Pasture, Fences, and Facilities - Raising Sheep - page 123

So deciding what's really necessary and important on your operation is a
matter of choice. The choices are based on your goals. When deciding what
you need, keep in mind the following questions:
■ What's your style of farming? (Are you trying to make a living as a com-
mercial shepherd, or do you want to keep a dozen sheep for fun and
mowing services?)
■ How's your fi nancial health? (Do you have an outside job or a big trust
fund, or are you relying on your sheep to make a profi t?)
■ How much time can you spend caring for your sheep? (Is your outside
job 10 hours per week or 50? Do you have other obligations that will
keep you away from the fl ock at certain times?)
Buildings
On a sheep farm, barns generally meet two needs: storage for feed and sup-
plies and a place for winter lambing. Therefore, whether you need any build-
ings at all depends primarily on the time of year you'll be lambing.
For small fl ocks that lamb in late spring or early summer on pasture, no
buildings are necessary. Grain and minerals for a small fl ock can be stored in
large plastic or metal trash cans, which keep moisture and pests (for example,
bugs and rodents) out. Remember that if feed is stored in cans, the lids must
be fastened very securely. If the sheep gain unfettered access to feed, over-
consumption can be fatal; keep the cans securely lidded and out of the sheep's
reach. Hay for a small fl ock can be stored under a tarp. Some folks who do
pasture lambing use portable temporary structures or tepees.
Portable structures provide fl exibility and inexpensive shelter for sheep and lambs on
pasture. Because sheep use the shelter only in bad weather, up to six ewes and their
lambs can share one shelter.