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Informationen zum Autor Sue Weaver has written hundreds of magazine articles and many books about livestock, horses, and chickens, including The Backyard Cow, The Backyard Goat, The Backyard Sheep, Storey and The Donkey Companion. Weaver and her husband share their ridgetop farmette in the southern Ozarks with an array of animal friends. Klappentext Useful and lovable, sheep make wonderful backyard pets. Their fleece is fundamental to all sorts of fiber arts; their ultra-rich, high-fat milk produces delicious cheese; and if you raise herding dogs, sheep are a must! Sue Weaver's complete guide to raising two or twelve sheep covers everything from their place in history to their place in your backyard. The essential beginner's guide to:- Choosing a breed. Select the sheep that best suit your climate, facilities, and purpose.- Housing and feeding. You want your sheep to be comfortable, well nourished and safe.- Caring for sheep. Identify and treat illnesses and afflictions, breed your ewes, and see them safely through lambing season.- Producing beautiful fleece. Handspinner-quality fleeces don't just happen; discover how to get the best from your sheep.- Milking. Basic techniques and tips on handling your fresh milk will turn you into a pro in no time.- Making cheese. Sheep-milk cheese and yogurt are two of the finest reasons to keep sheep. Vorwort An informative guide for anyone looking to keep from two to twelve sheep for fleece, dairy, or companionship. Zusammenfassung An informative guide for anyone looking to keep from two to twelve sheep for fleece, dairy, or companionship. Inhaltsverzeichnis PrefacePart 1: Learning About Sheep1. Sheep Throughout HistorySheepish Origins - Sheep in Great Britain - Sheep in the Americas - The Rise of the Merino - Sheep in the Rest of the World2. Introducing the SheepThe Five Senses - Open Your Mouth and Say Baah - Social Behavior - Play Behavior - Feeding Behavior - Flocking, Moving, and Catching Behavior - Cast Sheep - Behavioral Tidbits3. Choosing a BreedWhat Are You Looking For? - Breed Classifications - Horns 1014. Buying Your SheepWhere to Start Looking - Finding a Responsible Seller - Evaluating Sheep - Identifying Sheep Part 2: Keeping a Few Sheep5. Housing SheepProviding Housing - Constructing Pens - Building Fences - Everyday Equipment6. Feeding SheepYour Sheep's Digestive System - Feeding Hay - Feeding Concentrates - Feeding Minerals - If You Switch Feeds, Do It Gradually7. Doctoring SheepFinding a Sheep-Savvy Veterinarian - Keeping Sheep Healthy and Well - Being Your Own Vet (Sometimes) - Sheep Illnesses and Afflictions - Coccidiosis - Internal Parasites - External Parasites Part 3: Making More Sheep8. Breeding SheepOwning Your Own Ram - Using Someone Else's Ram - Handling Rams - The Sheep-y Birds and Bees - Handling Ewes Post-Breeding - Feeding Pregnant Ewes - Late-Gestation Tips - What to Do Before Lambing Starts - Is It Time?9. Lambing SeasonFirst-Stage Labor - Second-Stage Labor - When Things Go Wrong - Here Be Lambs!10. Caring for LambsDealing with Rejected Lambs - Lamb Poop 101 - Tails It Is - Feeding Dam-Raised Lambs - Raising Bottled Lambs Part 4: Enjoying Your Sheep11. Producing Quality FleeceFirst Things First - More Ploys for Growing Better Fleeces - Sheepshearing 101 - Washing (Scouring) Fleece - Storing Fleece12. Got Milk?Choosing Your Dairy Ewe - Milking Basics - Handling Milk - Sharing the Bounty - Selling Milk13. Training SheepTaming Sheep - Training Basics - Teaching Your Sheep about Targeting - Teaching Your Sheep to Lead - Picking Up Feet GlossaryAppendix 1: Common MistakesAppendix 2: Trimming HoovesAppendix 3: Promoting Your SheepAppendix 4: Emergency EuthanasiaResourcesRecommended ReadingCreditsIndex...
