While lots of graziers think of cattle as their first option, raising sheep as a primary enterprise, or as part of a multi-species grazing operation could be a great alternative for graziers looking to improve their bottom line. Let’s check it out.
We’ll start with the numbers. Kris Ringwall and Jeremiah Markway do a great job of laying out the economics of raising sheep.
Could You Make Money by Adding a Ewe For Every Cow in Your Herd?
If you’d like more, check out Greg Judy’s Profitable Sheep Grazing Tips playlist covering everything that makes it work for him. Speaking of Greg, here’s a video he shared with On Pasture on how his sheep fencing works – just 1-strand!
1-Strand Sheep Fencing – How We Made It Work For Our Operation
But what does someone who’s tried it say? Here’s Brandon Fix with a two-part series on his own lessons-learned.
Trials and Tribulations of a First-Time Shepherd/Full Time Cattleman – Part 1
Finally, sheep are becoming more popular for managing vegetation in solar arrays. Erica Frenay shares the ins and outs of the solar grazing business here:
I hope that gives you some ideas to ruminate on! And if you’re looking for sheep, Greg and Jan Judy currently have St. Croix ewe, ram, and wether lambs for sale from their very parasite resistant herd, ready for pick up in August. Greg and Jan take parasite resistance very seriously. Early on they culled any animal that didn’t demonstrate parasite resistance, and though it was an extremely tough process, the results have been worth every bit of pain.
The Funnies
And sheep can be funny too!
