Sheep

[Zaman]

Hi. I've just purchased 4 acres paddock land. The land itself is on a slope. It has barbed wire around the perimeter with a tree line aswel. The fields boundary goes right upto a beck running at the bottom of the field. The beck is not mine. I am thinking about putting some sheep on there, however, I will be perfectly honest, I don't know much about sheep. I don't want ewes so I dont have to go through lambing. Can someone please give me brief information about sheep. How many can I get in my land? What kind of size my barn would have to be? Are rams prone to injuries/infections/diseases? How often vet comes for injections? What are the injections for? How often sheep shearing? Hoof trimming? Food they eat other than grass or would that be suffice? When would you bring them in barn? How often muck out and where do I put it? Fencing, it's illegal to have barbed wire less than 2.4m so what could I use? How do I stop foxes? I know there are many breeds if sheep but what breed would be most suited for this and what kind of price would I be looking at to buy them at. I'm sorry for all the questions but I want to get it right before I start anything because I want my sheep to be happy, healthy and safe. Thank you

[coppice cutter]

Honestly, put the word out that's there's grazing available and get someone else to pay you for grazing their sheep on it.

 

*edit* - but give it some thought and if you're still determined then I'll try to answer some of your question. But please, seriously consider what I said first.

Edited February 21, 2023 by coppice cutter

[AHPP]

Do you have lots of time, money and peace in your life? Do you want less of all of them?

[coppice cutter]

9 minutes ago, AHPP said:

Do you have lots of time, money and peace in your life? Do you want less of all of them?

Just to clarify, I laughed at this but it's also searingly accurate!

[AHPP]

Tell you what, Zaman. I can help you make your decision with a role play. Send me your phone number. I’ll call you whenever I fancy and roll a dice. 
 

1. Your sheep has died outside my house. Can you come and pick it up. And can you mend your fence so more don’t get out. 

2. Your sheep has died outside my house and taken a Vauxhall Corsa with it. Can you come and pick it up. And you best bring £2000 for the irate father of the girl who was driving the car. And can you mend your fence so more don’t get out.  
3. I’ve just passed your field. One of your sheep has drowned. Looks like three others followed it because they’ve drowned too. I also spotted a hole in your fence. 
4. It’s Colin from the government. We’re sending someone to shoot your sheep. Here’s the bill. 
5. It’s Jenny from the vets. Can you pay your bill please. 
6. It’s me, Zaman. I’m at the hospital and at my wits’ end. The kids have got worms from one of your rotten sheep. I’m leaving you. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by AHPP

[GarethM]

Jesus, whilst keeping sheep isn't that bleak.

Those are the realities of owning livestock and a long list of more along with insurance etc etc.

 

4 acres on its own is ok for short term grazing, not a chance in hell of any buildings etc without a lot of time and money.

[peds]

4 acres seems more petting zoo size, I'd say. 

[john87]

2 hours ago, Zaman said:

Hi. I've just purchased 4 acres paddock land. The land itself is on a slope. It has barbed wire around the perimeter with a tree line aswel. The fields boundary goes right upto a beck running at the bottom of the field. The beck is not mine. I am thinking about putting some sheep on there, however, I will be perfectly honest, I don't know much about sheep. I don't want ewes so I dont have to go through lambing. Can someone please give me brief information about sheep. How many can I get in my land? What kind of size my barn would have to be? Are rams prone to injuries/infections/diseases? How often vet comes for injections? What are the injections for? How often sheep shearing? Hoof trimming? Food they eat other than grass or would that be suffice? When would you bring them in barn? How often muck out and where do I put it? Fencing, it's illegal to have barbed wire less than 2.4m so what could I use? How do I stop foxes? I know there are many breeds if sheep but what breed would be most suited for this and what kind of price would I be looking at to buy them at. I'm sorry for all the questions but I want to get it right before I start anything because I want my sheep to be happy, healthy and safe. Thank you

Hmm, I last had anything to do with sheep about 30 years ago, so regulations and practice might have change somewhat

 

How many sheep?? I would say about 10. You will also have to fence the field into sections to make smaller fields so you can rotate them. This is a MUST as otherwise the whole lot will end up like a swamp. Secondly, after treating them for foot rot, or after worming them, you will have to turn them back out in a different field or it will have been a pointless exercise..

 

The planning people will have to let you put up a shed. You tell them that it is needed for the "in wintering of sick and pregnant animals" i think the wording is/was, and then they have no choice.. As for the size of the shed, you will need enough room for the sheep and to store hay and the other stuff you will need..

 

Rams are no different to ewes, but if you have a ram, you will have to keep the thing away from the ewes as otherwise when they are in season you will be having random lambs at random times and dates. You do not want this, as when they are lambing you MUST MUST, be there.. In addition you will also have to cut their tails off [no choice in this unless you like the idea of your sheep being eaten alive by maggots] and castrate the ram lambs [Both are done by means of a rubber ring] You will need someone to teach you how to do this..

 

Injections.. If you are not going to breed the things, you will not really have to worry about this.. You will have to worm the things though.. Mind you, if you cut them shearing them, or if they injure themselves, [or get injured] you will have to give them penicillin injections..

 

This might be terribly expensive, as unless you have a registered small holding [you get a number i believe] you might well not be able to buy the stuff you need anyway..

 

Sheep shearing.. Yes, once a year you will have to do this. You will have to do it yourself though, as no sheep shearers will be interested unless you have 200 sheep.. and you have to pay them of course..

 

It used to be a legal requirement to dip the things once a year too. Even if not a legal requirement now, it is still a good idea..

 

Foot trimming, Yes, you will have to do this, Again, you will need to have someone show you.. You will also have to treat them for things like foot rot..

 

No, just the grass will not be enough. You will need to buy in hay, AND have somewhere to store it, In the winter we used to give ours oats and barley too.. Again, you need advice, as if you just give them a load of barley apparently it will kill the things.. We also used to have "sheep pellets"

 

Fencing, you want proper sheep netting topped off with barbed wire. God knows who told you barbed wire was illegal as we used loads of it.. Have you seen the price of fencing???

 

Depending on where you are, foxes will not be a problem, but ordinary dogs will be. They will kill and maim your sheep for fun. The only cure is a 12 bore..

 

As for breeds, go and see what others around you have.. Where i am, i would have welsh ewes and if i wanted a ram, a continental thing like a Texel.. [opinions will differ greatly, but go and see what the locals have]

 

At the end of the day, unless you WANT to waste money, AND you are able to be there all day, forget it. You HAVE to be there, as otherwise you WILL come home one day to find that a dog has killed or maimed the lot of them. This will only take the dog minutes.. You will also find the sheep falling in the water and being too heavy then, being unable to get out and drowning. A sheep by the way, makes no efforts to rescue itself.. We used to have them cause up in brambles, and left to themselves, they would just lay there until they died.

 

You will also have the locals climbing over you fencing and the sheep will be out [and if one goes, they all go] and, the first time you have an argument with the locals, you will find that you now have people cutting your fences..

 

Please listen to the others, sheep is a bad idea.. rent it out to someone with a horse.. Problem being, is that you will need planning permission for this, a horse not being an agricultural animal..

 

john..

 

[john87]

5 minutes ago, peds said:

4 acres seems more petting zoo size, I'd say. 

Yep, agree entirely. 100%

 

john..

[Will C]

The following is assuming you want them to cut the grass and not earn anything- cause they won’t. Probably 4-6 lambs will do you, but be prepared to up or down number’s depending on your grass. keep them till they are 8-9 year old or die which ever happens first. If you go for a hardy breed like Hebridean  you shouldn’t have to foot trim or give extra feed, they will be happy outside all year round. You will probably find you have to much grass in the summer and have to top it and not enough in winter. You will need three strands of electric fence or sheep net rather than barbed. Hebridean do just fine 99% of the time with no worming etc. Foxes arnt a problem unless you lamb when they are seriously hungry. Past that all of the above comments are good advice. 

remember a sheep has 2 ambitions in life: 

1 Escape

2 Die 

they are at there happiest if they can achieve both ambitions at the same time

Edited February 21, 2023 by Will C