Know Your Vet

During lambing season we are guaranteed to run into a problem or two, and it seems like no two years are ever the same. While sheep forums are wonderful for gaining knowledge and helping shepherds in tight spots, a new shepherd should first have a relationship with a veterinarian when starting out.  I understand the high cost associated with a vet making a call to your farm; it is the same for us because of the distance, but once that relationship is established and when you need urgent advise, a phone call is faster than a discussion board.

Do some research and find a vet who has a background in small ruminant animals and give them a call, and ask them to come to your farm and do an overall general inspection of your flock. When we started our vet came out and inspected our flock, did an utter check before breeding, and provided us with some really good information about a commercial sheep operation. Now if I have a question or need a prescription drug, I can call him and discuss the matter without the need of visit. Certainly you’ll need to have your facts before you call.  But with good reference books, your call will go a long way. Once you have a few seasons under your belt online sheep forums will become more valuable because you've built a better shepherding foundation with a dependable veterinarian.

For new shepherds, have a critical eye for the newbie or the hobby farmer who gives advise on these forums. Generally you’ll find they tend to provide bad information that can result in the death of the animal. I can say that in ten years of raising sheep commercially I tend to steer clear from offering veterinary advice. While there are simple aliments you can spot straight away, sometimes things are more complicated and ones advise can do more harm than good.

In the end if you are starting an actual sheep business, get yourself a veterinarian who'll help you set up a good foundation from the start. You will reap the cost savings and have a much healthier flock in the long term.