The Sheep Show podcast

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Sheep are prey animals and prey animals have a flight zone. The flight zone of an animal is the area surrounding an animal that if encroached upon by a potential predator or threat, including humans, will cause alarm and escape behavior. We can use this to manage, move or muster sheep in a safe way in a paddock or in yards. https://www.grandin.com/behaviour/principles/flight.zone.html Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Subscriber-only episode Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! All the behind the scenes info on pregnancy scanning and muscle scanning - how I found out my sheep have IMF (intra muscular fat!) and how I have increased my ewe to lamb percentage by nearly 50%!!! Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! What is sheep scanning, why do it and what do I use the data for? I've been scanning sheep two ways this week - here is why i do it! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! What are the differences and similarities with farming sheep in Australia and Ireland? In this episode we chat again with Andrew, my brother about his time in Australia and what he has noticed while being on several sheep enterprises while here. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! A bittersweet time for me in Ireland over the last 5 weeks. Here are all the tips and unusual strategies we used while lambing in Ireland with my brother. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Focus on Forelimbs Forelimbs, front legs or shoulders in a sheep actually hold up to 60 per cent of the weight of a sheep! I chatted with Matt Hill from Aurora Park Hampshire Downs and Border Leicester stud recently to explore all things fore in sheep! How important are shoulders? Matt remarks that there is more pressure on the front legs as they hold up more of the animal overall. Shoulders are important for three crucial functions. These are: standing up, walking and running. As a prey animal their shoulder function is built to run away from predators—like running away from us when we walk into their paddocks sometimes! Their shoulder function is built to run and run fast! Matt Hill is a third-generation sheep farmer and stud breeder. Matt actually breeds seven breeds of sheep, three breeds being registered ASSBA stud sheep! Matt is a prolific collector and reader of sheep books and a big podcast consumer too. Matt runs Aurora Park Hampshire Down and Border Leicester stud. He also has a Shropshire stud too! Matt also runs Shepherd Tech, a Laparoscopic AI services business specialising in AI in Sheep. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! We will all have to deal with the death of a sheep maybe from natural causes like old age or you may even need to euthanise an animal. What are the options so you treat the animal in a moral and ethical way at the end of their life. What do you do with their body. In this episode we explore some options for you to think about. Do know that there may be legal requirements that you need to follow for this in your location or state. Here is a US link which has lots of other links which may help you: https://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/mortality.htm Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! So what is the natural grazing behaviour of sheep and how does it compare to a goat or cow. When should my sheep be feeding/eating and for how long? No doubt there are all thoughts you have had while ruminating on your sheep! Well in this episode I explore my own observations and research on the topic of sheep grazing behaviour. Enjoy ruminating on this one! Here are the big words I mentioned: Crepuscular pattern - grazing at twilight and dusk Photosynthetic activity in plants in then afternoon Research mentioned: www.redalyc.org/journal/3031/303168054026/html/ Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Can a single born ram produce twins? Who makes that biggest difference the ewe or the ram? In the episode we explore who is more important in the twinning game! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Did you know that 95% of parasites are on pasture and only about 5% are within the sheep. This means parasite larvae numbers present in the pasture are an important factor to consider for worm management. So how do you manage worms on your farm and in your fields, we explore several approaches in this episode for you. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Want to know what drench to use and when to drench, this episode will help you explore the different types of drenches and understand more about when to use drenches on your sheep. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Subscriber-only episode Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! We talk a lot about the final trimester and how important it is when we are breeding sheep but the second trimester is also a very crucial trimester to understand. In this subscriber only episode we explore what happens in this trimester and what to do to support your ewes during the second trimester. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! The biggest threat to sheep and lambs - parasites! The biggest issue we have with parasites comes from Barber's Pole Worm or Haemonchus Contortus. In this episode we explore the worm, what it does, how it is different and how to win in the fight against it. We also explore some new learnings I've had this season about our foe Barber's Pole Worm. I hope this helps you sheep well for the season to come! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! What is flushing, how to do it and why do it - in this episode we explore all of these questions to help you prepare for joining 2024 no matter when your joining/mating season happens! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Subscriber-only episode Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! We know sheeping and farming can be stressful so here are some things I plan to help me reduce the mental load so I can sheep well throughout the year! Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! A common question and something to think about is what is the difference between grass and grain fed lamb both for us as producers and also for us as consumers. Scientists who compared grass fed lamb meat with grain fed lamb meat in a feedlot found that: Lambs grazing in pasture had 14% less fat and about 8 % more protein compared to grain-fed lamb. Grass fed lamb meat is also an excellent source of vitamin B-12, niacin, zinc, and a good source of iron. In this episode we explore the key concepts to help you make decisions that work best for you. More research https://regenfarms.com.au/blog/grass-fed-beef-and-lamb-vs-grain-fed-whats-the-difference#:~:text=Similar%20to%20the%20above%2C%20scientists%20who%20compared%20grass,niacin%2C%20zinc%2C%20and%20a%20good%20source%20of%20iron. Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! sSo no doubt you are in wind down mode for the year and it is a good time to reflect on all things sheep! What did you do well or what went well in 2023 and what are the takeaways from the year and area to improve for 2024. In this episode I share with you my five lessons from sheeping in 2023. Enjoy! See you in 2024! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Subscriber-only episode Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! I've been lucky enough to have two experts on feeding sheep come to my farm and give me some advice. Here is what we talked about and what actions I have taken and what results I have had so far! Get ready to be amazed!! Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! So what do you buy that sheep person who has everything.... something sheep related of course!! With sales in the air, birthdays, holiday and festive shopping to think about, here are some ideas on sheep presents that could just hit the sheep spot for you or for that sheep crazy person in your life. I've also included some DIY sheep related gifts that you can make yourself and give to people as presents! So happy sheep shopping! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! So a huge question I get asked is should I go stud with my sheep? The question really relates to your WHY, why are you doing this!? Go beyond making money and breeding great sheep - what are you really wanting to achieve with your sheep, what do you really want to focus on with your sheep. There are so many reasons why we do what we do and yours will be yours so spend time working that out and that will help you make YOUR choice! While you are pondering your answer this episode will help you understand the pros and cons or going stud or staying commercial. Either way.... sheep well!! Support the Show. Want more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab ! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new