Sheep School
Thursday, June 18, 2009
10:00 – 3:00 pm
Location: the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536. We will meet in the sheep barn.
Cost: $35 registration fee includes lunch and resource materials.
In this sheep field school, you will learn the basics of raising sheep for wool or meat. The training will be divided into both classroom and practical skills components.
The morning classroom training will cover information on:
- pasture management and rotational grazing,
- biosecurity practices,
- parasite management,
- genetics and breeding systems,
- winter feeding and nutrition, and
- marketing both meat and wool.
The afternoon practical skills training will cover:
- "sheep tipping" for health examinations,
- hoof trimming,
- administering vaccinations,
- parasite evaluation, including using FAMACHA,
- shearing considerations,
- herding/guard animals,
- fencing management, and
- other practical skills.
To participate in the training, please complete the registration form (pdf) and return to the New Entry Lowell office by mail, fax, or email to: nesfp@tufts.edu
Sheep Resources:
ATTRA’s Livestock Resources website has several great articles on sustainable sheep production and parasite management.
The University of Maryland has a comprehensive resource list of sheep production information and links throughout the US and it is sorted by region.
The University of Minnesota Extension, Sheep Page contains links to enterprise budgets, management worksheets, parasite information, marketing resources, and more.
For sheep fencing supplies, visit Premier 1 Fence Company.
The Massachusetts Federation of Sheep Breeders is another resource to find mentors, continuing educational workshops, and they sponsor an annual Sheep and Woolcraft Fair.