Sheep Flock Management

Manitoba is ideal for the development of a sheep enterprise. Despite the increased productions costs due to higher feed prices the land in Manitoba is affordable, climate is clean and dry with plentiful forages suitable for sheep. Sheep as a value added enterprise to grain farming is a perfect fit being an efficient converter of forages and grains into meat and mi There are tremendous local as well as national opportunities in sheep products including meat, milk and wool.   Aggressive immigration policies are attracting more and more immigrants to the province that is opening up doors for sheep industry. Manitoba is home of the largest sheep feedlot in Canada with several smaller feeding operations providing opportunities for the sale of feeder lambs, and several auction marts hold monthly sheep and lamb as well. For those wishing to develop a private market for freezer ready lamb several provincially inspected abattoirs exist for the custom slaughter of lambs. The average size of the Manitoba farm flock is just under 100 ewes, representing an additional enterprise in a mixed operation or as an enterprise in conjunction with an off-farm occupation. Many operations in the 200-500 ewe flock exist along with several much larger operations. Both extensive range type operations as well as one highly intensive operation exist in Manitoba.

Breed Characteristics Evaluating Farm Resources and Sheep Production Systems                        Getting started in sheep Management and Record Keeping (pdf) Sheep Pocket Guide NDSU
	Accelerated Lambing Cornell University Sheep Program Reproductive Problems in Rams Using Rams Lambs for Breeding Breeding Soundness Examination of Rams  (pdf)  Breeding Soundness in Rams... How to do it and interpret it  (pdf) Epidydimitis   A Breeding Program for Fall Lambing Avoiding Lambing Season Problems

Genetic Evaluation of the Flock

• Home Test Sheep Genetic Program - GENOVIS
• Ovissey
• Ontario Suffolk Sire Reference Association
• LAMBPLAN Australia
• Merino Superior Sire Reference System

Artificial Insemination, Embryo Transfer

• SR Small Ruminant Genetics Training AI /Et Semen, Links 

For Information, Contact:

Mamoon Rashid
Business Development Specialist - Sheep/Goat
Livestock Knowledge Centre
545 University Crescent
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5S6
Phone: 204-945-7557
Fax: 204-945-4327