Hobby farmer Sue Weaver provides a perfect primer in Sheep, ideal
for novice or experienced sheep keepers looking to expand their
hobby farm with a flock of wooly wonders. Illustrated with
instructive and beautiful color photographs and loaded with charts
and sidebars, this Hobby Farms title will make even newcomers feel
comfortable choosing, caring for, and even sheering and milking
their own sheep. Weaver begins, "Be they pets or profit makers,
sheep should be part of every small-farm scene. They are
inexpensive to buy and keep, easy to care for, and relatively long
lived, making them great investments." While sheep dotting a green
meadow add beauty--and a possible tax write-off--to any pastoral
setting, hobby farmers can choose whether their sheep will be sold
as pets, used as providers of milk, cheese, or wool, or raised as
livestock for their much sought-after mutton.
As a subject, sheep have a fascinating history to tell, as Weaver
does in the opening chapter "Sheep from the Beginning," but once we
get through the mythology, biology, and anatomical lessons, the
farming begins. Sheep will assist the reader in buying the right
sheep for his or her farm or land, based on availability,
conformation, health, and so forth. The book offers practical
advice, including how to move sheep from one locale to another
(with a "ewe haul"). Sheep farming involves the housing, feeding,
and guarding of the sheep, all detailed in the book. Weave
discusses the use of fences, shelters, pens, and stalls as well as
the purchase of the right hay. She also addresses the use of
working dogs to control and guard the flock.
Understanding sheep behavior is the subject of the chapter
"Sheepish Behavior and Safe Handling," in which the author
discusses flocking dynamics, fleeing instinct, and sheep body and
vocal language, leading to practical advice about how to handle and
move sheep safely and with minimal fuss. The old adage "A sick
sheep is a dead sheep" may not hold completely true in modern
times, but it does underscore how important the health of a flock
is to a responsible sheep keeper. The chapter "Health, Maladies,
and Hooves" (and the appendix "A Glance at Sheep Afflictions")
offers farmers vital information about vaccinations, parasites, and
hoof care to be proactive in the flock's health.
For hobby farmers interested in expanding their flocks, the chapter
"The Importance of Proper Breeding" is a mini course in breeding
and lambing, including bottle feeding, tail banding, and more. All
of the joys of wool are captured in the chapter "Fleece: Shearing,
Selling, Spinning," in which the author discusses the tools,
skills, and fees required to fleece the flock. The chapter also
discusses spinning your own wool and selling the fleece. The final
chapter, "Mutton or Milk?" discusses the advantages and
desirability of sheep's milk and the possible markets for milk,
cheese, and meat. A glossary of over 100 terms, an extensive
resources section (sheep-pertinent organizations, websites, and
publications), and an index complete the volume.
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