Keeping
Portlands is generally very rewarding, but all livestock can have
problems too. You should consider these points before you try
to keep sheep.
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| Time
and dedication |
Do
you have the time to check sheep every day and plan for
husbandry tasks? Could you cope with caring for sick animals?
Cover will be needed for holidays or illness. |
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Sheep are not cheap lawnmowers but complex animals needing
careful health management. |
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Before
buying sheep go on a short course at your nearest agricultural
college to learn the basics, or learn via local smallholders
groups. Sheep are prone to some devastating ailments if
not managed properly. It is ESSENTIAL to be familiar with
the more common types of problem such as blowfly strike,
foot rot and deficiency diseases, and to carry out routine
preventative treatments like vaccinations. |
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| Grazing |
Sufficient
well-drained grazing is required. Overgrazing will lead
to health problems for your flock. |
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Supplementary
feeding and mineral block licks to provide trace elements
are needed. |
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Fresh
water must always be provided - sheep will not drink stagnant
or stale water. If there is no suitable stream then water
troughs must be cleaned out and replenished regularly. |
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| Security
and fencing |
To
keep your sheep in and dogs out the grazing needs to be
well fenced. |
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The
Portland is a horned breed and so can become entangled in
poorly strained wire or netting. (Electric netting should
not be used, and electric wire fencing must be inspected
regularly.) |
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A
smaller fenced or hurdled area where you regularly feed
the sheep is needed for inspection of the flock. |
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| Shelter |
A
field shelter or a good thick hedge allows sheep to escape
the worst of the weather. |
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A
dry, clean weatherproof building is desirable for early
lambing and sick animals, and for storage of hay, straw
and feed. |
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| Help
and advice |
Do
you have friends or neighbours who can land a hand if needed?
Is there someone close by with experience of keeping sheep
whose help you can enlist? |
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You
should find a Vet to advise on healthcare before you get
any sheep. |
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How
many sheep can
you manage? |
Sheep
naturally flock together in large groups and will be stressed
if kept alone- a minimum of three is ideal for a first flock. |
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Do you have facilities to keep a ram, or will you be able
to share, hire or borrow one? |
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| Shearing |
This
skilled task is needed every year and good shearers get
booked up early - who will shear for you? |
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Marketing
Government regulations |
What
will you do with surplus animals?
Contact DEFRA for current rules on biosecurity, transport
etc before you get any livestock . You must also have a
Holding number.
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| Essential
equipment: |
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Foot
shears
Dagging shears
Hurdles (at least six)
Water and feed troughs
Hayrack
Footbath
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Feed
storage bins (or dustbins)
Trailer (if you will need to move your sheep)
Drenching and dosing equipment
Lambing
kit & First aid kit
A crook and halters will make handling sheep easier |
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Animal
husbandry suppliers will have catalogues of other useful
equipment and gadgets. |
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Antiseptic
(purple) spray,
Antibiotic spray (eg Terramycin) – available from your Vet
Disposable rubber gloves
Thermometer |
Cotton
wool for cleaning wounds etc.
Scissors
Bowl
Disinfectant |
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Lambing |
| Two
months before lambing
1.
Condition score ewes to determine whether extra concentrate
feed is required for any individual
2. Check that feet are in good condition and footbath if necessary
– turning at this time is not advisable but may be required |
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Four
weeks before lambing
1. Inject ewes with Heptavac-P plus booster (to encourage production
of high quality colostrum containing plenty of antibodies)
2. Check contents of lambing box - the lambs needing
the most care often arrive early, so be well prepared in good
time.
3. Disinfect housing sheds and prepare pens
4. Feeding – to maintain ewe condition, support lamb development
and colostrum supply. Depending on condition start feeding 4-6
weeks prior to lambing with 16% protein ewe pellets, beginning
with 1/2lb each / day and rising to 1lb / day at lambing and
for 2-3 weeks afterwards. Don’t overfeed as this can create
too much milk and the risk of mastitis; in the case of ram lambs
it may also result in too much horn bud growth and a difficult
lambing |
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 As
soon as possible after lambing and the lamb is on its feet,
check teats of ewe are clear and treat lamb’s navel. Pen
the ewe separately with her lamb to allow bonding. Some hours
later check that the lamb has sucked colostrum from both sides,
and that the ewe has cleansed. In the single lamb situation
there may be a tendency for the lamb to suck one side only so
check a day or so later to see that both sides of the udder
are soft.
If
the lamb is slow to get up and may not have sucked, check temperature
and follow instructions for hypothermic lambs (a very good section
is contained in Eales & Smalls’ ‘Practical lambing
and lamb care’ – see below for details).
Ewes
should be wormed and their feet checked and trimmed before turnout.
Check with your vet for a recommended wormer – cydectin
can be useful at this time to reduce worm counts on pasture
before the lambs begin to graze. |
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Navel
dressing (iodine + 10% phenolate/ antibiotic iodine* spray or
dip)
Towels
Colostrum (powdered substitute or frozen)
Stomach tubes (and the knowledge to use them)
Lubricant gel (this is also antiseptic) or soapflakes
Thermometer
Source of heat – infra-red lamp/ hairdryer or fan heater/
Aga slow oven
Torch
Notebook (with pen attached)
Thermos for hot water (disinfecting lambing ropes, for making
up colostrum or even coffee) |
Lambing
rope/aid
Disposable gloves (normal and arm length)
Disinfectant handcleanser (eg Hibiscrub)
Nailbrush
Straw, hay, fresh water, feed
Buckets
Old warm clothes and waterproofs
Elasticator and Rubber rings
Ear tags & applicator (check DEFRA requirements for double
tagging)
Halters |
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Desirable
extras
Prolapse retainer or harness
Syringes and needles*
Antibiotic injection/intra-uterine pessaries*
Beecham scour formula (of Effydral*)
Lamb stimulant (DopramV drops*)
Feed bottles & teats + ewes milk replacer (eg Lamlac)
Adopter crate
Head restrainer for ewe
* available from your vet |
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Sources
of Lambing advice:
•
A friendly neighbouring farmer who may be called on for advice
through your first lambing difficulty
• Consult your vet before lambing so that they know you
are inexperienced, and will be able to offer advice
on equipment and techniques such as stomach tubing
• A lambing course at your local agricultural college |
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Books:
(not an exhaustive list)
• ‘The complete book of raising livestock &
poultry’ Katie Thear and Alistair Fraser,
Pan, ISBN0-330-30158-6
• ‘Practical lambing and Lamb Care’ FA
Eales and J Small, Longman, ISBN 0-582-21004-6
• ‘A Manual of Lambing Techniques’ Agnes
Winter and Cicely W. Hill, Crowood, ISBN 1-86126-574-3
• ‘The Veterinary book for Sheep Farmers’
David C. Henderson, Farming Press, ISBN 0-85236-189-0
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