can buy or rent land. Then you need to purchase sheep and hire workers. At least once a week you will have to bring the necessary things to the farm, once a year the sale of lambs, the purchase of feed and the necessary work on arranging the farm are carried out. It should be noted right away that organizing your own business requires solving many problems and issues.

Firstly, to raise sheep you will need pasture. When calculating the area, it is necessary to take into account that feeding one sheep and its offspring will require 1 hectare of pasture per year. Thus, the area of ​​land will depend on the number of herds. In addition, the further north you purchase land, the more expensive it will cost you to maintain animals. You should calculate the profitability in advance and assess how profitable the enterprise will be for you in specific conditions, taking into account the costs of procuring feed, carrying out sanitary measures, and veterinary care.

Remember that grazing in the north can only take place from May to September. To learn all the features of a particular region, you can watch a training video on sheep breeding.

You can borrow funds to purchase or rent land. For example, many banks offer special lending conditions and low interest rates for agricultural enterprises, which is very beneficial for beginning businessmen.

If you are interested in sheep breeding, it is advisable to register your enterprise as a peasant (farm) enterprise. According to the law, you do not have to create a legal entity. Registration of a peasant farm is almost the same as the creation of an individual entrepreneur. In this case, you will need to sign an Agreement on the establishment of a farm to be sent to the registration authority.

Besides, the following documents must be prepared:

1. power of attorney for the MFC;
2. application for farm registration;
3. original and copy of the farm organizer’s passport;
4. original and copy of birth certificate;
5. receipt of payment of state duty;
6. registration document from the place of residence of the head of the household.

In addition, you must obtain permission from SES employees.

Conventional cattle pens made of wood are well suited for raising sheep. For example, you can buy or rent an old abandoned farm or land that was left after a bankrupt state farm. Watch videos on the Internet, evaluate various advertisements for the sale of plots to find a suitable option. This will significantly save on the construction of pens. In case of severe frosts, you can install a small stove in the pen, but in general, sheep tolerate frosts quite well. In addition, a good house for the shepherd should be provided.

It is best to purchase sheep from a certified farm, which will avoid serious problems with the animals and significant losses.

If you want to increase your livestock over time, it is best to buy animals from different farms. This will avoid interbreeding. To achieve self-sufficiency faster, you should start with two hundred heads. If you do not have good experience in selecting and breeding sheep, it is best to consult with experienced specialists.

As for the breed, the Romanov breed of sheep is the most popular among domestic farmers. In total, about 70 animal breeds are preferred in the CIS countries. In general, all animals can be divided into the following groups:

• fine-fleece: Altai, Caucasian, Askanian, Grozny, prekos, Stavropol sheep, Soviet perino and so on;
• semi-fine-fleece: Tsigai, North Caucasian, and so on;
• semi-coarse wool: Saradzhin sheep;
• coarse-haired: Karakul, Romanov, Edilbaevskaya.

A significant expense item is the purchase of feed for the winter season. The type of feed will depend on the region. In the event that you purchased land in a region unfamiliar to you.

Breeding sheep for meat as a business - drawing up a business plan

It is best to check with your neighbors about what you should feed your sheep, as well as watch various video recommendations and read articles by experts.

The cost of feed changes every year. You will need to calculate a clear business plan, taking into account possible changes, in order to estimate costs. According to the norm, one animal requires 2 kg of straw, 1.5 kg of hay, 100 grams of barley per day. You can also feed the sheep silage, root crops, and offer them twig food. In addition, it is necessary to give animals salt lick.

In order to avoid additional costs and possible problems, we recommend that you prepare at least 30-40% more feed than calculated, because the weather may get colder much earlier, and the warmth may arrive later than planned in advance. The weather is unpredictable. When drawing up a business plan, you should take into account the costs of animal processing and veterinary care.

The lifespan of a sheep is up to 25 years, but reproductive abilities are maintained only for 8 years. If an animal has special reproductive abilities, then it is better to keep it at court longer so that there is an opportunity to pass on this valuable quality to its offspring.

As already noted, four breeds are the most popular: Romanov, “meat”, Eddibaevskaya and fat tail.

1. Romanov sheep will be an excellent solution for budding entrepreneurs. You can find the specifics of their breeding on the Internet by watching videos or articles from more experienced breeders. Raising such sheep is very profitable, because thanks to their thick wool, they feel good in unheated barns at temperatures down to -30 degrees. For a good wintering, it is enough for them to prepare a straw bedding. In addition, this breed is unpretentious and has good meat growth even with a moderate diet.
2. “Meat” breeds of sheep have high quality meat and large body weight. This category includes Texel, Zwartbles, Suffolk, Barbados Blackbelly and so on. Most of these breeds are well adapted to temperate climates.
3. The Edilbaevskaya sheep is large in size, has a developed fat tail and a strong body constitution. These meat-fat sheep were bred by crossing Astrakhan and Kazakh breeds. The animals are distinguished by good wool, high milk production, and they grow quickly. In one hundred days, a ram can grow up to 190 kg in weight. You can also watch videos about them on the Internet, which will help you make a first impression about these animals.
4. Fat-tailed sheep were brought from Central Asia. They tolerate both winter cold and summer heat well. The main feature of this breed is the presence of a fat tail, which is a large fatty deposit at the root of the tail. As a rule, rams are used for meat, and females are left to increase offspring. The percentage of meat in sheep of these breeds is up to 65% of body weight.

It is advisable to start looking for key personnel at the stage of searching for a place for a farm and purchasing animals. Note that for every 300 animals a shepherd will be required. Also, for the successful development of a farm, it is necessary to find a good veterinarian, milkmaids, and sheep shearing specialists. A shearer may be a seasonal worker and come to the farm as needed. Of course, the main worker on a sheep farm remains the shepherd.

Finding a good person for this position who can immediately perform the functions of a shearer, veterinarian, livestock specialist and manager is quite difficult. Therefore, the salary of such a specialist will be quite high. Standard terms of employment involve the transfer of about 50 heads of sheep into his possession, a percentage of the farm's profits and bonuses that are given for weight gain, high level of offspring and other merits.

If the entrepreneur does not plan to personally manage his farm, then the functions of the manager will be performed by the shepherd, so he must inspire complete trust in you.

However, with a small herd of up to 200 heads, hiring such a specialist will not be so profitable for you and it is better to take on the corresponding functions yourself. Of course, this will require a lot of effort and time from you, because the sheep must graze all day, but you can quickly become self-sufficient.

The rest of the workers are engaged in auxiliary types of work: feeding the animals and caring for them. It should be noted that there is a fairly high turnover rate among these workers. It is better to offer them a high salary and find the most reliable people in nearby villages.

Sheep farming as a business generates income through the sale of wool, milk and sheep meat. Compared to previous decades, the cost of wool has decreased significantly, so shearing and selling wool can only be assessed as an additional, but not the main line of work. Milk, which is used mainly for cheese production, is also not in high demand, so the main income will come from meat production.

Lamb is in fairly high demand with a very limited supply.

In total, experts identify three main implementation methods:

• individual slaughter of animals with subsequent sale on the market;
• wholesale of live animals;
• sale of semi-finished products and meat in large chains, wholesale.

Ideally, it is best to sell lamb through your own points in the markets. This method will allow you to sell meat for cash and at a higher price.

Small sheep farms use exactly this method, since meat processing plants prefer to buy large quantities of 400-500 animals, and also often use deferred payments.

Large farms can also sell directly to the market, but this involves a lot of hassle for them. In addition, cafes, restaurants, and specialized meat shops purchase lamb. Having regular customers will increase profitability and achieve stable demand.

Large sheep farms with large areas and a sufficient supply of feed tend to keep the sheep until winter or early spring, when the purchase price of lamb increases significantly.

Let's consider a business plan for organizing a sheep farm for 300 heads.

Expenses:

• land rental – from 150 thousand rubles per year;
• construction and renovation of premises - 100 thousand rubles;
• wages for working personnel - from 500 thousand rubles per year;
• overhead costs - 90 thousand rubles per year;
• purchase of sheep - 1 million rubles when purchasing 300 heads at a price of 3500 per head;
• purchase of special equipment – ​​100 thousand rubles.

The profit from the sale of meat will be, according to estimates, about 500 thousand rubles when selling 50 individuals at a minimum cost of 100 rubles per 1 kg. The sale of live animals will bring the same amount, and up to 150 thousand rubles can be earned from the sale of wool. As a result, the payback period is about 12-24 months.

Thus, we can conclude that sheep farming is a very profitable and profitable business. These animals are undemanding to keep and grow quickly. Of course, you should always draw up a detailed business plan in order to calculate how profitable it is to raise sheep in certain conditions. An educational video will help you with this, containing useful practical recommendations for keeping specific breeds of animals.

Demand for lamb remains consistently high, with no sharp price increases expected in the coming years. Of course, this action plan only gives you a rough idea of ​​how much money you will need to start your business. Specific numbers will depend on the region, sheep breed and herd size. But in general, we can say that such a business can bring very good income to an entrepreneur.

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According to historians, the sheep was domesticated approximately 8,000 years ago. It is assumed that mouflons and argali initially acted in this capacity.

Mouflon is a wild sheep that today lives on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea in rocky, inaccessible places. Mountain mouflons are very agile and agile, and can reach a weight of 70 kilograms. Mouflon wool is coarse, consisting of thin and short down and long and hard overcoat. Mouflon is the ancestor of the northern short-tailed sheep.

The steppe mouflon, the so-called arkar, lives in the steppes and semi-deserts of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, a larger animal with reddish hair. Fine-fleeced, fat-tailed and long-lean-tailed sheep breeds originate from the arcara.

In ancient times, Kamchatka, Alaska and Southern Altai were inhabited by argali - a high-legged wild variety of mouflon with short, coarse, dark gray hair.

In the process of long-term selective crossbreeding, livestock breeders received many new domestic breeds of sheep. For breeding animals at home, meat and dairy breeds are selected, such as:

1. Askaniyskaya;
2. Altai;
3. Prekos;
4. Kazakh;
5. Georgian Fattail;
6. Vyatskaya;
7. Tajik;
8. Gissar fat tail.

In principle, meat products can be obtained from sheep of any breed, but the highest rates are obtained from specialized breeds of sheep. If a novice sheep breeder plans to get a certain amount of wool, then he will need to buy several lambs of the Romanov breed.

Romanov breed of sheep

Buying sheep

Having decided to purchase several sheep, you should remember that how profitable their subsequent rearing and sale will be depends, first of all, on the choice of young lambs.

Sheep farming process at home

It is better to make a purchase from sellers with experience in sheep breeding, who can provide useful advice to a beginner in this business.

Conditions for sheep breeding

Sheep are very unpretentious animals that are able to eat any pasture, regardless of weather and natural conditions.

A sheep can find food suitable for itself, sufficient to satiate itself, even in scorched steppe spaces, since it can be content with dry grass, which other animals do not do. In order to raise sheep, no conditions are required; in the summer, animals can be kept in large pens, while in winter a barn is needed. In winters that are not cold enough, sheep can spend almost all daylight hours outdoors; thick wool prevents the animals from freezing.

At night, regardless of the time of year, sheep should be driven under a special canopy; this will save a small herd from foxes and wolves, and also, most importantly, from rain. The only thing these animals cannot stand is rain; the fur gets wet, becomes heavy and dirty, and becomes tangled. After the sheep have been caught in the rain, there can be no talk of any shearing for the purpose of selling wool. You should immediately cut off all matted wool and try to dry it, but due to the lack of special equipment at home, nothing will work.

So, sheep need a spacious paddock, grazing and a barn with a canopy - that’s all.

It should be remembered that a sheep cannot find its way home on its own, so to look after a small herd it is necessary to enlist the help of the ancestral friend of all shepherds - a dog. A smart dog will definitely find the lost animal and bring it home, and also save the sheep from predators. A ram can also act as a guide, the presence of which in the herd is mandatory.

There are several ways of content:

1. On pastures and pastures, all year round, in any weather. This method is suitable for areas with warm climates;
2. In the sheepfolds;
3. Sheep-basic method. In winter in a sheepfold, or stable, the rest of the year in the pasture

Reproduction techniques include insemination of sheep, mating period, lambing, and rearing of young animals. In order for mating to take place, at least one ram must be present in a flock of sheep. It is possible to use free and manual mating, as well as artificial insemination.

Free mating is possible only when females and mature males are kept together in a household. Experts in sheep breeding do not recommend using this type of mating, since the owner of the sheep loses the opportunity to calculate the number of mating females and, accordingly, will not be able to provide them with timely care and assistance during childbirth.

Manual mating involves keeping sheep separately, followed by monitoring the onset of the period of desire in females and the admission of rams to them. In order for a farm containing about 150 sheep to carry out high-quality manual mating, at least 10-15 rams are needed, the maximum load per animal should not exceed 50 sheep per year.

Many livestock breeders solve problems associated with the need to carry out regular matings through artificial insemination, which, among other things, has a beneficial effect on the quality improvement of the herd. This is due to the fact that wide opportunities open up for the sheep farmer to use the best rams, while the load per ram increases to 1000 sheep. Artificial insemination practically eliminates the possibility of sheep becoming infected with infectious diseases, as well as barrenness, which is common among these animals.

When choosing a method of insemination, it should be taken into account that sexual maturity of sheep occurs in different breeds at different times; some breeds of sheep become sexually mature at 4 months, others at 8 months. To avoid premature insemination, which almost always ends in the death of the offspring and the sheep itself, the animals must be separated for some time; this should be done as early as 4 months of the sheep’s life.

Breeding and raising lambs at home

In order for the mating to be as successful as possible, it is necessary to wait until the queens go into heat, which occurs approximately 1.5 months after the lambs have been weaned from the queens and milking has stopped. Mating requires lengthy preparation; the queens must be fed with concentrates, just like the rams. Females are inseminated twice, once at the beginning of the heat, the other after 10-14 hours. The main difference that is observed in the insemination of sheep is that the second time the uterus is inseminated with the sperm of the same ram.

The gestation period lasts approximately 145 days. 20-30 days before the start of lambing, the wool on the udder and near the tail is cut off from the queens. This is done for two reasons:

1.Firstly, newborn lambs will not be able to reach the udder because of their wool:

2.Secondly, after lambing, females usually undergo shearing, the purpose of which is to obtain clean wool of good quality.

Lambing of queens occurs in winter, early spring and late spring. A special problem is winter lambing, which requires the preparation of warm premises and provision of queens with a sufficient amount of high-quality feed. The lambing process must be monitored very carefully in order to be able to provide all possible assistance in time during a protracted and difficult birth.

The live weight of lambs at birth depends on the breed of sheep; on average, one lamb feeding on the milk of the uterus per day gains up to 200 grams in weight. Starting from the second week of life, lambs experience a great lack of vitamins, so from the age of 7 days the animals must be gradually transferred to concentrated feed.

During winter lambing, lambs are usually kept partly in a shed, and partly at a base - grazing, which involves separating the lambs from the females already at a week of age and visiting them during the daytime for grazing. Lambs are allowed to see the uterus only at night and are fed regularly every 2-3 hours.

In order to improve the production quality of lamb, lambs must be weaned from their uterus at 3 days of age, by transferring them to artificial feeding.

With a small number of sheep - 3-6 pieces, such actions are very cost-effective, since they allow you to quickly breed again.

lamb

Feeding sheep

Sheep are fed using specially formulated fattening rations, which must include green feed and hay. Sheep quickly gain weight if you feed them legumes - clover and alfalfa, as well as cereals. To increase productivity levels, sheep should be fed concentrated feed daily at a rate of 200-300 grams per sheep.

Typically, sheep farmers feed sheep in groups of 7-12 sheep, but at home, group feeding is not cost-effective.

Sheep eat silage, root vegetables, corn, bran and cake well; the presence of mixed feed in the diet is welcome. Do not forget about constant mineral and vitamin supplements, without which sheep will not be able to lamb well and produce healthy offspring. To speed up wool growth, it is advisable to give sheep methionine, a drug that contains a large amount of sulfur-containing amino acid.

Pregnant and brood ewes, as well as breeder rams, must be fed intensively, making sure that all the food they consume is not only of high quality, but of the first degree of freshness, which is very important especially for ewes that can shed their lamb due to poisoning.

Sheep slaughter

Sheep are slaughtered at approximately 3-9 months of age; after the sheep reaches 1 year, its meat is considered unfit for consumption by gourmets. The slaughter is carried out in the same ways as the slaughter of other animals; generally, modern householders prefer to do it themselves - by simply cutting the artery, or they take the sheep to a specialized slaughterhouse, where the slaughter process is put on stream.

So, raising sheep at home is not at all difficult; you just need to have a pasture and a barn of the required size, choose the right lambs, mate and fatten the sheep. Feed today is inexpensive, and if we take into account the fact that sheep spend most of their time on pastures, eating pasture, then their cultivation can be considered the most profitable from the point of view of any livestock breeder who is tired of removing manure and monitoring the replenishment of feeders.

Video: home keeping and breeding of sheep

Raising sheep on a personal plot

The main task in reproducing a herd of goats is to obtain and raise at least one kid for each queen. To successfully complete this large and important task, it is necessary to resolve a wide range of issues in a timely and correct manner. It is good to prepare the queens and breeders for mating, carry out insemination at the optimal time, provide the mating and suckling queens with adequate feeding, preserve the young and raise them healthy and strong.

To carry out mating at the optimal time, it is necessary to carry out a whole range of measures during the preparatory period. This is the culling of queens unsuitable for reproduction, the formation of flocks, good pre-mating feeding of animals, proper preparation and rational use of breeders in mating.

When forming flocks, each of them includes animals of the same breed, sex, age, class. This division makes it easier to select manufacturers.

If it is not possible to form flocks of animals of the same age and class, then they can be formed of animals of adjacent classes with similar productivity.

The culling of young animals, the culling of queens and the formation of flocks, health and preventive measures are completed no later than a month and a half before the start of mating, so that in the remaining time the queens can rest and have a good workout.

In order to properly prepare the queens for mating, it is necessary, in the period preceding it, to provide them with adequate feeding, maintenance, and care. For pre-breeding feeding, pastures with good grass stand are allocated, the queens are watered 2-3 times a day, they are given mineral supplements, and, if necessary, fed with concentrates.

It has been established that feeding them succulent green food during the pre-breeding period, as well as the botanical composition of the herbs they eat, positively influences the increase in the fertility and multiple births of queens.

The most important condition for improving the quality of the herd and increasing its productivity is the use of only highly productive sires for mating. When selecting producers, they pay attention, first of all, to the fact that in terms of breed and productivity it must correspond to the accepted direction. Be a purebred, have a known origin, be highly productive, have a productivity higher than that of the queens it covers. Have strong bones and good health, exhibit sufficient sexual activity and have high-quality semen suitable for fertilization.

When selecting producers, the condition of the testes is monitored. They should be well developed and descended into the scrotum.

Goats are usually allowed to mate for the first time at the age of one and a half years.

In all cases, producers planned for use in mating must meet the requirements for animals of class 1 and elite.

The appeal will be about a sheep that produces warm and healthy wool. Sheepskin sheepskin coats have always been indispensable in rural areas! The special processing of sheepskin can satisfy even the most fashionistas. What about astrakhan fur coats and colonel’s and general’s hats? You can have all this if you own sheep - a fur miracle on four beautiful legs.

Once upon a time, as almost everywhere in Ukraine, villagers were engaged in sheep breeding.

The domestic sheep originated from a mountain sheep, apparently from a subspecies of mouflon. Since mouflon was domesticated many thousands of years ago in Asia, and after that in Europe. How did the various breeds of domestic sheep, of which there are currently more than 150, appear? As in most cases - by the method of crossing, long painstaking (and from time to time purely random) human work.

This is how long-tailed and short-tailed sheep appeared - Merino and Romanov, fat-tailed - Karakul, and meat-fat breeds or fat-tailed ones. And breeding work is still being carried out to attract wild mouflons or argali. The results are exciting!

It is well known that at the moment few people keep cows and pigs on private farms: it is too expensive to feed, they are purchased at a loss. In this regard, sheep are an ideal option. In addition, in the scorched steppe itself they will find food for themselves, they will limit themselves to dry blades of grass, but under no circumstances will they remain hungry.

And they don’t require any special housing: they spend a significant part of the year in the open air, and this makes the owner of the flock a doubly winner, due to the fact that such maintenance improves the wool and increases its quantity.

At night, sheep must be kept in pens under shelters. Firstly, this usually saves them from the attack of their worst enemy - the wolf; secondly, with an indifferent attitude to the cold, sheep are afraid of rain (with such wool!) - therefore a canopy is absolutely necessary. For stabling in winter, a simple sheepfold without drafts and with an adobe floor is required.

The bedding is irremovable, and it also warms the animals due to decomposition, releasing heat. If you do not clean the pigsty or barn, the smells will be such that it is forbidden to enter without a gas mask. In a sheepfold, so that this does not happen: sheep feces do not have a fetid odor.

If in spring-summer-autumn everything is clear with feeding (grazing), then for the winter, of course, it is necessary to prepare feed according to the number of livestock. But this is only for the winter, until the first grass grows! They harvest hay from forbs and straw of cereal crops, root crops, feed and silage, which sheep, by the way, are very fond of. Of course, mineral supplements will also come in handy: salt slime, bone meal, chalk, defluorinated phosphate are a must.

Without these additives, the sheep, of course, will survive, but it will have “torn” wool, a poor appetite (it will lose weight or simply not gain weight), and all sorts of sores will easily “stick” to it. Milk production will also quickly decrease and your dreams of your own cheese may remain just dreams.

REPLENISHMENT TO THE FELL

In order to replenish the flock, lambs are clearly needed. A month and a half before mating, the sheep must be fed, mainly with silage, root crops, and selected hay, but without allowing obesity. It goes without saying that it is necessary to take care of the ram’s strength and fatness.

When preparing a ram for mating, pamper him with cottage cheese, skim milk, a couple of raw eggs a day, and an extra carrot. Pregnant sheep need additional portions of chalk and bone meal so that the lambs appear strong at birth and the sheep do not become weak while bearing their offspring. Like a person, a pregnant sheep can have a miscarriage if it is physically overloaded (long walks) or very frightened.

Take this into account and show special attention to expectant mothers, pamper them more often, and reassure them.

But what an amount of happiness you will experience when the first baby is born! In most cases, the sheep copes excellently with childbirth itself (if there is no pathology, it goes without saying).

Breeding sheep at home

Immediately after lambing, the mother must be given clean water to drink, but do not let her drink a lot: it is better more often, but not more than one and a half liters. After this, milk the first streams from the udder and you have the opportunity to let the little one, who is still on very timid slender legs, stagger, but the udder will begin to look for minutes. in 15-20.

At the moment, during the first feeding, the lamb also receives the most basic thing - colostrum. This includes nutrition and vaccination against many diseases (like immunoglobulin).

The lamb will feed on mother's milk for 20 days, and after that it can be slowly transferred to formula feed, oatmeal, and soft hay. After three months, the lambs can be released to pasture: they are already “adults.” But keep in mind: they are still far from sexually mature, at least until they are a year and a half old.

Sheep hatch, in most cases, in the autumn, at a time when they are the most well-fed.

HEALTH IS ABOVE EVERYTHING

With such wool and free grazing, it is virtually impossible to protect sheep from infection with ticks. To prevent the spread of the disease (scabies); In practice, sheep breeders have an old and reliable method: bathing in a 1% solution of creolin. Sheep have to get a “manicure” during the stall period: the hooves outgrow, quite often they can rot and need to be trimmed.

Often, inexperienced sheep breeders, delighted at the first green grass, try to immediately release their flock to pasture. And this is prohibited for no reason: a sharp transition from winter to summer green feeding can cause such diarrhea in sheep that it will have to be treated for a long time and tediously; maybe the sheep can be fooled.

And finally, about cutting wool. At first, it is better not to take on this important task yourself, so as not to injure the animal or cause psychological trauma or injury to it. At this very moment, we are unlikely to be able to help you by outlining the haircut process. It’s not without reason that they say: it’s better to notice once than... Based on this, take the advice: invite an expert and closely notice his hands, movements, and behavior.

In addition, if there is no such thing in your locality, it will certainly be found in the neighboring one, where everyone knows it, and they will definitely recommend it to you.

Keeping sheep of the Romanov breed. Setting up a sheepfold. LLC Romanovskoe

Non-standard personal subsidiary plot. Sheep management

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Sheep of most breeds are distinguished by a clearly defined seasonality of reproduction; therefore, sheep begin mating in August-September. When determining the mating date...

Some types of orchids of the genus Dendrobium: features and maintenance care

Dendrobium is a wide genus of the Orchid family, or Orchids, numbering over a thousand species, most of which are epiphytes. In its nature...

Why are sheep not popular?

Regardless of the relative usefulness of this animal, the popularity of sheep in the domestic region for some reason quickly decreased. And if many cows are bred and kept...

Is it worthwhile to breed geese on private farms? The answer is clear - it goes without saying, yes! A more unpretentious bird to the conditions...

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