HOUSING AND SHELTER MANAGEMENT 
        Normally sheep do not require elaborate  housing facilities but minimum provisions will definitely increase  productivity, especially protection against inclement weather conditions (sun,  rain and winds) and predation.  Shed could  be built along the wall of the house.   Further protection could be provided with gunny bags or temporary of  removable protections made of thatching material and bamboos.  The roof of the shed should be made of the  asbestos sheet supported by tubular or angular steel, but wooden rafters and thatching  material could also be used. Exotics should be provided 0.9-1.1 m2  and native and crossbred sheep 0.8-0.9m2 space per head.  Shed measuring 18 m x 6 m can accommodate  about 120 sheep.  A chain link fencing or  thorny bush enclosure of 12 m x 6 m can be provided for night paddocking of  sheep on each side of the shed. 
          
        Classing and Culling 
        Classing and culling of sheep are very  important for the development of a good flock.   It helps to remove undesirable animals and breeding from those which are  most approximating the ideal sheep.   About 10-20 per cent culling should be practiced annually to develop a  good flock.  The flock size should be  maintained by replacing culled ewes by ewe lambs born in the flock. 
        Maintenance of  Records 
          It is very essential to  maintain the necessary records at an organized (experimental or commercial)  sheep farm to know about the inputs and outputs.This helps in working out  the economy of sheep production per unit of area and per animal. The  following records should be maintained: livestock strength, breeding, lambing,  shearing and wool production, mortality, purchase of animal feeds, medicines  and equipments, and sale of animals and wool. 
        Identification 
         The shepherds commonly practice notching  or punching holes in the ears for identification of lambs.  Tattooing is also satisfactory but is more  expensive.  Metal or plastic ear-tags  with stamped letters and numbers are most suitable although they are relatively  expensive and heavy for the ears of the smaller native sheep.  These ears tags are applied with the help of  a clincher. 
        Castration       
        Surplus males are castrated to check  indiscriminate mating but market demand most often favours the intact  male.  Castration is usually done by  using knife, burdizzo castrator or elastrator.   The elastrator method is the best as it is painless and bloodless.  It involves placing of a tight rubber band  around the root of the scrotum with the testicles below.  The scrotum with enclosed testicles atrophy  and slough off. 
        Dipping 
        To control the ectoparasites the sheep  should be dipped a few weeks after shearing when they have grown  sufficient new wool to hold the chemical  substance.  There are standard designs  for sheep dips and there are many products effective against  ectoparasites.  A foot bath may also be  provided at the entrance of the farm to prevent the spread of contagious  diseases like foot-and-mouth disease and foot rot. 
        Shearing 
Shearing is done mechanically either with  clippers, a pair of scissors or by power-operated machines depending upon the  size of operations. Most flocks are usually shorn twice a year, i.e.  March-April after the winter and September-October after the rains. In some  states like Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan sheep are shorn thrice a year.  
      (Source: Dr.Acharya,  Handbook of Animal Husbandry)  |