Sheep, like most farm animals, prefer cool weather that is not too wet. Dr. Jodie Pennington said, “Sheep generally do best at about 55 degrees, with a range from 40 to 75 degrees.” Dr. Pennington is the regional small ruminant educator with the Lincoln University Extension at the Newton County Extension Center in Neosho, Mo.
Preparing for winter is important no matter what type of livestock you raise. Dr. Pennington said the number one thing a sheep producer needs to do in the fall to prepare for winter is, “make sure they have enough feed for the animals. With a drought in many areas, forages are in limited supply for the winter.” He added, “Forages do tend to be more available as you go 30 to 60 miles north of I-44, where they have had more rain.”
He recommends that good quality forages be provided to all breeding animals during the winter. He said, “If the sheep are in good body condition with good forages available to them, additional feed may not be necessary. Usually good quality forages are the least expensive feed to supplement mature ewes.”
Good quality forages may be high quality grass hay, good quality alfalfa or other legume hay. Dr. Pennington said, “Sometimes it is more convenient to just supplement with grain even when it costs more.”
An animal’s body condition should also be taken into consideration. If it is below average, then supplemental feed may be needed. Dr. Pennington explained, “Supplemental feed may be beneficial to ewes if they are being bred during the winter, usually two to three weeks before breeding. Similarly, if pregnant ewes are thin, they may benefit from supplemental grain for four to six weeks before lambing.”
Of course you don’t want the ewes too fat. He stated, “It is critical that body condition be monitored.”
As far as winter shelter, some people have barns for sheep, while others have no housing but will have a windbreak of trees. More protective shelter may be required if sheep are lambing during inclement weather.
Dr. Pennington said, “All sheep should be vaccinated for CDT. Lambs should be vaccinated twice initially and others once a year unless there is a problem.” If a problem occurs, vaccination should be more frequent. “The vaccination does not have to be in the fall, but should be planned so that it is not forgotten.”
The CDT vaccination provides protection against enterotoxaemia caused by Clostridium perfringens types C and D and tetanus (lockjaw) caused by Clostridium tetani.
Some type of deworming program is vital to sheep health. Some animals may not need to be dewormed, just closely monitored. Other sheep may need to be dewormed four to six times per year.
All sheep should be monitored to detect any feet problems and there should be a routine foot-trimming program.
For the best possible sheep health in winter, or year-round, Dr. Pennington advised, “Animals need to be observed often and any problem needs to be corrected as soon as possible.”
