Adorable Flock of Sheep Resting and Relaxing As Couples

Raising sheep can be fun and rewarding if you live on a small farm or even in a rural home with a bit of available pasture space. They are docile, gentle animals for hobby farms, and they serve many purposes, such as providing meat, wool and even milk. For many rural families, sheep are virtual pets.

If you are considering raising sheep on your small farm or homestead, here are some basics to consider before you start assembling your flock.

When selecting the right sheep breed, the first thing to consider is the purpose of the sheep. Are you raising them for meat or wool, or just as pet lawnmowers? Or are you taking the less common route and raising them for milk? Although sheep don't yield nearly as much milk as cows or goats, some people do enjoy the taste of sheep's milk, and it can be used to make delicious cheeses and yogurts.

You will also need to consider your local climate, so ask around locally as to what breeds are being raised by other farmers in the area

There are hundreds of breeds of sheep, but the list of those most commonly raised is fairly small.

After deciding on a breed, careful selection of individual animals is critical. Make sure that you purchase sheep directly from the person who raised them. Look at the flock the sheep comes from, talk with the farmer about the history of the animal and its parents.

Sheep are ruminant animals, which means they eat predominantly plants such fresh grass and hay. They can thrive quite nicely if they are fed nothing but good pasture grasses, salt, a vitamin and mineral supplement, and fresh water. Pastures for sheep can include a mixture of grasses, brush, and trees. In general, one acre of good quality pasture can support four sheep.

While the pasture grass is growing, sheep can feed themselves without supplements, but in the winter or if there is a drought, you will need to supplement their diet with hay and/or grain. Make sure to use a raised feeder rather than putting the hay on the ground, where it will get wet and dirty. Ewes who are about to lamb, or sheep you are raising for market, will benefit from supplements of grain.