Adding sheep to a cattle operation

[Pertnear]

And sheep are like water!

 

[Faster horses]

Sheep have been called pasture maggots. :wink:

 

[ANGUS327]

Our neighbor has sheep and cattle or did he's retireing so he's cut back on both. He's never had a job in town and has been very successful I'd say the sheep and hard work were the main factor's that and he's an excellent farmer weather he's raiseing crops ,hay or livestock. And don't do goats.

The growing Muslim population around here will take every goat you can raise. They will even come and kill it right after the money (cash) has changed hands. My Father in Law raises goats and sheep and can't keep up to the demand. They actually tolerate the pigs he raises.

Problem with goats here is they never get very high in price and were to far from the culture centers to sell direct so salebarn is the avenue for sale. That and they seam to grow slower than sheep.Everyday you own them they cost you money and goats like the best feed first not weeds like many think.

That's a tough choice Muslims or goats. :wink:

 

[pups and bucks]

Hair sheep or wool?...Lamb in the shed or pasture lamb?....you surely need a guard animal..probabaly several....dogs,donkeys or llama?.....Your cattle handeling facillity wont work for sheep.....need chutes and pens that will work for them.

You will get rid of the buckbrush and spurge and a bunch of other broadleaves......no new trees will ever grow as long as you have sheep.
You may get rid of your wife and good help if they don't tollerate ovine.

Start out with 50 head of young healthy sheep to see if you can tollerate them.......

Good Luck

 

[LCP]

Hair sheep or wool?...Lamb in the shed or pasture lamb?....you surely need a guard animal..probabaly several....dogs,donkeys or llama?.....Your cattle handeling facillity wont work for sheep.....need chutes and pens that will work for them.

You will get rid of the buckbrush and spurge and a bunch of other broadleaves......no new trees will ever grow as long as you have sheep.
You may get rid of your wife and good help if they don't tollerate ovine.

Start out with 50 head of young healthy sheep to see if you can tollerate them.......

Good Luck

Thanks for the advice...friend of mine says "get as many sheep as your wife will take care of." That means I'm already at capacity.

I've got plenty of barn space if I was to lamb in cold weather. Not sure I really want to do that, seeing how I keep moving my calving dates back to get away from it...then again I cant put all the cows in the barn like I could with 100 sheep. Part of making this deal work I decided is that I cut less hay to free up some time. I'm not making much headway with the boss on that idea.