Sheep Behavior: The Basics
What options does an attacked sheep have?
Run or stand its ground
What kind of water do sheep like?
Running > still
What does gregarious mean?
Sheep are gregarious animals that like to stick together, they have a flocking instinct
How often do sheep have their heat period?
Sheep are seasonally polyestrous, which means that most ewes have only one season a year during which they have recurring estrus or heat periods.
How often do sheep need water?
Sheep can exist without water longer than most domesticated animals; Possibly one of the answers why sheep require very little water is that they have no water loss through perspiration.
Why is a "sick sheep as good as a dead sheep"?
Sheep do not show any signs of illness until they are very sick, and probably that is the reason for the old statement, "a sick sheep is as good as dead."
Where do sheep like to bed down?
Sheep generally bed down for the night on a high place that is well drained and provides good visibility of their surroundings.
What is Bedding Down?
Sheep like to lie down as night approaches and will cease their feeding during the darkened hours.
How can wee feed sheep in the winter?
Sheep will also eat hay or feed in tracks left in snow during winter feeding very comfortably.
What are some examples of successful force pen shapes?
Triangle force pen Double force pen Bugle Force pen
What is the big "secret" to handling sheep?
"Controlled escape"
Approximately how much water/day will a mature sheep need?
1 to 4 quarts
What is a Judas Goat (Bellwether)?
A Judas goat is a trained goat used in general animal herding. The Judas goat is trained to associate with sheep or cattle, leading them to a specific destination. In stockyards, a Judas goat will lead sheep to slaughter, while its own life is spared
What can depraved appetite be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can disinterest in food/water be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can excessive time lying down be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can isolation be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can lagging be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can lethargy be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can manure condition be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can rapid breathing be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can restlessness be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What can vocalization be a sign of?
A possible health problem
What facilitates flow through handling? When is this feature especially important?
A sharp but curved turn in the running chute (to prevent the sheep from seeing what is ahead of him) facilitates flow-through handling. This is especially true when the shepherd is treating foot rot in a foot bath, or dipping, spraying or dusting the sheep.
What are some solitary breeds of sheep?
American, Border, and 'Long Wool' Leicester as well as Lincoln
What does a good shepherd notice?
Any deviation from the normal health of the sheep
When will rams breed?
Any time, any place... year round
What will sheep do as they graze?
As they graze they tend to spread out, once frightened they will gather into one group
What kind of fencing is required for sheep?
Boards must be tight and close enough that they can't squeeze through; don't need to be heavy
Because sheep are ruminants what do they need in their diets?
Bulk
How should we move a band?
Circularly, in an almost funnel like shape (wider to more narrow)
How long can a sheep keep up a estrous period?
For a season of approximately five months if the ewes don't conceive and become pregnant.
What will increase the rate of growth or act as supplemental feed?
Grains
Is confinement of sheep more or less difficult than other species?
Generally less difficult to confine sheep compared to other animals
What is the advantage of having chutes side by side?
If sheep can see another sheep in front of them AND a sheep to their side, they will be calmer and easier to move
When are rams possibly temporarily infertile?
In the heat of the summer from the high, high temps
What is the best time of day to work sheep?
In the morning when its cool
What are 10 signs of a possible health problem?
Isolation Disinterest in feed or water Lagging Lethargy Excessive time lying down Restlessness Depraved appetite Vocalization Rapid breathing Manure condition
What is the advantage of a Bugle corral design?
Its easy to work withing
What can you guess about a sheep off by itself?
Its probably hurt/ill
What should make up the bulk of a sheep's ration?
Most of a sheep's diet can be met with feeds such as good quality pasture, range, or harvested forages such as hay or silage
Can sheep defend themselves?
Nope, not even with horns
Which breeds are less gregarious?
Oxford, hampshire, suffolk, shropshire, southdown, and sussex 'Down Breeds'
What are some breeds with a strong flocking instinct?
Panama, Columbia, Targhee, American Rambouillet, Rambouillet, both fine wooled and American Merinos
Why might sheep need less water?
Possibly one of the answers why sheep require very little water is that they have no water loss through perspiration.
Keys to successful disease control?
Prevention & observation
Why do people say "where one sheep goes, the others will follow"?
Related to the flocking instinct of sheep is the instinct to follow the leader
What will rams do to detect a ewe in estrous?
Smell her perianal area and 'flehming'
What are examples of unsuccessful pen shapes?
Square force pen: (utah shape with the North most line at the top removed) Double Triangle Force Pen: looks like a flattened chemistry beaker
What means (for the sheep) that it is safe to go ahead?
The beat of hooves walking on the wooden floor seems to indicate to the other sheep that it is safe to proceed.
How often are sheep in estrous (cycle length)?
The estrus periods last for about 24 hours and recur on the average of every 17 days.
Why use a Judas Goat (Bellwether)?
The flocking & following tendencies mean that many ewes and lambs are loaded through chutes onto trucks, trailers, across bridges, and moved from one place to another by leading a sheep or goat ahead of them.
Pull out your calendar .. when should we plan for our sheep breeding period?
The normal breeding season is during the fall of the year in the U.S., it extends from July to January in some areas.
Which breeds of sheep have stronger flocking instinct?
The white face wool type sheep express a stronger flocking instinct than do the medium wool, meat type breeds.
What makes sheep on open ranges manageable?
Their flocking instinct
What makes a sheep good for grazing short forage?
Their short, mobile lips and sharp incisor teeth
What direction do sheep *NOT* want to go in?
They do not want ot head into the sun (keep this in mind for running/building chutes)
What will sheep do in tall grass pastures?
They nip the ends of leaves off and leave the stems standing
How do ewes and rams attempt to scare off attackers?
They will stomp their forefeet
What does it mean to be seasonally polyestrous?
having estrous cycles only during part of the year. Decreasing hours of daylight stimulates cyclicity in ewes and does in autumn
Pasture Buffet: what is preferred over what?
immature short forage >> tall coarse growing species