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 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

by Susan Schoenian, Sheep & Goat Specialist - University of Maryland Ext.* While dewormers are usually an essential part of internal parasite control in sheep/goats, they aren’t the only option, and their use should be limited to treatment of clinically parasitized animals. The goal of all sheep and goat producers should be to develop alternative strategies for controlling parasites so that dewormer use is minimized and dewormers remain effective. Alternative strategies are u

by Dr. Nicholas Ballaban Prather, D.V.M. Small ruminant producers need to be able to identify common ailments amongst their livestock. Your knowledge can not only help your animals, but it can help you get quicker and effective assistance from your veterinarian. In this article, we are going to discuss three ailments that I see regularly in our large animal practice. Internal Parasites COMMON SMALL RUMINANT PARASITES HOTC Complex Haemonchus, Ostertagia, Trichostrongylus, an

by Dr. Jessie Lay, DVM Udder with mastitis Mastitis is very common in domestic livestock and can lead to many economic losses for producers. Losses may come through not only decreased production, but also loss of breeding stock, lower weaning weight of offspring or decreased milk quality for dairy animals. Mastitis is a term that refers to an inflammation or infection of the mammary glands (udder). It may be caused by many different types of bacteria or caused by certain viru

By Donald G. Ely Department of Animal and Food Sciences University of Kentucky Creep feeding is a technique of providing feed to nursing lambs to supplement the milk they consume. Creep-fed lambs grow faster than noncreep-feds and are more aggressive in nursing ewes. This aggression stimulates greater ewe milk production which, in turn, increases creep feed intake because these lambs will be bigger at a given ages. Typically, the creep diet is a grain-protein supplement m