If you have livestock your animals need water. As we raise sheep, the water required is far less than with cattle. Nonetheless, I find our sheep go through between 4 – 5 gallons a day per sheep when our temps go over 100F. We are running 6 mature sheep presently so that means 24 – 30...
Sheep milk is increasingly gaining recognition as a nutrient-dense alternative to traditional cow and goat milk. Known for its rich, creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor, sheep milk offers a variety of health benefits, making it an excellent choice for those looking to diversify their dairy intake. This article will explore the nutritional profile of sheep...
I’ve gotten a few questions regarding my use of free form copper with my sheep. Before I get into all of that, I do want to be clear that copper is only one element of our program to keep our sheep healthy without the use of chemical dewormers. Pasture rotation, high tannin forage on pasture and...
There are so many reasons why sheep benefit from willow but I’ll start with why us shepherds benefit from willow. Where I live in Texas, we’ve had two back to back very hot summers with no rain. As a result, my pasture went mostly dormant as you can see in the bottom right image above. Willow...
Living in North Central Texas means we go through periods of drought each summer. Every July, the rains stop almost completely until late August or early September. Much of our pasture goes dormant. That makes grazing a lot less nutritious for our sheep and over all taxes our soil and all the life it supports. Given...
Fredo and his pal Oliver are some of the most gentle rams I’ve ever seen. They love to be with one another and are very friendly to just about everyone. While the adage ‘Don’t ever turn your back to a ram’ is followed here, these two have never been aggressive in any way. Both are pure...
More and more folks are growing food gardens this year. That’s good because even mainstream communication channels are starting to discuss food rationing. California is in an exceptional drought and the Central valley that provides a huge amount of fruit and veggies to our grocery stores, is now facing dramatic water restrictions. Life is changing quickly...
So you’ve decided to purchase a few ewes, maybe a ram and start a homestead dairy. I often find folks can be unaware of what questions to ask. Before I provide my own list of questions, I recommend you get to know your supplier, be it dairy or homestead and may end up getting some of...
I know this sounds pretty strange, but if you keep livestock, there is a cycle of poop eating that can enhance health and replace some feed. I know, I know… you’re thinking… Are you nuts? The thing is that animals do a great job digesting food and making manure. As an example, chickens essentially poop their...
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