# filthy sheep.



## RamahRanch (Aug 25, 2015)

I'm new to sheep but not to livestock, but I think I have the dirtiest lambs in town. I have 5 white dorpers and their faces are just filthy. Their ears and faces are black with an almost sticky grease. They have been pastured all summer and kept in the barn at night with a dirt floor. I've tried to clean them with a wet rag but doesn't seem to come off. Pictures in the morning. Any ideas why they are so dirty?


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## IndigoFoxFarm (Aug 25, 2015)

One of the weeds in our field will do that to the steers or sometimes the horses. So the culprit may be a sticky type of weed?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

Before


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

After


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## purplequeenvt (Aug 26, 2015)

Looks like you have a lot of sand or dirt around. What is your insect population like? My guess is that there is a biting bug going after them and they are rubbing their faces in the dirt to keep the bugs off.


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## alsea1 (Aug 26, 2015)

My guess is the lanolin causes dirt to stick to them.


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

I'm sure there are bugs out there but I've never seen any on them and noe bother me when working out there. I've never seen them rubbing or scratching in the dirt.


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

I just feel bad for them. They almost feel sticky to the touch tho. Any recommendations for anything or just let them get clean naturally?


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## babsbag (Aug 26, 2015)

When I had horses we had a weed called Tar weed. It would cause a build up of black sticky "tar" on their nose, their lips, and their whiskers. The only way to get it off was with vasoline (petroleum based cleaner), just like trying to remove tar. I only did it at the end of summer when the plants would die; it was a horrible weed.


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## alsea1 (Aug 26, 2015)

If it is far weed,should sheep be ratting it?


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## alsea1 (Aug 26, 2015)

If it is far weed,should sheep be eatting it?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

I think your right it's hard to find good pictures of it on google because when you put in "weed" you get pages and pages of the drug. Anyway I have a yellow flower that is stickey to the touch. They seem to eat the leafs off it but not the sticky flower part. I think I found where they are getting stickey from but now I have to get rid of it some how.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 26, 2015)

If they eat it long enough you will not have to worry about getting rid of it, they will do that for you.  Since they seem to like the taste of it, eventually they will eradicate it.  What part of the country do you live in?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 26, 2015)

I'm in colorado. I think I just need more sheep then


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## babsbag (Aug 26, 2015)

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/tarweeds.html

 In CA it is very common in un-irrigated pastures. It has a yellow flowers and there is more than one species so the flower can look different. My horses never ate it, they got dirty faces while looking for grasses growing among the tar weed.  Irrigating is supposed to get rid of it.


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## Sheepshape (Aug 27, 2015)

I don't know tar weed, but it sounds pretty disgusting. (Just seen the pivs. and it looks like a plant for hot, dry places.....not wet, dripping,misty places like here!).

The lanolin tends to be a bit sticky on some sheep and dust sticks to it. Following stroking sheep there's always a thick, greasy deposit on my hands. Some sheep seem to be 'stickier' than others...rams particularly so....sticky and stinky as they approach the breeding season!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 27, 2015)

How many sheep do you have on how many acres of pasture?  Does it rain during the summer so you have grass and forage all the time? or does it dry out in the summer?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 27, 2015)

I have 5 sheep on 5 acres of pasture. We uaslly get enough rain throughout the summer to keep the grass growing good. But this year we have had so much rain the Grass and weeds are 4-5 feet tall. I have 70 acres to grow my sheep into just need to do more fencing as my herd grows


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## Ridgetop (Aug 27, 2015)

Wow!  You are lucky to have so much green forage.  I wouldn't worry about the dirty faces unless the stickiness is rubbing off on you.  Instead of patting their heads, pat their necks.  You will grow into the 70 acres soon enough since I assume you are planning to keep the ewe lambs and wether the ram lambs for market or your own freezer.  Since you have Dorpers (and I assume the 5 sheep are 4 ewes and 1 ram), if you run them together, the ewes should lamb every 7 or 8 months.  Ideally, if you have 50% ewe lambs born, then in 2 years you should have an extra 12 ewes.  You don't have to worry about getting another ram for several years.  The genetics on sheep are that they can be bred to the foundation sire for 3 generations.  After that you have big problems.  So you can breed your current ram to all the ewes including his granddaughters before you sell him in about 3 or 4 years.  By then, you might need more than 1 ram to service your ewes. 
     With plenty of rainfall and grass, as you fence your acreage, you might consider cross fencing and rotational grazing.  Sheep will eat the choicest and youngest grass and broadleaf weeds, leaving the thick older stuff alone.  Eventually your pasture becomes full of old growth weeds and forage that they don't like as much while they deplete the good grazing.  The idea in rotational grazing is to let the sheep totally graze the entire pasture down low before they go into the next pasture.  This ensures that everything is consumed and the next growth of the pasture produces young tender stuff that is all the same age so the sheep will continue to eat everything.  There are some good books out on the subject.  They can tell you how much pasture you would need in each field and how many sheep to put on how many acres of pasture to graze rotationally.  The fencing costs will be more expensive, but in the long run you are able to graze more sheep per acre and have higher production. 
     I would certainly practice rotational grazing if we had pasture.  Unfortunately I am in southern California - home of the drought until El Nino comes.  Then we have relentless flooding!  LOL  My husband and I are making plans to stock up on hay before this winter in case the hay trucks can't get to us.  We will also have to stock up on grain feed.  Oh yes, and 5 of our 6 Dorset ewes are due in January!   The other one bred before the marking harness went on the ram.  She is due in November.  Luckily we have 2 12 x 12 barn stalls where they can lamb.  Oops, almost forgot!  Better add a lot of straw bales to that list - during the last El Nino the barn flooded and only the deep litter system and adding layer upon layer of straw kept the kids and lambs out of the 4" of standing water underneath it!  But the forage that grew in was wonderful!


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## RamahRanch (Aug 28, 2015)

Wow thanks for the great post. You nailed my plan other than I have 5 ewes no ram yet I will be picking him up next month. I have my 5 acres cross fenced in half so I can rotate back and forth and keep the ram separate if I wanted. Thanks for the info on breeding I was going to ask that question about father daughter breeding but you answered it.

My pastures are starting to change from green to yellow already uaslly happens beginning of August but with all the rain it lasted to almost September. I need to go and get my stock pile of hay for the winter soon before it's gone or expencive for the year.

What's a good age to expose them to a ram? My ewes are almost 6 months old.

I was going to let the ewes out into the big pasture but it's only fenced with 5 strands of barbed wire for cattle so I was afraid they will just walk right through the fence and get lost in the big world. 

But I was more worried about coyotes getting them. We have alot out here but so far I have been locking them in the barn at night and I hope the 4 foot field fence will slow the coyotes from trying to get in this winter.


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## Bossroo (Aug 28, 2015)

That breeding practice works ONLY if the ram to be used is of TOP BREEDING QUALITY  and has NO identifiable genetic flaws.  If I were you I would have a top quality sheep judge / University sheep scientist/ Sheep Veterinarian  evaluate the ram before you jump in and use this ram.  Using a poorer quality ram will only make your future ewe flock much less desirable.


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## RamahRanch (Aug 28, 2015)

What's a good breeding practice for a normal not perfect ram?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 28, 2015)

I let the alpacas in the sheep lot and they have been doing great grazing together


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## Ridgetop (Aug 28, 2015)

Are you planning on a commercial flock or a show flock?  If you are breeding terminal sheep (for meat market) it doesn't matter.  You don't have to keep the ewe lambs if you don't like them.  Sell them for meat.  Your ram should be the best you can afford since he will be half of your herd now, and the base for your future herd through his daughters.  _It goes without saying that you don't use a poor quality ram on any of your stock._  However, if you are buying from a trustworthy breeder with quality stock they will try to make sure you get a high quality ram that will match up genetically with your ewes.  A good breeder will not want you producing poor quality stock out of a ram with his name on it.  Some breeders, unfortunately, are only in it for the $$ so you should check around and talk to their other customers.  If their other customers are happy with the animals they got from them, ok. 
     Buying an outcross ram (totally unrelated to your ewes) is no guarantee that their genetics will mesh well though.  Some lines produce beautiful, healthy, sound animals when combined, others don't.  When starting out with a new breed it is safer to use line breeding (animals that are slightly related - 2nd  cousins or further).  Breed your new ram to your ewes for 2 years and if you don't like what you are producing, replace him.  He may be half your herd, but he is only 1 animal.  His daughters can be bred to the new ram and their lambs will improve. 
    I replaced our ram this year.  He was a beautiful ram but was taller than I wanted for my Dorset flock.  I like shorter, stockier animals since there isn't much meat below the knee!  LOL  He produced healthy beautiful lambs every month of the year.  I was very satisfied with him but since I have nice granddaughters (by him out of his granddaughters) I wanted another ram.  I could have used him for another year but decided to play it safe and replaced him.  The new ram (I don't know if he is visible in the avatar wearing his marking harness) is ideal.  He is shorter, stockier and very thick.  I am really thrilled with him.  I have gone back each time to my original breeders (now friends) because I was so happy with what they sold me.  I was honest with what I wanted and they have chosen exactly what I needed with each purchase, ewe or ram.  If you can make contacts among Dorper breeders, and get that sort of relationship, it will pay off.  My friends import rams from out of state to improve their large flock.  I get the benefit by buying a ram out of their import that is marginally related to my foundation ewes. I know going in that he will do well for me because his dad did well on the same bloodlines for my breeder friends.  Since you are still a small breeder too, it is in your best interests to establish some contacts with different Dorper breeders.  You might look on line for a Dorper chat site where you will hear about the breed.
     If you are breeding for show, the rules change a little.  Your ram must conform to the fashion that is currently winning.  Yes, there are fashions in show sheep and goats!  The breeding stock will be more expensive.  Showing is expensive and takes time and traveling. 
     If you are going for a top commercial flock, your objectives will be different too.  Show people can produce a few excellent animals and will have a market for expensive breeding stock.  The commercial Dorper or Dorset breeder on the other hand needs to produce animals that breed year round (not important to show people because they breed for birthdates for show classes) sturdy, hardy animals that lamb easily and milk generously, _are easy keepers and fatten on pasture_ (you can't afford to pour grain down a commercial herd to eat up your profits), and most importantly you need animals that are uniform in size and quality for the packer or your customers.  As a commercial producer one or two good animals out of a trailer load won't do.  I believe they sell by the lb. so you want all of them to fatten consistently.
   I still envy all your grass!  Are you able to cut your unfenced pasture and store the grass hay for the winter?


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## RamahRanch (Aug 28, 2015)

There's not to many dorper breeders that I have found in colorado but there's a few. I'm sure there's more they are just hard to find. The gal I got my ewes from is getting a new ram from a Texas breeder that she got her current rams from. She was going to pick me one up in septrmber. I've seen a few on craigslist but not sure of the quality of them.

Right now I don't have any equitment to bale hay. So it just goes to waist. I'm sure I could get someone to come do it for me. Guy up the road said $6 a small bale. But I can get any hay of my choice for $10 or under a bale at the feed store.

I hope to be able to build a pretty big flock and get into commercial sales. I'm young and have the time to put into it. And if it doesn't work out I will be raising my kids around livestock and hard work so it's a win win.

But it's all new to me so I have plenty to learn


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## Ridgetop (Aug 28, 2015)

The benefit to your children is absolutely great!  They will also learn as they go so by the time they are in high school will be almost as proficient as you, and will be able to take an active part in the breeding, maintaining, etc of your flock.  Working on a ranch, large or small (mine) gives kids the right priorities - feed animals before yourselves, work hard, do it right the first time or it all has to be done again!  All lessons as important as scholastics, but harder to teach these days.   
     What is nice is that my kids (grown now) can still look at the sheep or horses and identify a problem and let me know.  When we are out of town or away, they are quite capable of pulling a lamb or kid, vacinating, docking, castrating or anything else.  It stays with them. 
     It sounds as though your breeder knows Dorpers and should be able to get you something that will go with your bloodlines.  She will be a valuable resource for you as well.  It sounds as though you are on the right track.  Right now it sounds as though buying your hay at the feed store for 5 or 6 sheep is the best way to go.  Eventually, you might find a tractor mower and rake at a farm auction, or privately with someone buying a new mower/baler and selling his old one.  When you start to get a good sized herd it may make sense to save that $4/bale depending on how much you use during the winter.  When you start figuring your winter usage in tons per month, it might make sense to find a used mower.  Now, it will be easier to buy at the feed store as you need it.  Remember if you are cutting and baling you have to store it somewhere and if you don't have hayshed or barn storage it means building one.  With putting your money into fencing, a small flock just building up over the next few years, and lots of pasture, you are smart to buy your hay now. No sense rushing in too soon and overextending yourself on time or expenses.  Sounds like you are doing the right thing.  I look forward to seeing a photo of the new ram when he arrives.


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## RamahRanch (Aug 31, 2015)

Well I gave them a quick rub down with some baby oil and it totally worked. I gave them a little grain and just worked it in quick while they were eating. Next day they were clean.


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## babsbag (Aug 31, 2015)

Isn't she bright and shiny now   My horse used to get cleaned at the end of summer only unless we were going somewhere special. The sticky stuff would even rub off on the nose piece of his bridle and I would have to clean all of that stuff too. It was a painful job for a 15 year old kid.


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## RamahRanch (Oct 26, 2015)

I got a ram from half circle six ranch in Texas. Better pictures to come.


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