[Ag-eq] sheep questions

[Zachary Mason]

Keyword here is bull calves. Heifer calves are quite different. The best you can hope for our crossbreds for about $35. I'm not sure how accessible quality dairy heifers for cheap are two beginning farmers.

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> On Sep 5, 2015, at 12:19 PM, Jody Ianuzzi via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Nella,
> 
> We have a dairy farm near us and they don't have much use for bull calves. My neighbor buys them when they were two days old for $20 and bottlefeed them and raises them until they are six months old and then she sells them for quite a bit. You might consider doing something like that. Did you ever read the book barnyard in your backyard? It is available from Bard when they are back online. They have a big section on cattle and sheep ducks chickens and pigs too.
> 
> JODY 🐺
> thunderwalker321 at gmail.com
> 
> "There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes."  DOCTOR WHO (Tom Baker)
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 5, 2015, at 8:54 AM, Nella Foster via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> good morning all:
>> 
>> A while back I asked about cows; I'm still interested in getting a cow, but
>> cattel are very expensive right now and I don't know that I want to invest that
>> much.  There is way to much grass in my pasture for my horse and goats, so I
>> want some other breed of animal to help keep it grazed down.  From reading and
>> talking with farmers it seems that cattle and sheep graze more than goats.
>> Goats are browsers and eat a little of everything.  My horse has a jaw injury
>> and I have to supplement his diet with horse feeds.  He doesn't graze as much
>> as other horses.  So anyway, now I've been researching sheep.  I like how their
>> poop isn't as messy and they are an easier size to handle than cattle.
>> 
>> What breeds of sheep do people have?
>> 
>> How hard are they to care for?
>> 
>> I've read that sheep can only have small amounts of copper in their diets, while
>> horses and goats need more.  What do you all know about this?
>> 
>> I want all the animals to be able to run together on the pasture.  I do seperate
>> when feeding grains.  I wouldn't want to harm the sheep by them accidently
>> getting food that is for the other animals.
>> 
>> Do people keep sheep and goats together?
>> 
>> My horse is very friendly and loves the goats, so i don't think he will mind
>> sheep.  He also protects the goats from dogs and such.
>> 
>> It seems that most people here keep hair sheep, which you don't have to sheer. 
>> They sound easier to me and I don't know if there is a market for wool here,
>> especially for just a few, which is all I would have.  There is a market for
>> the meat.
>> 
>> Maybe Zac will know which breeds are used for dairy.  I like the idea of dairy
>> sheep since I already have the dairy goats.
>> 
>> Do you have to sheer dairy sheep or are they the hair kind?
>> 
>> So I guess I just need to know everything about sheep!
>> 
>> I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> Nella
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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