buying sheep

[newton the goat]

Anything I need to look out in buy sheep? What should I look out for in choosing a young ram? The ones I'm going to be looking at were only born either before Christmas or a bit after. I know when looking for ewes I ask if their mothers had any birthing difficulties but not any other questions I should ask. Plus what things should I look out growth wise? What height should he be, and what weight is best?

 

[sonorabitandspur]

What breed of sheep? If buying young animals there is a little less risk in my opinion. If buying ewes and rams that are older bear in mind there could be reasons why a particular animal is for sale. And it is entirely possible they won't tell you exactly why. Lol! We bought a beautiful Suffolk ewe named Rose. She was not supposed to have been bred. She was described as having had one pair of lambs the prior year. It was sometime later she ended up with an engorged udder and one of us said, "don't suppose she is pregnant?" "Naw the guy said she was just a little over weight!" (We were newbies) The next day or it could have been a couple days I can't be sure, her udder was leaking, we milked her and saved the colostrum in the freezer. The next day we were out in the muddy pasture as she had a ram and a ewe lamb. We were thrilled at this unexpected bonus until the ewe recovered from giving birth and tried to stomp the poor lambs! So we bottle fed the lambs, and repeated the whole thing the next year, hoping she'd do better! Not a chance she was terrible. She got sold at the livestock auction right after the second lambs were weaned! With young stock ask about the health record and general questions about the parents, make your best guess and hope for the best. Concentrate on things like the animals build it's breeding and is it's size consistent with it's age.
Things like teeth are great indicators of an animals condition and it's ability to maintain it's health. This is often overlooked as it is not always easy to do.

 

[sonorabitandspur]

Lol! I distracted myself with the funny story! As my kids say, "Old people!"
Seriously though do your homework and check up on the breed you are looking at. Checkout common genetic or tendencies for disease. Spend enough time and effort to sound and look informed to the seller. Realize each time you go out to purchase animals you are going to learn new things.

 

[newton the goat]

Lol! I distracted myself with the funny story! As my kids say, "Old people!"
Seriously though do your homework and check up on the breed you are looking at. Checkout common genetic or tendencies for disease. Spend enough time and effort to sound and look informed to the seller. Realize each time you go out to purchase animals you are going to learn new things.

We are buying katahdin sheep. And I have pretty much been talking to the breeders for a few monthes. The woman who is selling me ewes says she will sell me a social grouping of mothers and daughters so we don't get any mopey sheep, both of the people I have gotten to know on a semi personal level lol! The lady with the rams regularly sends me photos of her boys, and before I met the lady with the ewes, the woman with the ram asked all the sheep farmers around her area to see if any have Katahdins ewes for sale, and has regularly been giving me pointers on how to raise the breed properly. I'm thankful I found these two ladies.we have done the weeks of research and have settled on a breed that births easily and is pretty straight forward when it comes to care.

 

[newton the goat]

Lol! I distracted myself with the funny story! As my kids say, "Old people!"
Seriously though do your homework and check up on the breed you are looking at. Checkout common genetic or tendencies for disease. Spend enough time and effort to sound and look informed to the seller. Realize each time you go out to purchase animals you are going to learn new things.

And plus we requested that one or two girls with "experience" get thrown in so we won't have too much worries with them our first time in the birthing scene. Lol, and that's why I was wondering what I should look for. She is a nice woman and I don't think she will screw us over hopefully, she knows I'm a first time owner and has also been giving me tips and such oh raising the breed. And I'm sorry to hear about your terrible time with the ewe she sounds horrible
What size should a katahdin ram be if he was born in December now?

 

[sonorabitandspur]

I am not familiar with that breed. See them for sale alot. I am glad you found decent people. When we first got our sheep we got two very good ewes and the neighbor across the road had a nice Sulffolk ram. She was very knowledgable and got us started. The problem came when we went out and bought a ewe on our own. She did give us a ram and a really nice ewe, which we kept for quite awhile. And the memories of bottle feeding four lambs are not that bad either. Milking her was another thing though.
I was just concerned you might be going it alone since there was no replies to your thread here.

 

[newton the goat]

I am not familiar with that breed. See them for sale alot. I am glad you found decent people. When we first got our sheep we got two very good ewes and the neighbor across the road had a nice Sulffolk ram. She was very knowledgable and got us started. The problem came when we went out and bought a ewe on our own. She did give us a ram and a really nice ewe, which we kept for quite awhile. And the memories of bottle feeding four lambs are not that bad either. Milking her was another thing though.
I was just concerned you might be going it alone since there was no replies to your thread here.

Lol usually when I post on here I post in the goat section so I'm new to posting here. No clue if that has anything to do with it lol but anyways thanks for all the information. We are on our way now to pick up a little ram now when we choose one I'll try and post a picture

 

[sonorabitandspur]

Great!

 

[newton the goat]

I couldn't help it his name is Gordon RAMsey

he's a good forty pounds good teeth, strong bone structure thick fleece and was the biggest of all her babies there, and is a twin which apparently is also a good thing to look for according to some people

 

[luvmypets]

He is adorable!