The main aspects of sheep breeding

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Sheep breeding is necessary in order to obtain high quality wool, as well as tasty milk and meat. Sheep breeding in the world is in special demand, in Russia it has gained particular popularity, since our winters are especially harsh, and you can save yourself from the severe frost with the help of warm sheepskin clothes.

Sheep breeding rules

Currently, sheep breeding in Russia is developing rapidly, there is a completely logical explanation for this, because this branch of animal husbandry is flexible and does not require impressive initial costs. In addition, the sheep do not need a lot of space.

If you organize sheep breeding correctly at the very beginning, you can get a fairly profitable and profitable business. We will find out what are the features of sheep breeding in Russia, how to properly organize your business, whether it is profitable to breed sheep, what is the profitability of sheep breeding at the present time. In general, let us touch upon the foundations on which the world development of sheep breeding is based.

Features of sheep breeding in Russia

Sheep breeding is a fairly widespread occupation in the world. If we consider the development of sheep breeding by country, the undoubted leader in the industry is China.

As for the development of sheep breeding in Russia, it can be done in any corner of our country, from the most extreme northern point to the south. Thus, sheep breeding in Russia is spread across all regions of the country. An obstacle can only be the fact that sheep do not tolerate dampness and high humidity, because in such conditions sheep can get sick due to weakening of immunity and a drop in resistance to disease, which negatively affects sheep breeding.

Sheep are difficult to tolerate dampness and high humidity

As mentioned earlier, no initial investment is required for the normal operation of the farm (SEC) with breeder sheep. As for the success of the business, the positive thing is that sheep wool is in demand in the Russian Federation, just like sheep cheese and meat products. Sheep ripen quickly enough, as a result, as early as 8 months, the lamb can be put into meat - this will ensure quick profit.

Here are the statistics on the development of sheep breeding by regions of the Russian Federation in the table:

How to organize feeding

For the proper organization of goat breeding and sheep breeding in the household, it is important to correctly organize the feeding of domestic animals. This will have a positive effect on the health of sheep breeding individuals on the farm, on how quickly they will gain weight, and what the quality of the wool will be. Ideally, a breeding sheep should be grazing for the maximum amount of time; fresh greens are ideal food for sheep.

Organization of sheep feeding

Sheep can be grazed for more than half of the calendar year, about 170 days a year. However, it is necessary to switch to feed from pasture carefully, introducing it gradually, so as not to provoke digestive problems. Any green area can be used as pasture in summer; almost any grass will do for sheep. However, in addition to herbal food, it is important to enrich feed with vitamins and minerals: this will have a positive effect on the health of the sheep. The dosage of such drugs should be calculated strictly according to the instructions, as well as depending on the weight of the sheep or ram.

As for winter nutrition, the main product will be oats and hay, to which the sheep farmer must add premixes and fodder. The basis is the consumption rate of about 2-3 kg of selected hay, about 1 kg of straw, as well as feed grain of at least 700 g per 1 individual. In addition, do not forget about vitamins and minerals in the complex.

What should be the place for sheep

Sheep and rams do not need excessive space - you can significantly save on the area. At the same time, this does not mean that the sheep will be so densely settled that they will not be able to move normally. An excessively tight planting will contribute to the development of many diseases, including scabies, damage by various parasites and the early spread of other pathogens of diseases.

Sheep room

The sheep breeder must create such conditions in the room that it is not damp and humid. It is also important to keep cleanliness: as it gets dirty, you need to clean out the sheepfold and completely change the flooring on the floor. Depending on how scrupulously compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules is maintained, the quality of wool will also change for the better. Also, when building a room, you need to take into account that the walls of sheep farms or households need to be periodically washed, disinfected and whitewashed, while using limestone.

How to choose a breed of sheep

Of course, the success of sheep breeding will largely depend on the breed chosen. Thus, in Russia, Belarus and other countries of the former USSR, sheep of the Romanov breed, Edilbaevskaya, Texel, Gissar, Altai, Merin, Kuibyshevskaya and Tsigayskaya are most often purchased for breeding. Argali, Arkhar and Mouflon are more related to wild rams, pedigree sheep breeding on them is rarely found.

Choosing a breed of sheep

The above breeds are in high demand, as they have excellent wool and produce excellent tasty and tender meat, which is always in demand.

What diseases are typical for sheep

Like all living organisms, sheep are susceptible to disease, so the owner must carefully monitor the slightest changes in the health of the livestock. It is possible to understand that something is wrong with a sheep or ram by the following signs:

• passivity;
• lack of appetite;
• poor appearance;
• dry mucous membranes;
• gait disturbance, etc.

The owner must monitor the health of the sheep

Among the most common factors causing painful conditions, it is customary to distinguish the following:

• inaccuracies in nutrition;
• viruses or infections;
• incorrect conditions of detention.

An unhealthy sheep loves to eat its own wool. This suggests that the animal lacks certain substances and microelements in its nutrition. If a large amount of wool is ingested in a sheep's stomach, bezoars can block the esophagus.

Little lambs often suffer from conditions such as dyspepsia.Usually it occurs in young animals due to the fact that the female carrying the offspring has not eaten properly. It is possible to suspect the development of this ailment by prolonged diarrhea and general impairment of consciousness. As a treatment, preventive hunger is used for 8-10 hours, then the animal is given a saline solution in a volume of 200 ml every 3-5 hours.

How to properly trim a sheep

In order to sell sheep's wool as expensive as possible, you need to learn how to cut it correctly. In general, there is a certain technology that is not at all difficult to learn.

How often should a sheep be sheared? It is necessary to make a haircut, depending on the breed, 1 or 2 times a year. As for young lambs, whose wool is not so coarse, they must be cut strictly once a year in the fall, the breed does not play a role here.

You need to think about a haircut when the animal has built up a sufficient amount of grease in the hairline, then the haircut process is easier, and the hair is soft and pleasant to the touch. Also, for the convenience of cutting, it is recommended not to allow grazing on the eve of the procedure in contaminated areas so that dirt does not remain on the wool. Before cutting directly, you need to remove any foreign objects from the hairline, for example, burdocks or other plant debris.

Shearing

For haircuts, special machines are used or the procedure is performed using scissors, of course, the first is considered the most convenient and fastest way. In addition to the fact that the machine saves you time, as a result of such a haircut, it is possible to get a fleece with the longest hair possible.

The pet is unlikely to be delighted with what is happening, so the sheep must be immobilized. It is recommended to put it on a surface, then bandage 3 limbs tightly. It is recommended to start a haircut from the head, then go down to the neck, abdomen and groin area. Only after that you need to proceed to trimming the sides and back, where the wool is most. The machine should be held as close to the skin as possible, but at the same time it should be moved so as not to cause pain to the animal.

Advice for novice sheep breeders states that wool obtained from the belly and legs is considered inferior, so it should be stored separately from high quality fleece.

After the procedure is over, it is necessary to dry the wool, and then beat it carefully to remove dust and other foreign elements. For easy storage and transportation, wool should be rolled into a roller, having previously collected uneven edges.

Sheep milk

In addition to meat and wool, the breeding sheep gives milk, the beneficial properties of which have been known to mankind for a long time. Among other things, it has a pleasant sweetish taste. If we compare its composition with the most common cow's milk, then sheep's milk is several times superior in all respects.

Sheep milk cannot be stored for a long time: it begins to turn sour already on the 4th day after milk production.

Sheep's milk is especially important for allergy sufferers - many refuse cow's milk in favor of sheep's milk. Sheep milk, judging by the reviews, tastes better and tastes more delicate, and products made on its basis are the same.

All of these positive properties make the product indispensable in the dairy market, as a result, the sheep breeder has the opportunity to make good money on its sale.

How to slaughter a sheep correctly

In addition to wool and milk, the sheep gives excellent meat after slaughter. In this procedure, it is important to comply with all sanitary and veterinary requirements, the main technologies and rules, this is the only way to get a truly high-quality product.

Experienced sheep breeders do not recommend feeding the sheep on the eve of slaughter. This is due to the fact that when cutting the carcass, the contents of the intestine will significantly complicate the disassembly of meat, a lot of videos and photos have been filmed about this.In addition, such a carcass is difficult to exsanguinate, and undigested food can contaminate the meat. There are no restrictions on water.

Direct slaughter of a sheep is carried out when the animal is hanged by its legs or placed on a bench. With a sharp movement of the hand, they pierce the neck of an individual with a knife near the auricle, then cut through the main blood arteries located nearby. The carcass should lie or sag in this state for at least 5-7 minutes, this is necessary in order for the blood to flow out.

How to slaughter a sheep

After that, you need to start cutting off the head, ligating the esophagus and further separating the skin. This is done correctly, starting from the abdomen, it is there that the first incision is made. After that, cuts are made on the limbs, it is from them that the process of separating the skin from the meat begins. To do this, you need to use special knives that minimize the risk of ruining the skin. After removing all the skin, it must be left alone for a while.

After 2 hours, you can start preserving the skins, while you need to decide in advance how this will be done. Currently, the most common type of conservation is considered, or, as it is also called, wet-salted.

It is important to show the sheep to the veterinarian before slaughter: this will help to make sure that the animal is completely healthy and there will be no problems with the sale of its meat.

We draw up a business plan for sheep breeding

A successful business, like any production, should start with a detailed business plan or sheep raising project, which will think through everything to the smallest detail. Usually the most popular breed of sheep - Romanovskaya - is used for the calculation. As for the premises, this is not the most expensive item, since sheep do not require a lot of space. The place for grazing should be large, because one sheep needs at least 1 hectare on average.

The next item of expenditure is the wages of workers on a farm or farm. Any work must be paid. At the rate of 300 heads, one veterinarian, one person who will milk the sheep, and a shepherd will be needed. Next, you need to take care of the places where the products are sold, and you need to immediately think about both meat and wool.

Here is an example of calculating a business plan for raising sheep, in which a farm consisting of 300 heads is taken as an example:

• Lease of land for construction - about 50 thousand rubles. in year.
• Construction of a winter sheepfold to accommodate animals, taking into account all the necessary equipment - about 80 thousand rubles.
• Salary for employees - 500 thousand rubles. in year.
• Purchase of feed for a year at cost price - 120 thousand rubles.
• Force majeure expenses - 140 thousand rubles.

In total, it turns out about 900 thousand rubles, which must be invested initially, and this is without taking into account the cost of the animal itself.

As for the income that the sheep breeder receives, the profit will consist of the following items:

• Meat production - about 500 thousand rubles. for a hundred heads.
• Sale by live weight - about 600 thousand rubles. for a hundred sheep.
• Production and sale of wool - about 120 thousand rubles.

In total, there is a profit in the conduct of sheep breeding and properly organized production of about 1.22 million rubles. Thus, a novice sheep breeder can clearly see how quickly all costs are paid off.

In conclusion, it can be said that sheep and goat breeding is a profitable and profitable business that you can do all year round.