THE Ultimate SMALL-FARM RUMINANT

SHEEP ARE EASY TO MANAGE AND EFFECTIVE FORAGERS.

- BY ALLI KELLEY

Sheep are a fantastic option for a small farm. They are easy to manage without special equipment, and they are effective foragers in small areas. Sheep can serve a variety of purposes, and a wide variety of breed options means a good fit exists for every farm.

MORE THAN WOOL

Sheep are commonly used for wool, but they are also a great source of meat and milk. Different breeds of sheep yield varying qualities and quantities of wool. All sheep need to be shorn, but the value of the fiber depends on the breed of sheep and wool quality, so keeping fleece in mind when choosing a breed is important. Selling the fleeces from your flock is a great way to earn some extra income even if wool isn’t the main goal for your flock.

A great source of protein, sheep efficiently convert feed into meat and can utilize land and feed that other livestock can’t. While sheep do an exceptional job of foraging browse, with some increased nutrition they muscle up quickly and can finish in less than a year. Cooking with lamb is very similar to cooking with beef, something that most people are comfortable with, and it tastes great.

Utilizing older sheep for meat is not ideal because the mutton can be pungent and tough. Additionally, processing animals close to breeding season increases the likelihood that the taste will be gamey. However, lamb raised to be used as food rarely tastes gamey and is tender, not tough, with a moderate fat content.

Another purpose for sheep on your small farm could be milk. Dairy sheep are great milk producers but won't give you an overabundance of milk like a cow would. Many sheep breeds produce enough milk to provide for their offspring as well as your needs. In addition to using the milk and cream, you can make sheep cheese, a wonderful product in high demand in niche markets.