Sheep Production and Veterinary Care

Ovine

Sheep in veterinary medicine

Ewe

Adult female sheep

Ram

Adult male sheep

Lamb

Young sheep under a year old

Lambing

Labor process of sheep

Wether

Castrated male sheep

Dual-purpose sheep

Bred for meat, wool, and occasionally milk

Mutton

Sheep meat from an animal over a year old

Sheep Behavior

Instinct to remain with flock, easily stressed when separated

Sheep Handling

Professionals work with sheep to minimize stress and understand behavior

Defense Mechanism

Automatic reaction to protect sheep from prey or stress

Gestation Length

145 to 150 days for sheep

Sheep Nutrition

Ruminants requiring roughage-based diet, vitamins, minerals, and water

Sheep Wool Types

Medium, fine, long, carpet, and fur wool classifications

Sheep Breeds

Dorset, Suffolk, Hampshire, Rambouillet, Border Leicester, Columbia, and more

Sheep Production Decline

Decrease in sheep producers in the United States

Sheep Purpose

Used for meat, wool, fiber, and occasionally milk

Sheep Producers

Australia and New Zealand lead in sheep production globally

Sheep Anatomy

External features including paralumbar fossa, loin, rump, and hoof

Sheep Health Care

Involves vaccines, routine health care, and examination

Sheep Reproduction

Describes the process of lambing and breeding types

Sheep Diseases

Conditions affecting sheep health

Sheep Uses

Meat, wool, fiber, and pet purposes

Sheep Selection Criteria

Considerations include breed characteristics, flock size, health, age, and purpose

Sheep Handling Stress

Sheep with wool coats can become overheated due to stress

Stomping

Sheep show upset by stomping front feet.

Head butting

Rams display anger by butting heads.

Damage to wool

Injury reduces wool quality and profit.

Capture technique

Approach sheep in herd, wrap arms around neck and shoulders.

Halters

Equipment used for sheep restraint and handling.

Ventilation needs

Sheep housing requires adequate ventilation.

Shearing equipment

Tools for careful wool removal to maintain quality.

Fencing requirements

Sheep need fences at least 60 inches high with 4-5 inch gaps.

Restraint methods

Various techniques for holding and examining sheep.

Grooming importance

Regular grooming ensures sheep health and wool quality.

Vaccination programs

Sheep require tailored vaccine schedules for disease prevention.

Breeding goals

Producers aim for high lamb numbers per breeding ewe.

Quarantine protocol

New sheep should be isolated for 30 days to assess health.

Tail docking

Method to remove tail for hygiene and safety purposes.

Castration methods

Techniques to neuter male sheep for management purposes.

Exercise needs

Sheep require ample exercise, best in pasture settings.

Lambing process

Four phases: dilation, contractions, lamb expulsion, placenta expulsion.

Common diseases

Sheep are prone to illnesses, requiring vigilant monitoring.

Twins

Common in sheep birth, may cause ewe to lose interest in first lamb

Foot Rot

Bacterial infection affecting sheep hooves, causing decay and lameness

Dilation Phase

Phase where cervix expands, preparing birth canal for lamb within 12-24 hours

Contraction Phase

Uterine movements allowing lamb to move into birth canal

Abscess

Localized pus buildup from infection, causing lameness in sheep

Placenta

Expelled afterbirth within 30 minutes to an hour post-labor

Mastitis

Inflammation of mammary glands in ewes during lactation

Limping

Sign of foot rot or abscess in sheep, indicating lameness

Anorexia

Symptom of foot rot or abscess in sheep, leading to weight loss

Fever

Indication of infection in sheep, common with foot rot or abscess

Pus Drainage

Sign of abscess in sheep, releasing pus from affected area

Swollen Joints

Symptom of foot rot or abscess, causing joint inflammation

Lameness

Result of foot rot or abscess in sheep, affecting mobility

Polyarthritis

Inflammation affecting multiple joints in sheep

Blue Tongue

Viral disease affecting sheep, causing fever and swelling

Enterotoxemia

Condition caused by bacterial toxins, leading to sudden death in sheep

Soremouth

Contagious viral infection causing sores in sheep's mouth

Actinomycosis

Chronic bacterial infection affecting sheep's jaw and throat

Lamb Dysentery

Acute intestinal infection in lambs, causing diarrhea and dehydration

Parasites

Common in sheep, affecting their health and productivity

Actinobacillosis

Commonly known as lumpy jaw, affects head and jaw, thickens intestinal wall, no treatment

Johne's Disease

Digestive condition, economic loss, vaccination recommended

Parasite Prevention Programs

Essential for sheep production, vital for internal and external parasite control

sheep production

An important part of the United States agriculture, involving meat, wool, and milk sources, known for being efficient to raise and manage.

abscess

A bacterial infection causing pus buildup in a localized area.

actinobacillosis

A disease causing tumor-like lumps of yellow pus in the head and jaw.

actinomycosis

A bacterial infection in the head and neck lymph nodes forming hard lesions.

band

A large group of sheep.

blue tongue

A virus spread by gnats weakening the immune system.

butting

Using the head to hit an object or person.

cervix

The birth canal.

chamois

A by-product of sheep skin used for polishing leather.

confinement method

Raising sheep in a sterile environment for human consumption.

contraction phase

Second phase of labor with wavelike motions moving the fetus.

dilate

To open, expand, or widen.

dilation phase

First phase of labor where the birth canal opens and expands.

dock

Trimming the tail area.

drenching

Giving medicine orally to large numbers of animals.

dystocia

A difficult or abnormal birth.

enterotoxemia

A bacterial disease from overeating causing toxin buildup in the rumen.

ewe

Adult female sheep capable of reproduction.

farm flock method

A sheep production system focusing on meat sources as primary and wool production as secondary.

foot rot

A bacterial condition causing decay or damage to the hoof tissue.

herder

Person in charge of a group of sheep.

Johne's disease

A contagious, chronic, and usually fatal infection affecting the small intestine.

lamb

Sheep less than 1 year old or the meat from such sheep.

lamb dysentery

Bacterial diarrhea condition in newborn lambs.

lamb feeding

Raising lambs to weaning and selling to feedlots.

lambing

The labor process of sheep.