Find out the answer and increase your bottom line. The success of a ewe’s year begins before lambs are born in the spring. Blood pregnancy testing can help shepherds determine if ewes are open before lambing season, so they can quickly rebreed open ewes to lamb and remain profitable in the flock. By Jeremy Howard Determining the pregnancy status of a ewe is an important management practice, providing vital information to help move your flock forward. Determining if a ewe is o

Quite a few of us in the Southeast are still in the middle of some very hot, humid weather. For the most part that’s how summer is in Tennessee and Kentucky, along with the rest of the Southeast. Not only do we have hot weather to contend with, but we are also trying to breed sheep and goats during this time of year.

Ewes typically work 7 to 9 months of the year (5 months gestation and 2 to 4 months lactation). The rest of the time is spent on vacation.

Attend the KSWPA Field Day August 15, 2026 to find out the answer! by: Harry Frederick, Winding Creek Farms Within the ever growing sheep industry, there is always the question of which management practice is most optimum- grass, confinement, or both. Each has pros and cons but a decision cannot be made without considering genetics. Some genetics allow for animals to be fed and pushed nutritionally in a feedlot and other genetics lend favor to more pasture based management. W

by Dr. Jerusha Lay, DVM Heat stress can have many negative effects on not only the health of livestock but also the production. The major production losses we see come in the form of decreased weight gain, lowered milk production, increased susceptibility to diseases and, most commonly, decreased fertility. During times of extreme heat, animals tend to spend more time laying around and less time up grazing; in combination, metabolic changes create less energy available for g

by Sarah Carr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kentucky State University Figure 1: Crossbred Boer x Kiko kid. Crossbreeding is not just randomly mixing breeds and hoping that the offspring do well. Rather, crossbreeding is a deliberate management technique that can have significant impacts on production outcomes. Generally, when implementing a crossbreeding program, the goal would be to maximize specific attributes such as carcass characteristics or material traits. Crossbreed

Ultimately “pretty good ewes” are those that make money. Money-making ewes are prolific, parasite resistant, maintain their health, and wean fast-growing, quality lambs.

By Kelley Yates, Executive Director, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office Sarah Carr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kentucky State University Purpose of the Ram The rams in our operations do not get all the attention they deserve because we use them for a short amount of time each year. However, the rams are the ultimate deal breakers for producers, because 50% of genetics of their offspring come from the ram (and 50% from the ewe). Therefore, rams need to be in our

By Susan Schoenian Sheep & Goat Specialist, Retired University of Maryland Extension Flushing is a term known to most sheep/goat producers. It is the practice of providing extra nutrition (feed; mostly energy) to the ewe/doe prior to and during the early part of the breeding season. Nutrition has long been linked to reproductive performance in animals. Flushing increases weight gain and body condition of ewes/does, which may result in the birth of more offspring; i.e. mo

Sheep and goat producers are constantly searching for ways to improve reproductive efficiency in their flocks and herds.

Goat Breed Comparisons for Commercial Meat Producers By: Kelley Yates In Kentucky, we typically see Boer, Kiko, Spanish, and Savannah goats in the commercial meat market. Producers have been combining these breeds to create offspring to meet individual market goals, with the hope of increasing profit margins. But, what is one key factor that hands down will impact your profit margin regardless of the cost of feed, vet supplies, mineral, etc? Number of kids sold! The more qual

By Jessy Shanks Lambing and kidding is a special event throughout the winter and spring season for most small ruminant producers. Up until this point, a lot of time and money has been invested in selecting suitable rams and bucks, breeding your females, and ensuring that they get adequate nutrition and care until their lambing/kidding date. We invest so much money as small ruminant producers, it makes sense to follow this process through until the very end. However, a female’

by Morgan Wemmer When close to kidding, does should be kept in a clean and dry environment. This will help decrease the risk of injury or infection for the dam and kids. If you are kidding in cold weather, make sure the heat lamps are in proper working order and placed safely away from straw and hay to reduce the risk of fire. It is recommended to build your “kidding kit” prior to kidding so that everything is in one place and you are ready for your

By Dr. Donald G. Ely (University of Kentucky), Beth Johnson (Kentucky Department of Agriculture), and Shaylyn Burton (University of Kentucky) Five months ago, identified females were assigned to mate with males to produce the next kids/lambs. Now, it is time to deliver the anticipated crop. What needs to be done to ensure that everything is ready? What is normal kidding/lambing? What problems can be encountered? How can losses be minimized? The objective of this article

by Beth Johnson, DVM You planned your breeding just perfect, and now the time has come to reap your rewards at kidding or lambing. There are several steps that should be taken to insure that these young offspring get off to the best start possible. Management efforts made towards adequate housing and monitoring after birth can increase the survivability of offspring. ADEQUATE HOUSING Prior to the start of kidding/lambing, a clean, dry, draft free area should be designed for