Purdue University Agricultural Extension Service
Mimeo AH-82 May 1952 August 1952 (5M)
The Sheep Man’s Calendar
A sheep is fundamentally a pasture animal. The better the pastures, usually the more successful the sheep enterprise.
A sheep man’s aim should be to produce market topping lambs weighing from 80 to 100 pounds at four to five months of age using a maximum of pasture and roughage and a minimum of grain.
Management Suggestions Fall
1.	Sell all lambs weighing 80-100 pounds, except those being saved for breeding purposes, by August first. Wean the late, small lambs. Shear them, treat for internal parasites and fatten them to the heaviest acceptable market weights.
2. Tag ewes, trim their feet, shear their heads if necessary and put the over-fat ewes on short pasture. Give the ewes a rest and start them out at the breeding season in a similar condition.
3.	Drench the ewes a month before the ram is turned with them or wait until after they are bred.
4.	Select rams that are vigorous and heavily muscled. Shear them before September 1. Trim their feet. Do everything to make them as vigorous as possible during the breeding season. They should not be over-fat.
5« Ewes should be bred from Sept. 1 to rfov. 15 for January, February and March lambs.
6.	Watch the ewes. If they are not settled with lamb in 60 days, obtain additional rams.
7.	A good mineral mixture consists of two parts special steamed bone meal to one part of trace mineral salt. Extra salt should be provided. This should be used the year around.
8.	Seed 1-J to 2 bu. of balbo rye in legume sod without working the ground during August or early in September. This is a good time to top dress the pastures with commercial fertilizer.
Winter
1.	Provide as much good winter pasture as possible. Balbo rye sown during August or early in September or bluegrass that has not been pastured during the summer and fall is very good.
2.	Keep the ewes outside or in open sheds. They require plenty of fresh air.