Occasionally when I have a difficult time falling asleep, I
do try to “count sheep”. It never really
helps much, but it’s a pleasant thought, picturing sheep jumping one by one
over a white split rail fence in a pastoral setting. Sheep are not as popular to raise as cows
and pigs are, but their popularity is increasing, especially with smaller
operations. Sheep (and goats for that
matter) are efficient foragers; they get a larger portion of their daily
nutrients from foraging than do most other animals, which helps to cut down
feed costs. They also eat and control
most weeds.
According to the USDA, there were 86,000 sheep in
Pennsylvania in 2012. Sheep are raised
for meat, milk (for cheese), breeding stock, and wool; however, current markets
for wool are weak and likely only profitable if the wool is directly marketed
for crafts. At one time wool was the
major source of income for sheep producers, but due to the decline in wool
prices, many sheep producers are turning to raising hair sheep, or “naked”
sheep, which do not have wooly coats and thus, eliminate or reduce the cost of
shearing.
Want to learn more about raising sheep? Come to Sheep Day! Penn State Extension is holding a training
session on Saturday, April 12th from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the
Delaware County 4-H Farm & Educational Center in Newtown Square. The workshop costs $20 for youth and $35 for
adults with lunch included. For more
information or to register, visit http://www.cvent.com/events/sheep-day/event-summary-99ec79a3d4214185b3545fa1bc9aa059.aspx. The registration deadline is April 4th and
space is limited.
Sources:
Support Your Farmer:
Berks County: Winterside Sheep Farm
Bucks County: Ivy Acres
Lehigh Valley: Suyundalla
Farms
Sheep are raised for meat, milk, breeding stock, and wool. High nutritional value of the feed keeps the sheep healthy. It is true that sheep get a larger portion of their daily nutrients from foraging than most other animals, which helps to cut down feed costs. Hay, grass, and other forage are commonly used sheep feeds. A grain mix of corn, oats, soybean has high nutritional value and can be a good feed. Pelleted feeds of good quality which can be purchased from sheep feed dealers can also be used as a variable feed.
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