Maintenance
Worming. There are a few important things to know about internal parasites. The life
cycle of the worm depends largely on the grazing habits of the sheep and the
environmental conditions. Most worms enter the sheep through the mouth (others
through the nose) while the sheep is grazing. They can remain in the stomach of the
sheep throughout their life cycle, and if they are expelled, they can remain in the ground
until consumed by another sheep, and start the process over again. Warm and humid
conditions are the most favorable for the worm to live outside the sheep. Here are a few
things you can do to lessen the sheep’s chances of becoming overrun with worms:
1) Rotating the sheep so they do not graze on the same pasture too long can cut back
on a sheep’s worm load (or having your sheep graze on a piece of land that is so large
that they worms die before being consumed by the sheep, because your sheep have so
much space).
2) When you feed your sheep hay, be sure you feed them in a feeder off the ground.
3) Take care when you worm, and how you worm. Use the correct de-wormer for the
kind of worm your sheep has. How do you know what kind of worm? Have a fecal
sample taken to your vet to determine what kind of worms you are dealing with.
4) Your sheep having access to proper minerals and vitamins helps the sheep naturally
fight off worms, and especially having the proper balance of copper in their system can
significantly reduce the worms’ ability to reproduce within the sheep. Please read more
about copper and its place in the sheep’s diet.
When you worm your sheep, rotate them to a new pasture. Only worm sheep that are in
need of being wormed. If you worm too often, worms will build up a resistance to the
wormer. These are called “super worms”. Sheep can also develop super worms if they
are wormed with the same wormer over and over again.
How can you tell if your sheep need to be wormed? Any one of these following
conditions: loss of condition, persistent clear snotty nose, anemia (light colored gums
and membranes around the eyes, swelling under the jaw known as bottle jaw), coughing,
loss of appetite and alertness.
Please remember to follow the instructions on any drug, or the instructions given to you
by a vet. Some de-wormers are safe to double and triple dose, but others can be lethal.
Natural Worming
There are a few natural de-wormers available. Most are herbal mixes that help your
sheep resist worms naturally. Some contain diatomaceous earth, which kills worms.
It is the microscopic exoskeletons of ancient organisms. They literally cut the worms up
and kill them.
A product called Basic-H, added to your flock’s drinking water for three days in a row (we
do this once per month) will break down the worms’ protective outer layer and allow them
to be killed by your sheep’s stomach acid. This practice is more effective against
stomach worms than worms that can travel other places in the sheep’s body.
Some people prefer to de-worm with chemical wormer just before starting a natural de-
wormer regimen. I encourage you to check the condition of your sheep often, to be sure
they are handling their worm load, and do not become overrun with worms, no matter
what your preferred worming regimen.
If you are interested in getting away from chemicals, there is a natural two-part wormer
available called Restore and Sustain. You can read more about it and purchase it at
www.farmsteadhealth.com. Click on “Parasite Control” and scroll down.
Another natural wormer is "Garlic Barrier." www.garlicbarrier.com. Click on the following
link to read a scientific study on the effectiveness of using Garlic Barrier as a wormer in
sheep. Garlic Barrier is also approved for use in raising organic livestock. In order to
use the correct dilution of Garlic Barrier, you must purchase the 1 galon size. The
smaller sizes are too diluted to be used in accordance to the study.
www.garlicbarrier.com/2003_SARE_Report.html
Supplements
Minerals and vitamins are essential to life. Traditionally the sheep industry has told us
that sheep have a low tolerance of copper (it’s toxic), so you should be mindful of the
copper content in supplements or sweet feeds. If you own other livestock such as cows,
goats, and horses, keep their salt and other supplements out of reach of sheep, as they
usually carry a much higher copper content than sheep can handle, and often uses the
form of copper that is more toxic. For example, 12ppm is pushing the limit for sheep, and
many horse supplements carry 45-65ppm of copper. We place our horses’ salt block on
top of a sturdy fence post so the sheep can’t reach it.
Quite often, the belief that copper is toxic comes from two observations: copper oxide is
toxic to sheep, and the “white” breeds of sheep are more sensitive to copper than the
breeds of sheep that have color. Please also understand that when we say breeds of
sheep that have color, that the white sheep within that breed are still considered to be a
sheep with color. For example, a white Icelandic sheep is still a sheep with color,
because their white coat is a pattern that covers every follicle, but genetically, they are a
black or a brown sheep.
The breeds of sheep that have color often have a higher requirement for copper in their
system. Copper sulfate should be researched and included in their mineral mixes.
Sampling your local soil to determine the proper amounts for your flock is an important
step to helping them reach their optimal health. I highly recommend “Natural Sheep
Care” by Pat Coleby for more on this topic.
Provide a free choice, loose sheep mineral for the sheep. They should not be given a
block of salt. Shamrock and Purina both make loose sheep salt with selenium and it is
available at most feed stores. Make sure that it is kept dry, and that the sheep have a
constant supply. If they run out, the sheep may binge themselves when the minerals are
made available again, causing selenium poisoning. Selenium is essential, but also toxic
in large quantities. Selenium in most salt mixes is a byproduct of certain metals. Organic
selenium is far less toxic and is derived from yeast cultures. Natural and organic
selenium sources and products are hard to find, but worth the extra investment of time
and money.
Vitamin E is essential, but lacking in many of our sheep’s diets. Water soluble vitamin E
is available from www.pipevet.com. Take extra care that sheep receive vitamin E in the
hot days of summer, and also during pregnancy. Vitamin E does not pass through the
placental wall, so the lamb must receive its vitamin E from the ewe’s milk. If the ewe is
vitamin E deficient, she will be unable to provide vitamin E for her lamb, and this may
lead to white muscle disease. Some shepherds choose to give vitamin E shots to
newborn lambs.
Other supplements for sheep include:
Beet Pulp
Beet Pulp is an inexpensive and easy supplement. I have one older ewe that lives mainly
off of beet pulp and soybean meal. A 50 lb bag of beet pulp should cost you no more
than $10. Use 1 part beet pulp pellets and 3 parts water, let sit for about 12 hours, and
feed to sheep. This mush is easy to chew and the sheep really love it. It easily holds
other supplements that are finer such as kelp and soybean meal.
Nutritional value of Beet Pulp:
Crude Protein: 10%
Crude Fat: .5%
Crude Fiber:20%
Ash: 8.5%
COB (rolled corn, oats, and barley) and Wet COB (COB rolled with Molasses). Icelandic
sheep are a primitive and hardy sheep. They do not require corn, but can handle
receiving it in small doses as a supplement to help them gain condition in times of stress
or pregnancy. Cob and wet cob should be reserved for your ewes. You can also train
rams to follow you with cob, and use it as a treat or as “bait”.
Nutritional Value of COB:
Crude Protein: 8%
Crude Fat: 2.5%
Crude Fiber: 5%
Ash: 4%
Barley or Whole Oats can often be used in place of COB. Pat Coleby recommends
Barley as the best sweet-feed for sheep.
Soybean meal is a wonderful high protein supplement for your ewes in times of
pregnancy or reduced quality of hay (such as in the winter). They love this stuff! It has
a great source of protein, but also helps the ewe to use her own metabolism, and helps
her avoid ketosis.
Soybean meal should be reserved for your ewes. It can cause burning in rams during
urination. That will make them cranky, and we don’t want that. Soybean meal should be
used in moderation. Only ¼ of a pound per ewe per day at most. It can be mixed with
soaked beet pulp very easily.
Nutritional Value of Soybean Meal:
Crude Protein: 46%
Crude Fat: 2%
Crude Fiber: 3.5%
Ash: 8%
In the summer, when sheep neglect their minerals, but need them the most, you can mix
soybean meal with their loose mineral mix to encourage them to eat it.
Kelp is a supplement that can be mixed with the loose mineral mix or other supplemental
feeds and provides wonderful benefits to sheep. Kelp is part of the sheep’s natural diet
in Iceland. It improves wool quality, reduces wool break, and improves their health from
the inside out. Kelp helps the sheep use the selenium they have taken in from the
minerals, and can help them resist heat stress in the summer. So, where can you buy
kelp? We have had good luck finding it at our local feed store, but if you can’t, here is a
place that will ship it to you: www.noamkelp.com
Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably un-pasteurized), used as a drench or mixed with the
water supply, acts as a natural antibiotic and cleans the system. It improves wool quality
and helps sheep resist disease naturally. We mix the apple cider vinegar into their water
troughs on a regular basis. We also drench them with 10cc Apple Cider Vinegar, and
10cc Garlic Barrier about once a month.
"We have been using cider vinegar on our flock now since 2002 and believe the
improvement in overall health and wool quality can be directly attributed to the cider
vinegar. We add 1/4 gallon to a 30 gallon water trough at least once a week and more
often during the hot weather. Every time we handle an individual animal, we drench them
with 10-20 cc. of cider vinegar mixed 1:1 with water. I am now infusing garlic in their
drench vinegar in order to obtain the health benefits of garlic (put 4 heads of garlic,
chopped into a quart of cider vinegar and let sit for two weeks; mix 1:1 with water and
save for drenching)" --Laurie Ball-Gisch, Lavender Fleece.
Garlic boosts sheep’s immune system. Infuse garlic in your apple cider vinegar drench,
or chop it finely and serve mixed with wet cob. See the above section on Natural
Wormers for more info on Garlic and concentrated liquid Garlic (called Garlic Barrier).
Drenches for Sheep
In communicating with several of my fellow shepherds, it has become popular to use a
homemade drench for the sheep to ensure they are receiving the nutrients you feel are
best for them. Often times when supplements are put in a drinking supply, or when left
available for free choice, the shepherd may feel that not all of the sheep are receiving all
they need. I am constantly learning new ways to improve my flock management. That
includes learning all I can and watching my flock for their improvements with the
treatments that I try on my farm. I encourage you to do the same. Never stop asking
questions and always watch your animals to see if they are benefiting from what you give
them.
Drenches are often used for de-worming and improving the mineral/vitamin balance
within the sheep.
A simple drench for natural de-worming, immunity booster, and vitamin boost is:
10cc Garlic Barrier
10cc Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably unpasteurized)
20cc Sheep Nutri-Drench
That is 40cc total per sheep, given orally.
This drench is safe to give to any member of your flock. I try to give this drench about
once per month or every 6 weeks.
2x per year drench
In May and in September I add a special ingredient to the “Simple Drench” listed above. I
add 6cc of Cod Liver Oil for each ram, and 5cc for each ewe. Cod Liver Oil is an
excellent source of vitamins A and D and Omega 3 fatty acids that can help the sheep
through the hot summer months, and increase their health through breeding time
(allowing the ewes to retain more of their fertilized eggs). You can read more about the
benefits of Cod Liver Oil in Pat Coleby’s book “Natural Sheep Care.” You don’t have to
spend a bundle on Cod Liver Oil for your sheep. Most of the cod liver oil you find in the
stores are for human consumption and have been highly marketed as fountains of
youth. As such they have been extremely overpriced. You can find cod liver oil for your
livestock at amazon, buy clicking on the link listed below. Make sure when you purchase
Cod Liver Oil that it comes in an opaque container. Light depletes the vitamins.
Anemia-boost drench
If an animal appears to be anemic (that is, have light membranes) here is a drench to
help boost the iron in their blood, and to increase their copper, which can inhibit the
worm load. You should also consider that they may need additional de-worming, if you
suspect that their anemia is caused by an increased worm load.
1 cup Garlic Barrier
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup Liquid Vitamin E
1 cup Red Cell
1 cup molasses (preferably organic),
Mix well and dose at a rate of 30-60cc per adult sheep and 15-30cc per lamb. The
above amounts make enough for about 20 doses. Give no more often than every 3-4
weeks. Preferably, you would only need to use this drench in times of intense worm load
and anemia. Please consider using this in more of the summer months, and giving the
sheep a break from the Red Cell in the winter, to prevent any build up of toxic amounts of
copper in their liver.
WARNING
Avoid giving Wethers highly-soluble carbohydrates. This can lead to water belly (also
known as urinary calculi, or urinary stones). The treatment is long, and this condition
can lead to death. For urinary tract health, you can give your wethers ½ cup of
cranberry juice twice a week (make sure it’s 100% juice, or you’re just giving your sheep
sugar). One of my wethers (Floki) loves the stuff, and slurps it up, but his brother (Flosi)
doesn't care for it, so I give it to him in an oral syringe. Check with your feed store or vet
to find out which of your supplements have high levels of highly-soluble carbohydrates
(hint: CORN)
Diagnosing urinary calculi should be done by a vet. However, here are some signs to
look for: loss of appetite and alertness. Lack of urination. Bloated underbelly and
sheath area.
Treatment: ¼ tsp ammonium carbonate in water (or cranberry juice and water) daily for 3
months. Ammonium carbonate is an appetite suppressant, so be sure that your wether
is getting enough to eat while on the medication. Do not start any medication regimen
without consulting a vet.
Preventing Urinary Calculi is easier than treating it. Prevention includes supplementing
with ground limestone, and/or avoiding feeding highly soluble carbohydrates to rams.
Shearing
Icelandic sheep are traditionally shorn twice a year (Early March, before lambing, and
September, before breeding and slaughtering meat lambs).
Here are some tips on how to prepare your sheep for shearing day:
1) Keep the sheep dry, penned for easy catching (we bring them in the night before,
sometimes earlier if it's rainy).
2) Make sure they are empty-bellied. (we have the shearer come in the morning and we
hold breakfast until after shearing is done)
3) Have lots of help. Have people to sweep up, get a new sheep for the shearer, take
the finished sheep to their pen, pick up the newly shorn fleece and bag/tag accordingly.
4) Make sure the shearing area is well lit, dry, flat, and has access any requirements the
shearer needs (electricity, a large piece of ply wood to shear on).
5) Have water and something to eat for the shearer.
Why do I shear the sheep before lambing?
I shear the sheep about 4 weeks before lambing for several reasons:
1) I don't want to fuss with them too much past 4 weeks from lambing time. This might
injure the lambs or stress the moms.
2) Shearing before lambing has the following advantages:
-A recently-sheared ewe will seek shelter and take her lambs to shelter more efficiently
than a ewe with a full fleece.
-You can tell when a ewe is developing an udder or when she is getting close to lambing
without a bunch of fleece in your way.
-You can gage the condition of your ewe in late pregnancy more accurately without
fleece to deceive you.
-Lambs will find the teat a lot easier without a lot of fleece to confuse them.
-You will be able to tell if the lamb has found the teat without fleece in your way.
-No dirty dung tags for the baby to fiddle with.
-Fluids from birth will not ruin your fleece if you've already sheared.
-Hay from the lambing jug will not ruin your fleece if you're already sheared.
Trimming Feet
I try to trim feet every time I handle my sheep. In the warmer months when the sheep are
on pasture and spend their days walking and grazing, their feet usually ware naturally
and I find that my trimming is not needed. Still I find it necessary to check their feet
often. Neglecting your sheep's feet can lead to much more serious problems than just
long feet, including lameness and Foot Rot. Bacteria can collect under the feet and can
lead to foot rot (however, the entire North American Icelandic Sheep flock is Foot Rot
free).
When trimming, the idea is to trim off the excess growth around the toe and wall of the
foot, while leaving the sole and heel (the padded underside). Clear excess dirt and built-
up muck from between the "toes" and any that may be stuck to the underside of the foot.
Find a trimming tool that works for you. I prefer small rose trimmers. These fit in my
hands easily and I can fit them in any direction against the foot that works for me. They
cost about $5 at your local hardware store.
Worming. There are a few important things to know about internal parasites. The life
cycle of the worm depends largely on the grazing habits of the sheep and the
environmental conditions. Most worms enter the sheep through the mouth (others
through the nose) while the sheep is grazing. They can remain in the stomach of the
sheep throughout their life cycle, and if they are expelled, they can remain in the ground
until consumed by another sheep, and start the process over again. Warm and humid
conditions are the most favorable for the worm to live outside the sheep. Here are a few
things you can do to lessen the sheep’s chances of becoming overrun with worms:
1) Rotating the sheep so they do not graze on the same pasture too long can cut back
on a sheep’s worm load (or having your sheep graze on a piece of land that is so large
that they worms die before being consumed by the sheep, because your sheep have so
much space).
2) When you feed your sheep hay, be sure you feed them in a feeder off the ground.
3) Take care when you worm, and how you worm. Use the correct de-wormer for the
kind of worm your sheep has. How do you know what kind of worm? Have a fecal
sample taken to your vet to determine what kind of worms you are dealing with.
4) Your sheep having access to proper minerals and vitamins helps the sheep naturally
fight off worms, and especially having the proper balance of copper in their system can
significantly reduce the worms’ ability to reproduce within the sheep. Please read more
about copper and its place in the sheep’s diet.
When you worm your sheep, rotate them to a new pasture. Only worm sheep that are in
need of being wormed. If you worm too often, worms will build up a resistance to the
wormer. These are called “super worms”. Sheep can also develop super worms if they
are wormed with the same wormer over and over again.
How can you tell if your sheep need to be wormed? Any one of these following
conditions: loss of condition, persistent clear snotty nose, anemia (light colored gums
and membranes around the eyes, swelling under the jaw known as bottle jaw), coughing,
loss of appetite and alertness.
Please remember to follow the instructions on any drug, or the instructions given to you
by a vet. Some de-wormers are safe to double and triple dose, but others can be lethal.
Natural Worming
There are a few natural de-wormers available. Most are herbal mixes that help your
sheep resist worms naturally. Some contain diatomaceous earth, which kills worms.
It is the microscopic exoskeletons of ancient organisms. They literally cut the worms up
and kill them.
A product called Basic-H, added to your flock’s drinking water for three days in a row (we
do this once per month) will break down the worms’ protective outer layer and allow them
to be killed by your sheep’s stomach acid. This practice is more effective against
stomach worms than worms that can travel other places in the sheep’s body.
Some people prefer to de-worm with chemical wormer just before starting a natural de-
wormer regimen. I encourage you to check the condition of your sheep often, to be sure
they are handling their worm load, and do not become overrun with worms, no matter
what your preferred worming regimen.
If you are interested in getting away from chemicals, there is a natural two-part wormer
available called Restore and Sustain. You can read more about it and purchase it at
www.farmsteadhealth.com. Click on “Parasite Control” and scroll down.
Another natural wormer is "Garlic Barrier." www.garlicbarrier.com. Click on the following
link to read a scientific study on the effectiveness of using Garlic Barrier as a wormer in
sheep. Garlic Barrier is also approved for use in raising organic livestock. In order to
use the correct dilution of Garlic Barrier, you must purchase the 1 galon size. The
smaller sizes are too diluted to be used in accordance to the study.
www.garlicbarrier.com/2003_SARE_Report.html
Supplements
Minerals and vitamins are essential to life. Traditionally the sheep industry has told us
that sheep have a low tolerance of copper (it’s toxic), so you should be mindful of the
copper content in supplements or sweet feeds. If you own other livestock such as cows,
goats, and horses, keep their salt and other supplements out of reach of sheep, as they
usually carry a much higher copper content than sheep can handle, and often uses the
form of copper that is more toxic. For example, 12ppm is pushing the limit for sheep, and
many horse supplements carry 45-65ppm of copper. We place our horses’ salt block on
top of a sturdy fence post so the sheep can’t reach it.
Quite often, the belief that copper is toxic comes from two observations: copper oxide is
toxic to sheep, and the “white” breeds of sheep are more sensitive to copper than the
breeds of sheep that have color. Please also understand that when we say breeds of
sheep that have color, that the white sheep within that breed are still considered to be a
sheep with color. For example, a white Icelandic sheep is still a sheep with color,
because their white coat is a pattern that covers every follicle, but genetically, they are a
black or a brown sheep.
The breeds of sheep that have color often have a higher requirement for copper in their
system. Copper sulfate should be researched and included in their mineral mixes.
Sampling your local soil to determine the proper amounts for your flock is an important
step to helping them reach their optimal health. I highly recommend “Natural Sheep
Care” by Pat Coleby for more on this topic.
Provide a free choice, loose sheep mineral for the sheep. They should not be given a
block of salt. Shamrock and Purina both make loose sheep salt with selenium and it is
available at most feed stores. Make sure that it is kept dry, and that the sheep have a
constant supply. If they run out, the sheep may binge themselves when the minerals are
made available again, causing selenium poisoning. Selenium is essential, but also toxic
in large quantities. Selenium in most salt mixes is a byproduct of certain metals. Organic
selenium is far less toxic and is derived from yeast cultures. Natural and organic
selenium sources and products are hard to find, but worth the extra investment of time
and money.
Vitamin E is essential, but lacking in many of our sheep’s diets. Water soluble vitamin E
is available from www.pipevet.com. Take extra care that sheep receive vitamin E in the
hot days of summer, and also during pregnancy. Vitamin E does not pass through the
placental wall, so the lamb must receive its vitamin E from the ewe’s milk. If the ewe is
vitamin E deficient, she will be unable to provide vitamin E for her lamb, and this may
lead to white muscle disease. Some shepherds choose to give vitamin E shots to
newborn lambs.
Other supplements for sheep include:
Beet Pulp
Beet Pulp is an inexpensive and easy supplement. I have one older ewe that lives mainly
off of beet pulp and soybean meal. A 50 lb bag of beet pulp should cost you no more
than $10. Use 1 part beet pulp pellets and 3 parts water, let sit for about 12 hours, and
feed to sheep. This mush is easy to chew and the sheep really love it. It easily holds
other supplements that are finer such as kelp and soybean meal.
Nutritional value of Beet Pulp:
Crude Protein: 10%
Crude Fat: .5%
Crude Fiber:20%
Ash: 8.5%
COB (rolled corn, oats, and barley) and Wet COB (COB rolled with Molasses). Icelandic
sheep are a primitive and hardy sheep. They do not require corn, but can handle
receiving it in small doses as a supplement to help them gain condition in times of stress
or pregnancy. Cob and wet cob should be reserved for your ewes. You can also train
rams to follow you with cob, and use it as a treat or as “bait”.
Nutritional Value of COB:
Crude Protein: 8%
Crude Fat: 2.5%
Crude Fiber: 5%
Ash: 4%
Barley or Whole Oats can often be used in place of COB. Pat Coleby recommends
Barley as the best sweet-feed for sheep.
Soybean meal is a wonderful high protein supplement for your ewes in times of
pregnancy or reduced quality of hay (such as in the winter). They love this stuff! It has
a great source of protein, but also helps the ewe to use her own metabolism, and helps
her avoid ketosis.
Soybean meal should be reserved for your ewes. It can cause burning in rams during
urination. That will make them cranky, and we don’t want that. Soybean meal should be
used in moderation. Only ¼ of a pound per ewe per day at most. It can be mixed with
soaked beet pulp very easily.
Nutritional Value of Soybean Meal:
Crude Protein: 46%
Crude Fat: 2%
Crude Fiber: 3.5%
Ash: 8%
In the summer, when sheep neglect their minerals, but need them the most, you can mix
soybean meal with their loose mineral mix to encourage them to eat it.
Kelp is a supplement that can be mixed with the loose mineral mix or other supplemental
feeds and provides wonderful benefits to sheep. Kelp is part of the sheep’s natural diet
in Iceland. It improves wool quality, reduces wool break, and improves their health from
the inside out. Kelp helps the sheep use the selenium they have taken in from the
minerals, and can help them resist heat stress in the summer. So, where can you buy
kelp? We have had good luck finding it at our local feed store, but if you can’t, here is a
place that will ship it to you: www.noamkelp.com
Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably un-pasteurized), used as a drench or mixed with the
water supply, acts as a natural antibiotic and cleans the system. It improves wool quality
and helps sheep resist disease naturally. We mix the apple cider vinegar into their water
troughs on a regular basis. We also drench them with 10cc Apple Cider Vinegar, and
10cc Garlic Barrier about once a month.
"We have been using cider vinegar on our flock now since 2002 and believe the
improvement in overall health and wool quality can be directly attributed to the cider
vinegar. We add 1/4 gallon to a 30 gallon water trough at least once a week and more
often during the hot weather. Every time we handle an individual animal, we drench them
with 10-20 cc. of cider vinegar mixed 1:1 with water. I am now infusing garlic in their
drench vinegar in order to obtain the health benefits of garlic (put 4 heads of garlic,
chopped into a quart of cider vinegar and let sit for two weeks; mix 1:1 with water and
save for drenching)" --Laurie Ball-Gisch, Lavender Fleece.
Garlic boosts sheep’s immune system. Infuse garlic in your apple cider vinegar drench,
or chop it finely and serve mixed with wet cob. See the above section on Natural
Wormers for more info on Garlic and concentrated liquid Garlic (called Garlic Barrier).
Drenches for Sheep
In communicating with several of my fellow shepherds, it has become popular to use a
homemade drench for the sheep to ensure they are receiving the nutrients you feel are
best for them. Often times when supplements are put in a drinking supply, or when left
available for free choice, the shepherd may feel that not all of the sheep are receiving all
they need. I am constantly learning new ways to improve my flock management. That
includes learning all I can and watching my flock for their improvements with the
treatments that I try on my farm. I encourage you to do the same. Never stop asking
questions and always watch your animals to see if they are benefiting from what you give
them.
Drenches are often used for de-worming and improving the mineral/vitamin balance
within the sheep.
A simple drench for natural de-worming, immunity booster, and vitamin boost is:
10cc Garlic Barrier
10cc Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably unpasteurized)
20cc Sheep Nutri-Drench
That is 40cc total per sheep, given orally.
This drench is safe to give to any member of your flock. I try to give this drench about
once per month or every 6 weeks.
2x per year drench
In May and in September I add a special ingredient to the “Simple Drench” listed above. I
add 6cc of Cod Liver Oil for each ram, and 5cc for each ewe. Cod Liver Oil is an
excellent source of vitamins A and D and Omega 3 fatty acids that can help the sheep
through the hot summer months, and increase their health through breeding time
(allowing the ewes to retain more of their fertilized eggs). You can read more about the
benefits of Cod Liver Oil in Pat Coleby’s book “Natural Sheep Care.” You don’t have to
spend a bundle on Cod Liver Oil for your sheep. Most of the cod liver oil you find in the
stores are for human consumption and have been highly marketed as fountains of
youth. As such they have been extremely overpriced. You can find cod liver oil for your
livestock at amazon, buy clicking on the link listed below. Make sure when you purchase
Cod Liver Oil that it comes in an opaque container. Light depletes the vitamins.
Anemia-boost drench
If an animal appears to be anemic (that is, have light membranes) here is a drench to
help boost the iron in their blood, and to increase their copper, which can inhibit the
worm load. You should also consider that they may need additional de-worming, if you
suspect that their anemia is caused by an increased worm load.
1 cup Garlic Barrier
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup Liquid Vitamin E
1 cup Red Cell
1 cup molasses (preferably organic),
Mix well and dose at a rate of 30-60cc per adult sheep and 15-30cc per lamb. The
above amounts make enough for about 20 doses. Give no more often than every 3-4
weeks. Preferably, you would only need to use this drench in times of intense worm load
and anemia. Please consider using this in more of the summer months, and giving the
sheep a break from the Red Cell in the winter, to prevent any build up of toxic amounts of
copper in their liver.
WARNING
Avoid giving Wethers highly-soluble carbohydrates. This can lead to water belly (also
known as urinary calculi, or urinary stones). The treatment is long, and this condition
can lead to death. For urinary tract health, you can give your wethers ½ cup of
cranberry juice twice a week (make sure it’s 100% juice, or you’re just giving your sheep
sugar). One of my wethers (Floki) loves the stuff, and slurps it up, but his brother (Flosi)
doesn't care for it, so I give it to him in an oral syringe. Check with your feed store or vet
to find out which of your supplements have high levels of highly-soluble carbohydrates
(hint: CORN)
Diagnosing urinary calculi should be done by a vet. However, here are some signs to
look for: loss of appetite and alertness. Lack of urination. Bloated underbelly and
sheath area.
Treatment: ¼ tsp ammonium carbonate in water (or cranberry juice and water) daily for 3
months. Ammonium carbonate is an appetite suppressant, so be sure that your wether
is getting enough to eat while on the medication. Do not start any medication regimen
without consulting a vet.
Preventing Urinary Calculi is easier than treating it. Prevention includes supplementing
with ground limestone, and/or avoiding feeding highly soluble carbohydrates to rams.
Shearing
Icelandic sheep are traditionally shorn twice a year (Early March, before lambing, and
September, before breeding and slaughtering meat lambs).
Here are some tips on how to prepare your sheep for shearing day:
1) Keep the sheep dry, penned for easy catching (we bring them in the night before,
sometimes earlier if it's rainy).
2) Make sure they are empty-bellied. (we have the shearer come in the morning and we
hold breakfast until after shearing is done)
3) Have lots of help. Have people to sweep up, get a new sheep for the shearer, take
the finished sheep to their pen, pick up the newly shorn fleece and bag/tag accordingly.
4) Make sure the shearing area is well lit, dry, flat, and has access any requirements the
shearer needs (electricity, a large piece of ply wood to shear on).
5) Have water and something to eat for the shearer.
Why do I shear the sheep before lambing?
I shear the sheep about 4 weeks before lambing for several reasons:
1) I don't want to fuss with them too much past 4 weeks from lambing time. This might
injure the lambs or stress the moms.
2) Shearing before lambing has the following advantages:
-A recently-sheared ewe will seek shelter and take her lambs to shelter more efficiently
than a ewe with a full fleece.
-You can tell when a ewe is developing an udder or when she is getting close to lambing
without a bunch of fleece in your way.
-You can gage the condition of your ewe in late pregnancy more accurately without
fleece to deceive you.
-Lambs will find the teat a lot easier without a lot of fleece to confuse them.
-You will be able to tell if the lamb has found the teat without fleece in your way.
-No dirty dung tags for the baby to fiddle with.
-Fluids from birth will not ruin your fleece if you've already sheared.
-Hay from the lambing jug will not ruin your fleece if you're already sheared.
Trimming Feet
I try to trim feet every time I handle my sheep. In the warmer months when the sheep are
on pasture and spend their days walking and grazing, their feet usually ware naturally
and I find that my trimming is not needed. Still I find it necessary to check their feet
often. Neglecting your sheep's feet can lead to much more serious problems than just
long feet, including lameness and Foot Rot. Bacteria can collect under the feet and can
lead to foot rot (however, the entire North American Icelandic Sheep flock is Foot Rot
free).
When trimming, the idea is to trim off the excess growth around the toe and wall of the
foot, while leaving the sole and heel (the padded underside). Clear excess dirt and built-
up muck from between the "toes" and any that may be stuck to the underside of the foot.
Find a trimming tool that works for you. I prefer small rose trimmers. These fit in my
hands easily and I can fit them in any direction against the foot that works for me. They
cost about $5 at your local hardware store.
Icelandic Sheep
