Raising Sheep

[Burly Brute]

In spite of my best efforts to ignore this thread it seems that my low profile was, well not low enough!

Well alright there was a time when I had several thousand of the wretched beasts wandering about the place looking for places to die. I fortunately had people to look after them so I had as little to do with the damn things as possible and the wee bit that I did have to do with them----the accounts----did not add to any enthusiasm that I might have had for them!

Having said that, what do you want to know?

I have done a ton of research, but I guess my biggest question was in regards to raising maybe smaller flocks than 1000 haha because there isnt enough land in Arizona for that! I was leaning more towards seedstock sheep, as that seems to allow for the smallest flock to still receive a profit. Is it possible for a person who has no experience with sheep specificall, and if you need to have a ton of funds to generate this whole project. Thanks for giving in and responding ;-) haha.

slainte,

Zach

[auld argonian]

When I was a kid, I saw an alpaca at the zoo and it made a very strong impression on me.

Last year I started looking around the internet - just for a laugh - to see what it took to get an alpaca....holy $#!+!!!! Those things are expensive!

Thus died my childhood dream of becoming a big time alpaca rancher!

Best

AA

[Bugbear]

When I was a kid, I saw an alpaca at the zoo and it made a very strong impression on me.

Last year I started looking around the internet - just for a laugh - to see what it took to get an alpaca....holy $#!+!!!! Those things are expensive!

Thus died my childhood dream of becoming a big time alpaca rancher!

Best

AA

They've got several alpaca and llama ranches out here in Arizona; you could become a hand.

There's also ostrich ranches etc.

[piperdbh]

I'm getting the feeling that you people don't like sheep.

[Whidbey78]

We had sheep when I was little kid. I remember my Grandfather thelling my Dad that he was going about it all wrong. He said that you have to keep them in round pastures and round pens. That way they can't find a corner where they can curl up and die. I think he was right.

I like sheep just fine...when it's cooked and on a plate.

[MacMillans son]

I have done a ton of research, but I guess my biggest question was in regards to raising maybe smaller flocks than 1000 haha because there isnt enough land in Arizona for that! I was leaning more towards seedstock sheep, as that seems to allow for the smallest flock to still receive a profit. Is it possible for a person who has no experience with sheep specificall, and if you need to have a ton of funds to generate this whole project. Thanks for giving in and responding ;-) haha.

slainte,

Zach

Well Burly Brute, if I'm not mistaken your neighbors there on the Navajo Nation have a long and distinguished history of raising and tending sheep. They may be a great local resource for you.

Good luck in your quest

[Bugbear]

Hmmm, bighorn sheep...

I'll have to go read up on them.

[Riverkilt]

For sure on the Navajo sheep. They don't much raise them though. Just turn them out to graze and wander and sheep dogs herd them well. Little human interaction needed.

The Basques around Flagstaff also run a lot of sheep. If I remember correctly they used to herd them back and forth between Flagstaff and the Valley - weather depending. Think the bridge at Sheep's Crossing on the Verde was built for such treks.

Saw a Navajo girl at the Gathering of Nations wearing a t-shirt that read, "Mary had a little lamb - but her grandmother butchered it."

I never drank Coors beer after watching the commercials touting the rocky mountain waters they used to make their beer. Whenever I was up in the high country in Colorado there'd be sheep standing in the creeks doing you know what.

If you watch the Flagstaff newspaper's classified section as Spring approaches you'll see ads looking to hire sheepherders to live in the remote high country.
Lots of sheep in Arizona - but you gotta look North.

[Duke of Delrio]

Speaking ONLY from personal experience, I can say that sheep have never had an original idea . . . or a good one for that matter. That to oneside, I can also say that Arizona is a good place for sheep. It's far enough away to be, perhaps, the perfect place for them. I wish you luck.

[Oddern]

We have lots of sheep here in Norway. We also have a few wolves, and sometimes they attack, killing and mutilate the sheep. We have a heated debate in Norway about having wolves in our fauna or not. I am stongly opposed to eradicate the wolf because there are alternatives to protect the sheep. I've read that in the United States and Canada they used the llama to protect sheep against predatores.
Taken from Wikipedia:
"Guard llamas may defend against predators in many ways. Llamas are instinctively alert and aware of their surroundings, and may draw attention to an intruder by making a startling alarm call. They may walk or run toward an intruder, and chase, paw at, or kick it. Some llamas may herd the animals they are guarding into a tight group or lead them away from danger and into their spot where they may feel the safest. Others may stand apart from the group and watch the intruder. Although llamas have been known to kill predators (such as coyotes), they should not be considered attack animals. They are generally effective against single intruders only, not packs. In the US, guard llamas have been most common in ranches located in western regions, where larger predators such as the coyote have been more prevalent.
Most research on the effectiveness of guard llamas has been done with sheep. A 1990 study by Iowa State University found that 80 percent of sheep producers with guard llamas rated them as effective or very effective. The study found that average rates of loss to predators fell from 21 to 7 percent after the introduction of a guard llama. In other studies, over half of guard llamas completely eliminated losses due to predators. Dogs and coyotes have been injured and even killed by llamas."

Skål!