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

Dr. Brady Campbell, Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University, State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist Here in the Buckeye state, I think it’s safe to say that spring has finally sprung and is here to stay! With more stable weather conditions and pastures beginning to green up, anticipation is building for spring turnout. Like many producers, we’re carefully watching forage growth and soil conditions as we approach the “running of the sheep”—the long awaited move from

by Jay Parsons, Tyler Cozzens January 21, 2026 Five years of data show lamb feeding margins have been difficult to sustain since 2020, with high feed costs and market volatility driving frequent losses. Seasonal timing and lower input costs remain critical for improving profitability. Photo: Real Ag Stock This article was first published as part of the Cornhusker Economics series by the Department of Agricultural Economics on Jan. 21, 2026. We are reposting it courtesy of C

Today there is a desire to control specific species of vegetation in many areas...the use of animals to graze or browse the vegetation to control it, called targeted or prescribed grazing. Prescribed grazing is the use of livestock to achieve desired vegetation management and landscaping goals. Targeted grazing is very similar but is usually used when a specific species is the focus.

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 Barbie Casey-Booth, M.S. Owner & Nutritionist at Small Ruminant Consulting LLC. What is a “lick feeder”? This is a feeder similar to what cattle producer’s for years have referred to as “steer stuffers”. It is essentially a small bin to hold grain that drops feed via gravity while the animals eat out of the bottom. Typically the feeders hold anywhere from 500lbs. to several tons of grain. The licking action used to obtain the feed from the feeder causes saliva to be produ

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. Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky 1) Come with a plan: Doing your research before ever getting to the feedstore can greatly assist you in selecting the best mineral for your operation. It can be over whelming trying to decipher a mineral tag in the store, but taking some time to look over products online before you go can allow you to come with an idea of what you are looking for. 2) Price doesn’t always equal quality: I spend a lo

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

by Dr. Beth Johnson, DVM Every year sheep and goat producers must raise lambs or kids on supplemental milk because of multiple births (i.e. triplets), death of the dam, weak newborns, or rejected offspring. At times we really question whether it is worth the effort involving time, energy, emotional trauma and cost into raising these orphans. How do we raise these little ones so that they turn out to be a productive animal? It is extremely important that we start them off on

by Brayden Thompson, OSU Undergraduate Summer Research Intern B-Thompson-Article_Maillard-Reaction If you are familiar with livestock feed ingredients, there is a good chance you have heard of a product called dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or more commonly referred to as distillers grains. Distillers grains are a byproduct of ethanol production and are most commonly made from corn in the U.S. but can also come from wheat in other parts of the world. However, fe

Reprint of News to Ewes in HoofPrint vol. 28 Summer 2017 edition by Dr. Donald G. Ely, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky Introduction Approximately 90% of the annual diet consumed by sheep around the world is made up of roughage, either as grass forage consumed in pastures, forage harvested as hay, or silage (haylage). Sheep producers whose forage base is a “cool season” grass, such as bluegrass, orchardgrass, fescue, timothy, and/or bromegrass,

Goats, Sheep, Cattle, Guardian Animals, and Other Livestock reprinted from HoofPrint magazine vol. 25 Fall 2016 by Greg Brann, Grazing and Soil Health Specialist Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it is important for every producer to know his/her vision. Consider your vision with every decision- every time you make a purchase or pursue an activity ask if the decision will lead you closer to your vision. Here are a series of questions to consider when stocking your l