A basic guide to keeping sheep

Sheep are hardy, but a dry, draught-free shelter keeps them healthy through wet winters and lambing.

• A three-sided field shelter or open-fronted barn facing away from the prevailing wind — full draught-proofing isn't needed, as good ventilation prevents damp and respiratory disease.
• Bed on deep straw and top up regularly; remove soiled bedding to cut flystrike and foot-rot risk.
• Allow roughly 1.0–1.5 m² per adult sheep indoors, with extra space for lambs and lambing pens.
• Keep troughs and water raised off the floor to avoid contamination, and design gateways to stay dry and mud-free.

Good boundaries keep the flock safe, in and predators out.

• Use stock-proof woven-wire fencing at least 1.0–1.2 m high, with a strained top wire; a single offset electric strand deters leaning and predators.
• Check regularly for gaps, sagging and dug-under points; a hedge combined with netting makes the most reliable boundary.
• Provide shade in summer and a clean water source in every field — sheep drink 4–9 litres a day, more in heat.
• Quarantine new arrivals in a separate pen for 2–4 weeks to avoid bringing disease into the flock.

Grass does most of the work, but the flock needs careful rationing through the year.

• Good pasture is the staple; rotate grazing to avoid over-grazing and parasite build-up.
• Feed good hay or haylage over winter when grass stops growing — a 60 kg ewe eats roughly 1.5–2 kg of hay a day.
• Introduce concentrates (ewe rolls) in the last 4–6 weeks of pregnancy, when growing lambs outpace what grass alone can support.
• Offer a sheep-specific mineral lick — beware copper, which is toxic to some breeds — and ensure clean water at all times.

Most British sheep are shorn once a year, timed to the weather and the fly season.

• Shear once a year, usually from late May to July, after the risk of cold snaps has passed and before peak fly season.
• Crutch and dag between shearings — clip the wool around the rear and belly to keep flies and soiling at bay.
• Keep fleeces clean and dry on shearing day; skirt and roll each fleece for the best wool value.
• Never shear in deep winter without housing; in colder regions, housed flocks may shear in autumn instead.

A few steady habits prevent most sheep problems before they start.

• Foot care: trim overgrown hooves every 6–8 weeks and stand sheep in a foot-rot bath as needed; dry ground is the best preventative.
• Vaccinate against clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis (e.g. Heptavac P Plus) on an annual booster, with lambs protected via the ewe.
• Monitor worms with faecal egg counts and drench strategically — rotation and resting pasture reduce resistance.
• Watch for flystrike daily in warm months; dagging and pour-ons protect the flock through summer.

Sheep are prey animals and flock creatures — calm, low-stress handling keeps them settled and safe.

• Never keep a sheep alone — they are deeply social; a flock of three or more stays calmest.
• Work their flight zone quietly; use a gathering pen, race and handling system rather than chasing.
• Train the flock to a routine — feed calls and the same gates — so moves are calm and predictable.
• Keep a first-aid kit: antiseptic, lambing lube, stomach tube, iodine for navels and a colostrum substitute.