The Backyard Sheep: An Introductory Guide to Keeping Productive Pet Sheep

Raise a flock of sheep in your backyard. Even with a limited amount of space, you can enjoy homegrown fleece and fresh milk, as well as the endearing company of these family-friendly animals. Sue Weaver provides all the instructions you need for selecting a breed; housing and feeding; harvesting fleece; and milking. With simple recipes for making cheese and yogurt, and tips on processing fleece for wool, you'll enjoy the varied and numerous rewards of keeping sheep.

Sue Weaver and her husband share their ridgetop farmette in the Ozarks with an array of animal friends, including poultry, sheep, goats, horses, a donkey who thinks she's a horse, two llamas, a pet razorback pig, and two steers--a Jersey-Holstein and a water buffalo. Her many books include "The Backyard Cow", "The Backyard Goat, Storey's Guide to Raising Miniature Livestock, "and "The Donkey Companion."

Useful and lovable, sheep make wonderful backyard pets. Their fleece is fundamental to all sorts of fiber arts; their ultra-rich, high-fat milk produces delicious cheese; and if you raise herding dogs, sheep are a must! Sue Weaver's complete guide to raising two or twelve sheep covers everything from their place in history to their place in your backyard. The essential beginner's guide to: - Choosing a breed. Select the sheep that best suit your climate, facilities, and purpose. - Housing and feeding. You want your sheep to be comfortable, well nourished and safe. - Caring for sheep. Identify and treat illnesses and afflictions, breed your ewes, and see them safely through lambing season. - Producing beautiful fleece. Handspinner-quality fleeces don't just happen; discover how to get the best from your sheep. - Milking. Basic techniques and tips on handling your fresh milk will turn you into a pro in no time. - Making cheese. Sheep-milk cheese and yogurt are two of the finest reasons to keep sheep.

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