This document outlines the typical yearly cycle for raising sheep, beginning with breeding season in October and ending when the cycle repeats the following October. Key points include: rams are added in October to breed ewes; lambing occurs in March after a 152-day gestation; newborn lambs are jugged with their mothers and receive care; lambs are weaned at around 90 days old; ewes recover over summer before the breeding season starts again in the fall.

1. Raising ‘em
Charlie Sasscer
UME- Prince George’s County
Photo credits: Susan Schoenian

2. 735,000
570,000
425,000
340,000
285,000
250,000
230,000
200,000
165,000
151,000
<24,000

3. Breeding Season
Gestation
Lambs with Ewes
Recovery
Sheep Year

4. Breeding Season
Rams are added in with ewes in the
middle of October
Sheep are short day breeders
Fertility is high in the fall
Estrus cycle lasts an average of 17 days
Most ewes will conceive in the first
cycle
Rams rotated out after the second
cycle to cover any open ewes

5. Fall grazing and winter housing

6. Supplementation and Vaccination
 In late-February, grain is added
to the hay diet
 Supports fetus and mammary
development
 4 weeks prior to lambing, ewes
receive clostridium perfringins
type C and D (overeating
disease) and tetanus vaccine

7. Pre-lambing shearing or crutching
 Drier, cleaner environment for
lambs
 Increase lamb birth weight
 Improve fleece quality
 Better access to feeders
 Greater housing density =
warmer housing
 Easier access to teats

8. Lambing
 152 day gestation
 Middle of March
 First time ewes lamb 3 weeks later
 Ewes lamb in larger pen or out on
pasture
 Strive for little to no assistance
 Twins or triplets desired

9. Jugging
 Born lambs are put into a 5x5 pen
called a jug
 Navel cords shortened, dipped in
disinfectant
 Lambs and ewe bond
 Weighed and ear tagged
 Records taken: DOB, sex, weight, tag
number
 Tail docking and castration
 1-3 day stay at the Jug-Inn

10. Comingling
 4 ewes and their lambs are mixed in a
larger pen.
 Lambs learn how to recognize their
mothers
 1-2 weeks later, ewes and lamb groups
are combined
 Ewes with triplets are penned separately
for additional supplementation

11. Creep feeding
Soybean meal
Cracked corn
Fresh water
High quality hay
Minerals

12. Spring turn-out

13. Lamb vaccination and pre-weaning health
 6-8 weeks of age
 Clostridium perfringins type C & D
(overeating disease) and clostridium
tetani (tetanus)
 Booster 4 weeks later
 Coccidia treatment
 Tapeworm treatment

14. Weaning
 90 days old
 Weights taken
 Ewes moved to different pen to be
fed for drying off
 Ram lambs separated from ewe
lambs by 3-4 months of age

15. Stocker lambs
 Lambs grazed with optional grain
supplementation until they reach
desired weight or market

16. Ewe recovery
 Graze grass to retain condition
 Mineral only supplementation
 Cull ewes with poor reproductive performance
 Replacement ewes bred at about 7 months or
2/3rd of mature size (approximately 100 lbs)
 Raised in separate group
 Breeding season begins again in mid-October

17. Feeder lambs

18. Questions?