What I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Sheep Farm: Vlog 126
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 жов 2024
- In typical Sandi style, my last February FAQ is done in March.
What do I wish I knew before starting a sheep farm?
A question I get asked a lot...
Everyday, I could find another thing I wish I knew... but learning is part of the fun (most days...)
Here is a list of my big 'aha' moments.
What things do YOU wish you knew before you became a sheep farmer?
#sheep #beginner #farmer
Music:
Far Away by Declan DP / declandp
Licensing Agreement 2.0 (READ)
www.declandp.in...
Music promoted by Audio Library • Far Away - Declan DP (...
Subscribe to my channel:
/ @sandibrock
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN WATCH MORE VLOGS AND LISTEN TO PODCASTS OVER AT THE FRAN NETWORK?
Check it out here!
www.farmruralag...
Follow me on:
Snapchat: / sandibro. .
Instagram: / brocksandi
Facebook: www.fmVM...acebook.com/sheepi...
Twitter: / sandibrock
Contact Me:
brocksandi@hotmail.com
So proud to see a Canadian woman in farming! "Keep Calm and Carry ON" I think you are doing a terrific job!
Thanks Rebecca!!
THIS! This is why I subscribed to your channel and the reason I stay. You are so real and down to earth. There's no "keeping up with the Joneses". You give me the facts straight from the hip and I appreciate that more than I can say. You have a similar work ethic to me and I relate to you so much. Thank you for what you do! Blessings to you and your family! ♥️
I love this! Thank you so much Renee!
I totally agree with EVERYTHING she said..."The real deal, reality" is what I look for
I just found your video. I am praying God will bless you with good health for you and your animals. You are truly amazing.
thanks so much Ronda!
You just gained a new subscriber! I just made it through my first lambing season (4 lambs in total)! Thank you for your inspiration, honesty, and keeping it real!
Thank you so much for this video Sandi. After working as on a dairy farm and as zookeeper for 5 years, I'm about to start my new job at a mixed dairy farm, including sheep. Your vlog has thought me soooo much already. It is such a relieve to see that it is completely normal and ok to have the feeling of 'not knowing what I'm doing' at the start and learn as I go. You definitely calmed down my nerves. Thank you so much. Fingers crossed I and the lambs will get through our first winter lambing season in two weeks time. Greetings from Germany.
Having just watched this, I am sooo impressed by how 'real' you are with all this. I have a small number of sheep on a small acreage property, and you've opened my eyes to my first lambing in a few weeks. I just wanted to say a big thank you, and wish you all the best for your efforts.
What a beautiful explanation! I would have been as blissfully ignorant of issues, if not worse, if I were you. I certainly understand why they like having you as a speaker. You are open, honest, and caring. Best of luck with your farm in these trying times.
Sandi, you have many legit points of- if I knew.. we all have.
but don’t be too hard on yourself, you are doing a beautiful job for one energetic farmer!!
No farmer on this universe is running his flock smoothly, despite being a sheep Proffesor.
And.. it’s a stressful responsibility.
Hard to trust someone to cover for you with the intensive precise feeding, lambing, and more, so you are exhausting yourself to a mental breakdown.
You need to get a good worker, it’s part of the investment when you are reaching certain flock size.
I wish I’ll listen to myself too:)
You're so right! I have some part time help and its wonderful, but so hard when its inconsistent. Each day changes so much during lambing that I often can't even explain what I've done, and what to check for when I'm gone! I'm trying hard to fix that... Thank you!
@@SandiBrock Hello 👋
I just started watching and I have learned more information than I think you realize you know! You're doing awesome! There are no mistakes only lessons! Thank you!
As for someone like me who is just starting out in the sheep industry, this is so great to see. Thank you for sharing your experience with us Sandi! ❤️
Thanks Alana!!!
U r very hard on yourself, u r so strong!!
Your an awesome inspiration xxx
This is me commenting from the future. You make it look so easy! You are gracious, humble, competent, hardworking, positive and devoted :) I'd love to come and spend a day with you in the barn!
I enjoyed your confessions If there is a new way of dying a sheep will find it. Thanks for sharing.
Good for you for being honest, most people will not talk about mistakes. Honesty and integrity are becoming a lost trait in farmers in general. Keep your head up! God bless
Thank you!
Being a farmer isnt easy and its definitely not for everyone. Good luck with your lambs and crops this season.
Thank you!!
First off, you have beautiful teeth! Lol
2nd I love how real you are with all the viewers, farm life really sucks somtimes and sugar coating it does no one any good! Love this channel!
Wow! Thank you! after just finishing my second round of braces in my life, thats so nice to hear!!
And yes. I want to show the good and the bad. When we only show good, we start comparing ourselves to realities that just aren't attainable.
Hate that...
Yes ma’am! Well you keep doing your thing! Definitely will be watching all the adventures
Watching your video make me learn so much, thank you Sandi.
Keep up the good work Sandi.
Thanks!
I'm not a farmer but watching every single of your videos. Loving all your animals and have learned a lot from you.
Thank you for all your work. Looking up every day for your new videos in this quarantine time ❤
Thank you so much! I am personally starting a flock myself and this was super helpful.
you are doing so great ! the way you are feeling about your job is the same way everybody feel about there jobs ! but you need a good cup of coffee and some dark chocolate and you will feel a good kick of positivity 😀👍👍👍👍👍
Thats my kind of positivity!!! Thank you!!!
Your doing well
Thank you so much for your transparency. I have sheep and love them but it has been a bumpy road as I have made mistakes and learned the hard way on different issues. Makes me feel not so alone. May God bless your hands and your ventures.
I also started raising sheep 7 years ago, very different level and conditions but I could relate to every thing you said. Thanks for sharing,good job, I'm going to watch more videos to try to see your dog :)
Thanks Jorge!
You have a very good video and i enjoyed it. I am 67. I was raised on a farm and have raised cows, goats, sheep, pigs, turkey, geese ducks, muscovy, chickens, rabbits quineas, quail oh ya horses. And i don't care, your good, but, you can spend 100 years and still be learning an text book every day. I lost a whole herd of goats after raising goats for 50 years and never having a major problem and in 5 days all gone. Keep up the good work your flock is beautiful. Best to you and hope you don't take everything personally. Blessings from PA.
Thanks so much Ronald! And you know me well... I take everything personally. LOL!
Learning more and more because of you. Thank you!
Oh thank you!!!
Sandy thank you so much for sharing - The tips are so valuable
Great!! I'm so glad they are helpful!
Sandi, you probably would learn anything, except for the death part. You are, definately a wonder woman !! Care and loving your lambs as much as you do and responcible for everything else is magic!!!
Been there wrote the book.I feel your pain.You think you're doing it right then you lose a bunch of lambs.Thank God for the internet and good vets .I've learned lots and know there is more to come.I'm in my 30 year of sheep farming and this year I said I was getting out but now I look at them and know i would be lost without them.Your right you learn as you go along and just when you get it all figured out another problem comes along.Like you I've seen many tears but some of those were ones I brought back to life.Thank you for reminding me how hard it is and how rewarding at the same time.Happy lambing!!!
Thanks Shawna!!
What a amazing woman u r ! God bless u ! .
You are so loved, thank you for all you share🐑💜
Great video. We just started and purchased a Cheviot Ram. All will be on pastures and woods. Setting up a strategic health plan w great Veterinary. Thanks so much.
Sounds like a solid plan!! I have a friend who does her flock very similar to this!
Thanks for the info. I have learned a lot from you. I appreciate your willingness to share your farming experiences. I think the sheep do too but it's hard to tell.
LOL! Thank you!
I live in South Africa, planning on starting up with sheep farming & super excited! I love that I discovered your channel just now - lots to learn... thanks!
Sandi, I have watched a number of your videos and I am not a farmer or sheep expert but I can honestly say that you are amazing. You are smart and always willing to learn and a hard worker so you are a wonderful, human, sheep farmer and I think you underestimate yourself-- You are a natural and I would bet that you would be a natural at anything you would take on because you are intelligent, down to earth, humane and very clever.
I don’t know anything about lambing but just watching your passion for lambing and the strength to carry on and just better your flick makes me stay with your channel and not jump around trying to get educated!!! Love watching you with your flock !!! Thanks
Awesome video Sandi. You are helping others avoid some of the challenges you had through these videos.
I hope so! Thank you so much Anita!
I really surprised that how you can manage and run this much huge fram ...i really admire your job and i hope i can work at your fram and learn from you and your experience. And one day i can start my own fram. Thanks sandy please keep making more videos...
Thanks!
Awesome video.
I appreciate why you made this video, and I will now find something else to do with my land.
Thanks.😉
This is excellent. I have had sheep for 4 years and agree 100% on health and biosecurity. I bought many of my problems.
You are admirable the way you handle situations especially feeding and lambing. Congratulations
Hi, I am amazed how well you keep the sheep, especially helping them out during lambing when they are in pain. Here in Australia the sheep are left in the open in the rain and cold and give birth to lambs all alone. The farmers are not so hands on like you. The lambs and mothers dont even have a roof over there head, the motherless lambs simply die (15 lac a year). And during autumn they really struggle for feed and starve. So I would say you are the most compassionate, caring, hands on sheep farmer I have ever seen. Australia needs to learn a thing or two from you.
Thank you! I will say, Australia does so many things better in breed improvement and efficiencies than us. They would likely look at my operation and know that the return just isn't there to capitalize as heavily as we did. But thank you!
@@SandiBrock I say good karma is the biggest return u r getting. And thats what matters the most.
You are awesome. I hope someday to be as successful as you with sheep farming.
Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoy and have learned from you video's. Mostly appreciate your down to earth personality, as you relate to us the things that have caused you to stumble at times..............and we experience the same situations our selves. You make us see that it is not only us, but there are others such as your self, much more experienced than us, which helps us to see maybe we aren't alone. What an operation yu have there, and what a worker bee you are............Keep it up with the video's~! The wife and I both love to watch you various video's on sheep, but we can't always listen with microphone on, and must a lot of times listen with the close captions on, where they misspell so many words, it is easy to miss what you are actually sayings. We are only in our second year of sheep farming hair sheep, in Montana, and so you are a great help to us. And your wonderful smile no matter what you are involved in. Thank you.....Duane
Thank you so much Duane!! I guess thats why I started the channel... to connect with others experiencing the same things, frustrations, and feelings! Sometimes its nice to know we aren't alone!
Thank you! We are getting dairy sheep (e fresian) on the homestead end of next month.
Thanks for the info! we bought our first sheep in 2017 and are still learning. Good luck to you.
Thanks Angella! All the best!
I burst out laughing and died when you described the lambs as “pretzels”
What a multi-tasker you are. Great job
Just found your channel this week. Up until 3 weeks ago I had zero interest in farmers But now there are 6 channels on YT that I follow and 4 of them I am binge watching. Rather than start at the beginning as I usually do, for the farming channels I am starting About 1 year in the past and watching every video until I am up to date. Then I will decide whether to go back to the beginning which in some cases is over 7 years ago !
With your channel I think I started at vlog 115 or so and so far I am enjoying it a lot. My other farmers are corn/bean, hefers with farming for feed, dairy cows with farming for feed. You are the only sheep so far. Looking forward to learning everything you have to show us. Thanks for inviting us into your farm and letting us watch what you do.
(I am not noticing any videos associated with your channel. You really should add some ads and generate a few Canadian rubles for your lambs)
Thank you for putting this out! I’m looking at putting together an agricultural business development plan and this sort of information is really helpful!
I just found your channel and I am so interested! Thank you for putting all of this information out there. I really appreciate it!
Cody Creelman sent me your direction. We are getting ready to move. We will be 90 miles from the nearest Wal*Mart. We are looking forward to starting a flock of sheep. I have grown up around cows, but have been around sheep to know that I know NOTHING. I am thankful for your vlog! We look forward to learning and sharing our journey.
Well tell Cody Thank you for the referral!! (He's my fav...)
Good luck with your sheep journey... I too only knew (maybe still true today) that I know nothing... I guess thats why I'm sharing. So we can all learn this stuff together!!
I think I have bing watched all of your videos the one that got me hooked was "farming with my spouse and we are still married" my wife and i farm and ranch together WOW working cows together bless her little heart, explaining how to operate a center pivot safety override over the phone (our pivot repair dude doubles as a marriage counselor on Sunday afternoons)
your comment about things you wish you would have known, we started in on cows very green i've made huge mistakes that have cost me lots of money you wana crawl in a hole and cry but there are 10 more thing that you must get done before the parent teacher meeting that started ten min. ago.
the things you learn is better than a college degree, tuition can be a little high but you start learning pretty fast when baby calves are 500 each and if you can help someone else avoid or work through something you have dealt with its almost all worth it
thanks for all the videos
M
Thank you so much for this message!! You're so right. Some things can't exactly be taught in school, but learned in practice. I guess thats why I'm doing this channel... so we can all learn together!
Thank you for your advise!! I'm starting my sheep farm, I just bought my ewe with 2 lambs today :) I also started negerian goat herds and I have so many questions..
Hi..I am from India I need to start sheep farm could you give some tips please🙏+917019987463
Omg, my dad has a sheep farm, I had no idea it could be this overwhelming!! They're a different breed, I had no clue. I'm not involved at all. I do remember him mentioning things like what you just said to my mom. Eg. he is now working with vets to breed or select sheep that would have 2 or more babies per birth, he didn't think about that when he started, they usually had 1 maybe 2 babies per birth; I think he is working on having them giving birth at around the same time, in batches; now is keeping track of their weight to see what works best and how they're doing, etc., he was new to all these, he is retired and started his farm to keep working and have more income, I will watch more of your videos to know more about what he is doing. I believe he has around 300 sheeps now. I find it very interesting. Thank you.
Wow! what a great way to be involved (or at least know what he's talking about! LOL) it sounds like he's on a very similar path as me!
Thank you for this video
Hang in there girl your incredible and to work so hard and share so much is a great blessing. I just started in may 2018 with my first 8 ewes kathadins and 5 lambed successfully with l bottle lamb a triplet i am closer to 60 and exhausted but i love my 21 sheep and have 3 more ewes to go!
Awesome! Thank you!
Thanks for posting this.
I am going to move to Montana in April 2020 and thinking about have 20 to 30 sheep on my property.
now 2022. Did you do it?
We are here to sheep and starting with 2 boys. One will be a ram the other a wether grow out.
This video helped ty!
great!
When starting I disaffected area the whole shed, shear wool because control lice spraying backline, vaccines use, foot bath their feet, treat pink eye, weight sheep and pening size. Yes you right about lambing n nutrients for feed. I had work in fallowing shed at piggery n work on dairy stripping teat and them have colostrum available that’s tested helps. Our family been farming for years n have change our practices when problems arise like foot bathing but does help n we now have agronomist on hand for stock health, breeding n wool sales. With our sheep been bred for meat n wool, did woolclassing n shearing course which has help post shearing in saving flock from exposed fly strike. I hope this helps anyone in sheep industry👍
Thanks Jamie! I didn't mention it on this video as it was already too long, but I took a great course for two years that helped me so much at that critical 2-3 year mark of my sheep farming career. I honestly am not sure I'd be still here without it!
You need help WE are proud of you to keep up the great work you do.
Thanks so much David!
Oh my goodness...this is me and my goats. Cattle farmer for life, but I got a wild hair to raise goats. I feel ya. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Heidi!
"Heidi" and "Goats" a hell of a combination...
The little black lamb is adorable.
down days give you clarity for the future, just heed your instinct. YOU CAN DO IT!
Thank you Sandra!
My sheep are so different from yours. I've got a super small dairy flock and they are not flock focused. It's easy to move one on one.
Nutrition is my biggest struggle. Finding good quality feed for an affordable price around me is hard. I tried to stay as pasture focused as possible but then my flock outgrew my pasture.
Your flock looks great. I know there's are days that are hard, but you look like to see doing great.
Thanks Erika! Nutrition is so important, I hear ya! Especially dairy production... I give you credit girl!!
Hi Sandy, your views on "new people joining farming" both difficulties vs income and initial investment vs break even point, I mean if everything goes well. Thank you and appreciate your work
Hello from England just came across your channel and it made me smile because i know precisely how you feel at lambing time, we lamb 500 North country Cheviots here at sicklecroft farm in Yorkshire, we start lambing on the first of may every year outside on grass the flock is a closed flock and in doing so we have few health issues, also the flock receives no vaccinations. My lambing advice is this when you’re going through hell keep going ,in my personal experience people either get physically and mentally demoralised or get tremendously good at it and thrive on the pressure,100% is not enough it takes much more.🇬🇧👍
Hey Dave! Thanks so much for the message... I'm feeling much better this week, I think that first week is always the hardest. Then I push through and actually enjoy it. You're right... 100% doesn't quite cover it!
You’re Adorable Days Continue with more Mama’s giving Birth to New Bundles of Joy. ALL you can do is your Very Best but so many things are out of our control. GOD Continues to Run the Daily Show. You’re doing Great and it’s Very Clear you Love your Furry Creatures. 👍 GOD Bless! 🙏
Thank you. Good luck!
Thanks!
Hahaha. Thank you had goats for a few years, seemed pretty bomb proof. Tried sheep , lambing was heartbreaking, lost one . Syringe fed another one for 2 days every hour till it was strong enough for a bottle. Even after just one loss I'm definitely terrified of the next lambing season it was so heartbreaking
Once you realize that you have animal die no matter what you do on the farm and make the decision to keep farming knowing that it gets easier. Just went outside and a old hen dead that was fine just one hour ago. Think it was old age. She was the lead hen. Will miss her. ...but just got a new calf. Such is life.
Hi Sandi your smile is awesome like you also your 🐑 is very healthy
Thank you!
Great vlog, thank you🙏🙏🙏
What do you do with all the soiled straw from the barn? Is this the stuff that is turned into sheep manure compost
and sold in bags?
I can understand why people start up too fast. Costs money, look at the balance sheet, but the reality is infrastructure
costs a lot of money so profit is not seen for a while.
I've been watching more recent videos but am going back now to see the early ones.
Respect for you! I raise goats and still experience much of the same problems....
thank you!
Keep pushing good luck 💪💪
Best vlog yet! So honest. I strongly agree to buy a small group of ewes from a health tested herd first n raise your own ewes from that healthy herd. Then u can start to cull for the traits you want to improve from within that closed flock. Get rams from the same type of healthy herd. If u r crossing the breeds u can get a lot of yrs out of the rams before u hv to replace them because of inbreeding. This keeps your herd the healthiest because they are mostly a closed herd. Unfortunately the downside of intense operations is little time in between lambing to disinfect. Also u can’t disinfect wood properly. If building again I’d use only steel for my feeders because of disinfecting problems.
Let’s face it, we all think it won’t happen to us. We know what we should have done, we just get excited and impatient. In livestock farming u have to be in it for the long haul. Many sheep farmers aren’t serious and are in it for only a few yrs. I applaud you for being in it for the long haul! It does get better ... the change to Glanvac n strict culling will help. Hang in there. You hv a lot of people rooting for you and no judgement. We’ve all been there with something we regret doing or not doing. You’re helping a lot of people with your vlogs.
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I needed that this week...
One thing I learned with foaling and calving is you HAVE TO BE THERE, and since I had a "real job" I'd have friends, neighbors dropping by during the day to at least check. They weren't animal people but they were concerned, and alert. (I need "Lerts") It sound like during lambing you should get a crew like Scouts?, 4-H, a protege, at least on stand by and learning curve, so you can alt least take a quick nap or lower your stress!!!
I just love this. Thank you.
Thanks heaps for the video. :D
My pleasure!
Such a great channel vlog. Your truly an inspiration..
Thank you so much!
@@SandiBrock your welcome.
So inspirational ♥️
Thank you!
I want start sheep farming so need some guidance could help me??
One tip I use a cut off plastic barrel that is short enough for the ewe to see the babies but high enough the babies can't get out.Then I put two holes in it for a rope that way I pull the barrel with the rope and I don't have to walk backwards try to carry the babies
great tip!
Hi Sandy. I am wanting to get two or three sheep just to Gray's down a half an acre of land that is fenced in and also to keep my donkey company. I don't want to breed him them, I just need grazers and Company. Goats are too much trouble and donkeys contrary to popular belief do not eat weeds. They don't eat clover they only eat grass. I have heard that Dorper Sheep do not need to be shorn, and sheep and eat Clover (true?) which is 90% of what's in the back area. Can you perhaps answer just these few basic questions 1. Ewes or whether. 2 I understand they cannot eat horse food because of the copper so the donkey will be eating either chicken pellets or sheep pellets. And since these are basically just backyard pets what shots would you recommend and should I get Lambs at what age or adults. Thank you very much and if you live in North Texas you're welcome to some free eggs because I farm chickens and Doberman puppies LOL
So you are right! Dorpers are quite popular because they don't need sheared, they shed naturally... As for donkey feed, you're also right to check for copper levels if the sheep could possibly be in contact with it. As for the shots, I would encourage you to discuss with your vet as each farm is different and carries their own unique bugs... If they are grazing, you'll likely need to talk to a vet anyway to discuss a potential de-worming strategy...
I'm way out of my element discussing grazing as my ewes are indoors...
But good luck and all the best!
@@SandiBrock no the donkey's feed requirements are grazing also. They are probably a lot alike in the feed aspect. You only give them concentrates if they cannot maintain condition on grazing alone. But donkeys are very versatile as to what they can eat you have to be careful on how much you give them not because they'll gain too much weight, but because they will colic. So thanks for the reply and I guess I won't hesitate to get a couple and just see how it goes. Good luck with yours. DG
I raise Katahdins and Katahdin/Dorper crosses and I have a hard time getting them to eat clover. They are picky eaters, and they waste grass and hay. We have cattle to clean up after them.
Learning curve....it happens to everyone dealing with livestock
Hi, i know a dutch sheep farmer. He takes one of a throuple and puts it with a sheep with one Lamb. He sstraps the feet of the lamb together so IT lays still and puts it with the adoption mum while laboring. With some fluid of labor on the lamb sometimes the adoption mom takes the lamb. Not always though. Did you consider this?
Sure! I do this also, I haven't tied the feet but a friend also suggested I try that! Sometimes the fostering works, other times not so much. I find timing is key.
awesome! i just found your channel by accident. i am a tech student looking to get into large animal care and i started lambing with a small flock in the simcoe area. i am really enjoying your videos!
Thats great Deborah!!
Check out become an equine dentist or and artificial insiminator. Both needed. Plus farm animal vet.
@@jackfrosty4674 doesn't an equine dentist need to be a DVM?
@@DeborahKuo not all are.
Thanks for sharing your experiences , especially with lambing. We are 3 years into breeding a small flock of Icelandic sheep. One of the reasons we chose them is their supposed feral nature and ease of lambing. Let's just say, our first two lambings (once/yr) were "rough." Even our friend who's been breeding them for almost 30 years, confirmed we had way more than our fair share of bad l luck. However, this year is going much smoother. Again, thanks for your hard-earned wisdom.
Thanks Michael!! Sounds like you will also be a wealth of knowledge! Sometimes these hard starts prepare us quicker and keeps us from becoming complacent. (silver lining for the bad times?? LOL)
@@SandiBrock ...and now one of our founding ewes (3 y.o.) just died, 2 days post partum. Took her to the ag dept for necropsy. That came out of nowhere.
@@SandiBrock FWIW, ironically, the prelim necropsy looks like bloat with "copious corn in abomasum." I was really kicking myself in the butt about this, one but your video reminded me that it can happen to anyone, anytime. Thanks again for sharing your good and bad experiences. We can learn form both sides.
Mamas don't care what color their babies are. Mamas normall love all of their lambs :) Thank you for sticking it out Sandi. You are good at this.
hang in there Sandi!!! we all get our days where we are feeling down. I have goats and we bottle feed all our kids colostrom. i am just a small farm but we fed 22 kids in one feeding 3 times a day, not easy. also my question to you is do you vaccinate for chlamydia just for there first time or every time?
I vaccinate my ewe lambs that I've started on this program, with an annual booster. Which reminds me... I bet order more! LOL
Arcott and Chev X are awesome mothers and give multiple lambs. I had purebred Suffolk for many years and omg what a fight or problems. I had sheep for over 20 years. It was fun while it lasted but I haven't felt so free since I sold them all.
I bet!! They are a lot of work for sure!
I think you need more exposer. we Hispanics are always looking for good Sheep.
So you say there are certain health issues that are in your barn once you bring in contaminated sheep. Are you referring to chlamydia, or something else. I'd like to know what to keep an eye out for in any new sheep I want to buy. This kind of scares me thinking that if I pick the wrong sheep I'll be doomed to having some infectious agent in my flock for the foreseeable future. Also, your videos are absolutely awesome!!! Mad respect for not only your sheep farming, but your video skills! Finding your channel has been a highly valuable resource for me, and it sounds like many others too. Farm on!
Thank you so much!
I think in the end, if you are comfortable with the farmer you are buying your sheep from, and they are forthcoming about anything they've encountered, you should be ok. The problem with how I sourced my flock was that the sheep came from all over... so it was equivalent to first day of kindergarden where everyone shares the bugs. I have since bought high health stock, but again, even they became vulnerable to what was already present in my flock. Super frustrating.
So far, the biggest culprit has been Chlamydia. But honestly, I haven't tested for more... I think I'm scared of what I'd find out! LOL.
The good thing is, there are some vaccines available.
@@SandiBrock Thanks for the reply! I guess buying animals is much like buying vehicles...how much do you trust the seller/farmer/dealer. I think it's clear I need to work on some connections around the neighborhood before jumping and buying animals. Also finding a good local vet before I actually need one.
When you said “there’s popcorn.” I thought you were talking about the dog🙄
Do you miss dairy farming!
If you could answer it would be awesome
Nice AirPods by the way
Hey Maggie! I loved dairy farming, and love my dairy farming friends... but honestly, I think I love sheep more now...
Sandi Brock that’s awesome that your still in touch with your dairy farming friends! We only have about 5 still working dairy farms in Missouri where I live. We don’t have any sheep or goat farms though. Most of the farmers in Missouri where I live are beef farmers. My dad has always had beef cattle.
I had a thought about your out of season scans and making your lambing groups tighter. Have you thought about using a few teaser rams (vasectomy) in the pen the last 3-5 days of the CIDR protocol, to chase the ewes and get them used to the idea of boys. Having the teaser in there might make the job easier for the rams later. I so enjoy your videos and wish you restful sleep and plenty of coffee. Happy lambing!
Well... I have been thinking about adding teaser rams, just for identifying when I should breed ewe lambs, but I've never thought of that! Worth talking to my vet about, thank you!
I love this
Okay, so I'm starting exactly where you had started 7 years ago....We are only wanting about 6 lambs on our 10 acre farm. We are first going to secure the fencing around our entire property and secondly, I thought we needed to plan out the map of our entire property in where they will all be. With that said, what kind of areas would I need for the sheep...I know I would need a shading, sleeping and eating area..is there anything else? What would your recommendations be as to the overall set up of areas that a sheep would need?
Well... I am definitely not an outdoor expert and here in Canada we have to be very diligent on pasture rotation to ensure our sheep stay clear of parasites.
I guess access to water is an important factor...
I have my sheep divided into lifecycle stages in my barn (my latest video kind of talks about how I have it set up, not sure if that would help?) but my sheep are on an accelerated program vs. annual.
6 lambs on 10 acres, and what do you have to do ?....err, nothing, you will be mowing as they wont be clearing 10 acre unless your bad drought like us atm, they will need some shade somewhere for warmer months, they need water, if your pasture is any chop at all, they will be fat little puddings :) They are not children, think of how they would be living on large sheep stations, predators at lamb time will be prob your biggest issue & your neighbors lab or hunting dog is a likely killer, if they find a way in.
A Great Pyrenees dog to guard them from predators!
What brand is the lamb bottle and nipple you are using? What brand/type of Colostrum are you using, is it a powder or are you getting it from cows, etc.? Thank you for making this video, it's one of the best ones in the US on this subject.
www.grobernutrition.com/products/canada/lambgrokidgro-colostrum/
www.brusselsagri.com/Lamb-Bottle-Anti-Vac-500ml/item/376646
Wow glad it is not just us 😂😂😂😂
Definitely not just you!! LOL
Wow lovely
HI some advice on lambing and this is 30 years experance talking dont expect to much take what comes ,, it is what it is ..you have good days and you will get bad days ... enjoy it .. hard when you have just discoverd a lamb drowned in a bucket of water or the mum has lay down on it and killed it... i doe enjoy lambing , yes its long hours ,,, the best bit is going of for a check with my dogs and just sitting there watching a the lambs running about knowing i have done a good job... do the best you can is all you can do,, your doping ok kid stick at it
YES!! you've totally captured how I feel...
Great vlog, you've taught me so much, thank you! First time lambing starting in 2 weeks. I'm shitting bricks.
LOL!!! Well, if you're ever feeling discouraged, you can watch any of my stuff and realize you're doing pretty awesome!!
Here I deal with coccidiosis since this was a dairy before I sold cows. We have to use decox in mineral and a lot of bovatec in starter. Our changeable weather and mud is a huge issue. Sheep are not easy. But I love em anyway.
Hey Mindy... yes cocci can be a huge issue. We have bovatec in our creep feed and finishing pellet also as preventative.
Should I use Bovatec in a barn that had cattle ten years ago? I just got two four month old ewes.