If you are thinking about running sheep or already have an established flock or work commercially with sheep then its important that you have the skills and knowledge to do so properly. This online sheep husbandry course will teach you everything you need to learn about sheep, such as the different breeds, how to select a suitable sheep for breeding, how to properly manage their health, how to handle wool, and more.
Improve your sheep management skills
Sheep have historically been one of Australia’s most important agricultural resources. In this course you will learn how to management aspects of sheep husbandry such as health and disease management, sheep nutrition and feeding, breeding, wool, lamb care, marketing and much more.
tutored by practising Australian vets
100 hours self paced study
affordable price
suitable for anyone involved with sheep care.
Course Aims
Select appropriate breeds of sheep for different purposes.
Select sheep to be used for different production purposes.
Explain the techniques used in sheep commercial breeding.
Explain the procedures used in managing the health of sheep (Nutrition)
Explain the procedures used in managing the health of sheep (Diseases)
Explain the techniques used in the management of a commercial flock of sheep.
To describe practices related to caring for lambs.
Explain the processes involved in handling wool after shearing.
Explain the techniques used in managing the marketing of sheep and sheep products.
Course Outline
There are 8 lessons in this course:
Introduction; Terminology and Breeds
Factors affecting the choice of breed
Product and Market
Rearing and Management System
Overview of Sheep Breeds
Sheep Terminology
Selection and Breeding
Growth Rate
Reproductive Efficiency
Carcass quality
Wool traits
Culling old ewes
Selecting replacement ewes
Selecting replacement rams
Commercial Sheep Production
Choosing a lambing time
Autumn lambing
Spring lambing
Accelerated lambing
Managing ewes prior to mating
Using hormones to control reproduction
Joining methods
Anatomy of ewe reproductive organs
Anatomy of ram reproductive organs
Ultrasound
Signs of lambing
Nutrition of Sheep
Anatomy
Condition scoring
When to condition score
Factors affecting feed requirements
Feeding rams
Feeding ewes
Feeding lambs and fatteners
Nutrition and wool production
Diseases of Sheep
Viral and rickettsial diseases
Bacterial diseases
Metabolic diseases
Protozoal diseases
Poisoning
Vaccination
The medicine chest
Giving injections
Disease prevention through sound management
General Management of a Commercial Flock
Handling and treatment facilities
Drenching
Injecting
Hoof Trimming
Shearing
Tail docking
Castration
Blowfly strike
Care of the Lamb
Abnormal Presentation
Presentation: One front leg back
Presentation: Both front legs back
Presentation: Hind legs first
Presentation: Head back, both front feet forward
Presentation: Breech or tail first
Presentation: Twin lambs presented together
Post lambing care
Drenching
Rearing orphan lambs
Lambing records
Managing the fattening lamb
Feeding
Lamb marking
Wool
Characteristics of wool
Types of wool
Wool classing
Wool processing
Factors influencing the estimation of yield
Piece Picking
Wool Scouring
Carding
The Marketing of Sheep and Sheep Products
Wool sales
Sale by private treaty
The auction system
Wool futures
Industry regulatory and marketing authorities
Lamb and mutton marketing: Paddock sale, Saleyard auction, Over-the-hook sale
Electronic Marketing, Live Sheep exports, Forward price contracts
Factors affecting the value of lamb or mutton: Carcass weight, Skin value, Payment basis (hot or cold weight) etc
Activities in this course:
Collect information about different sheep breeds which are being farmed or could be successfully farmed in your region.
Compare the different characteristics of sheep breeds in terms of appearance, hardiness, commercial potential.
Select breeds for three different purposes, including wool production and meat production, in your locality.
Inspect at least two sheep, ideally, from separate flocks, and determine their age by looking in their mouths.
Define the following different sheep breeding terms: Oestrus, Gestation, Weaning, Flushing, Wet ewes, Teasers.
Design a “breeding record form” which includes all necessary factors.
List criteria to be used for selecting sheep for different purposes, including for replacement and for slaughter.
Develop a standard form, which considers both meat and wool, to use for judging sheep.
Talk to at least two experienced sheep farmers about “condition scoring” of sheep.
Compare the differences in food required by different types of sheep, including: rams; breeding ewes at different stages of pregnancy; sheep being fattened for meat.
Prepare a collection of ten pasture plant species from at least two different sheep properties and comment on the suitability of the pasture for sheep.
Distinguish between the different categories of sheep health problems, including: viral, bacterial, metabolic, protozoal, poisoning, parasites.
Describe how to perform different pest and disease control tasks, including: drenching, injecting, hoof trimming, docking.
If you are thinking about running sheep or already have an established flock or work commercially with sheep then its important that you have the skills and knowledge to do so properly. This online sheep husbandry course will teach you everything you need to learn about sheep, such as the different breeds, how to select a suitable sheep for breeding, how to properly manage their health, how to handle wool, and more.
Improve your sheep management skills
Sheep have historically been one of Australia’s most important agricultural resources. In this course you will learn how to management aspects of sheep husbandry such as health and disease management, sheep nutrition and feeding, breeding, wool, lamb care, marketing and much more.
tutored by practising Australian vets
100 hours self paced study
affordable price
suitable for anyone involved with sheep care.
Course Aims
Select appropriate breeds of sheep for different purposes.
Select sheep to be used for different production purposes.
Explain the techniques used in sheep commercial breeding.
Explain the procedures used in managing the health of sheep (Nutrition)
Explain the procedures used in managing the health of sheep (Diseases)
Explain the techniques used in the management of a commercial flock of sheep.
To describe practices related to caring for lambs.
Explain the processes involved in handling wool after shearing.
Explain the techniques used in managing the marketing of sheep and sheep products.
Course Outline
There are 8 lessons in this course:
Introduction; Terminology and Breeds
Factors affecting the choice of breed
Product and Market
Rearing and Management System
Overview of Sheep Breeds
Sheep Terminology
Selection and Breeding
Growth Rate
Reproductive Efficiency
Carcass quality
Wool traits
Culling old ewes
Selecting replacement ewes
Selecting replacement rams
Commercial Sheep Production
Choosing a lambing time
Autumn lambing
Spring lambing
Accelerated lambing
Managing ewes prior to mating
Using hormones to control reproduction
Joining methods
Anatomy of ewe reproductive organs
Anatomy of ram reproductive organs
Ultrasound
Signs of lambing
Nutrition of Sheep
Anatomy
Condition scoring
When to condition score
Factors affecting feed requirements
Feeding rams
Feeding ewes
Feeding lambs and fatteners
Nutrition and wool production
Diseases of Sheep
Viral and rickettsial diseases
Bacterial diseases
Metabolic diseases
Protozoal diseases
Poisoning
Vaccination
The medicine chest
Giving injections
Disease prevention through sound management
General Management of a Commercial Flock
Handling and treatment facilities
Drenching
Injecting
Hoof Trimming
Shearing
Tail docking
Castration
Blowfly strike
Care of the Lamb
Abnormal Presentation
Presentation: One front leg back
Presentation: Both front legs back
Presentation: Hind legs first
Presentation: Head back, both front feet forward
Presentation: Breech or tail first
Presentation: Twin lambs presented together
Post lambing care
Drenching
Rearing orphan lambs
Lambing records
Managing the fattening lamb
Feeding
Lamb marking
Wool
Characteristics of wool
Types of wool
Wool classing
Wool processing
Factors influencing the estimation of yield
Piece Picking
Wool Scouring
Carding
The Marketing of Sheep and Sheep Products
Wool sales
Sale by private treaty
The auction system
Wool futures
Industry regulatory and marketing authorities
Lamb and mutton marketing: Paddock sale, Saleyard auction, Over-the-hook sale
Electronic Marketing, Live Sheep exports, Forward price contracts
Factors affecting the value of lamb or mutton: Carcass weight, Skin value, Payment basis (hot or cold weight) etc
Activities in this course:
Collect information about different sheep breeds which are being farmed or could be successfully farmed in your region.
Compare the different characteristics of sheep breeds in terms of appearance, hardiness, commercial potential.
Select breeds for three different purposes, including wool production and meat production, in your locality.
Inspect at least two sheep, ideally, from separate flocks, and determine their age by looking in their mouths.
Define the following different sheep breeding terms: Oestrus, Gestation, Weaning, Flushing, Wet ewes, Teasers.
Design a “breeding record form” which includes all necessary factors.
List criteria to be used for selecting sheep for different purposes, including for replacement and for slaughter.
Develop a standard form, which considers both meat and wool, to use for judging sheep.
Talk to at least two experienced sheep farmers about “condition scoring” of sheep.
Compare the differences in food required by different types of sheep, including: rams; breeding ewes at different stages of pregnancy; sheep being fattened for meat.
Prepare a collection of ten pasture plant species from at least two different sheep properties and comment on the suitability of the pasture for sheep.
Distinguish between the different categories of sheep health problems, including: viral, bacterial, metabolic, protozoal, poisoning, parasites.
Describe how to perform different pest and disease control tasks, including: drenching, injecting, hoof trimming, docking.
