Sheep Breeds

Learn about many different sheep breeds

Understand and compare characteristics in order to better choose the breed most appropriate for your needs.

There are hundreds of different breeds of sheep, raised as livestock, and occasionally pets, across the world-all climates and terrains, from iceland to the Caribbean and from semi arid regions to lush high rainfall places.

Sheep can provide meat, dairy or wool product - but the best sheep breed for one product or in one locality is not normally the best for a different product in a different locality.  To get the most out of the sheep you raise, you neede to understand the breeds and choose a breed that fits well with the place, purpose and husbandry practices of the situation.

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. DOMESTICATED SHEEP IN HUMAN HISTORY
   • Types of Sheep
   • Ovis aries
   • Ovis canedensis
   • Ovis dalli
   • Ovis ammon
   • Ovis nivicola
   • Sheep in History
   • Science in Sheep Farming
   • Sheep Farming is No Easy Feat
   • Wool
   • Hides
   • Milk
   • Meat
   • Types of Domestic Breeds
   • Breeds for Fine Wool
   • Breeds for Long Wool
   • Breeds for Meat
   • Dairy Breeds
2. BIOLOGY & BEHAVIOUR
   • Sheep Biology & Appearance
   • Sheep Behaviour
3. HUSBANDRY PRACTICES
   • General Daily Care
   • Scheduled Practices
   • Drenching (as required)
   • Injecting (as required – often twice annually)
   • Dipping (once a month – depending on seasonal and climatic conditions)
   • Hoof trimming (once annually)
   • Shearing and crutching (once a year)
   • Tail docking (soon after birth)
   • Castration of lambs
   • Responding to Problems
   • Ewes and lambs that don’t pair-up after birth
   • Weeds in the pasture and poisonous plants
   • Pests and diseases
   • Breech births and problems during lambing
   • Administering first aid
4. BREEDS & BREEDING
   • Breed Types
   • More about Breed Categories
   • Breeds for Smaller Properties
   • Meat and Wool Sheep
   • Mini Breeds
   • Milk Sheep
   • Feeding Sheep
5. SHEEP BREEDS A-D
   • Characteristics of many different
6. SHEEP BREEDS E-R
   • Characteristics of many different
7. SHEEP BREEDS S-Z
   • Characteristics of many different
   • Final Assessment

Who is this course for?

• Farmers
• Sheep breeders
• Small property owners - self sufficiency/ permaculture
• Processors - of wool, meat, sheep dairy products
• Business operators, rural investors
• Farming consultants, advisors
• Anyone else with a desire to better understand the differences between different types of sheep