Welcoming our new flock of sheep

never thought I'd literally be counting sheep before bed

Well, if you are one of the cars that frequently pass our ranch & corral on our county road, you would have seen that we have quite a few new additions to the ranch! We recently invested in a nice flock of sheep. I figured I’d dedicate an entire post to them as they continue to impress me as our first official foray into livestock, other than my horse and chickens. Prepare yourselves for a brain dump on all things sheep.

We went back and forth on what type of livestock to go with on our property, between cattle and sheep. We have 16 acres, and from what we have seen so far, decent grass in the pastures. In fact, one pasture is mostly brome grass and, without irrigation, could probably be a 2- or 3-cut hay pasture if we wanted. That is pretty nice to have in Colorado, and we could definitely use help managing the growth! We really like the idea of cattle, but being new to this, we decided a smaller animal on our sized property would be the most efficient.

Speaking of efficiency, that is really what our goal revolves around when it comes to managing a flock of sheep. Efficiency and resiliency. Livestock management is much different than owning pets because, in many cases, you need the livestock to work well for you without too much input or interference. You want them to help you with the land. There are often quite a few different management styles and levels of input to consider. There are also a lot of hard decisions and “do it yourself” situations to figure out. We’ve only had this flock since the beginning of May (1.5 months ago), and we’ve already learned so much, but this is just the beginning of the lessons learned. By the way, learning new things as an adult is incredibly fun! I really enjoy the family and friends who ask lots of questions and find it fascinating, too. I think my brain elasticity is 10x better from this year alone.

Sheep fall into two categories when it comes to deciding what you want: wool vs. hair sheep. Wool sheep are the classic example of sheep and need to be sheared twice a year, benefiting someone interested in fiber production. Wool sheep can also be used for meat production, but depending on the breed, wool sheep can be a bit “gamey”. Hair sheep are for meat production because, unlike wool sheep, the hair sheep naturally shed out their “woolly” coats seasonally, which means no shearing is required. Their winter coats are a mix of wool and hair and are not suitable for any fiber production. Some sheep breeds can be a triple-use animal and produce wool, meat, and even dairy.

We ultimately decided that we weren’t quite ready or interested in a wool breed at this time. Although if I were going to dabble in it after we get the hang of the hair sheep, I’d choose the Icelandic wool sheep breed. A pretty historic breed that the Vikings used. If you like the information about the breed we chose that I talk about below, give the Icelandic breed a Google search. Really, the decision came down to our time management and the purpose of the sheep, which is to maintain our land, rather than the need for any fiber production.

After exhaustive research, the hair sheep breed we decided to go with is called a Dorper sheep. Dorper sheep evolved in South Africa and have become one of the most efficient and tastiest meat sheep breeds, often being called the “Angus of the sheep world”. They have a high-yield carcass, and because they evolved in a desert setting, they are very adaptable to the high desert of Colorado. They have a notorious black head with the rest of the body being white. Additionally, I really liked that they have breed standards that can be adhered to with information on how to type (classify) your flock and keep a strict breeding program that maintains the breed standard. Type 5 is an elite classification, and Type 1 is typically an animal you should cull from your flock.

I often read and hear about farms with Dorper sheep talking about how they adhere to the Dorper breed standard and have a lot of pride in doing so, but it is less prevalent to understand why adhering to the breed standard is important. In my opinion, there are other breeds of sheep that don’t have as robust of breed standards, but as a new shepherd, having this information was a big selling factor for me because I can judge our livestock management based on the criteria available. But again, WHY adhere at all? It comes back to efficiency and resiliency – the main goals of livestock management and, more generally, ranch management.

For this type of sheep, their ability to adapt and be hardy is dependent on their genetics because any faults would limit their ability to thrive. A lot of the breed standard comes down to conformation, and it is so important when you consider how a sheep uses their body. Each sheep is a powerhouse for converting grass into product. They need to be able to do that to the best of their abilities, and as ranchers, we want each of those converters to be at maximum output. That means, we can’t afford off-characteristic builds like a jaw that doesn’t allow for efficient grass grazing (parrot mouth), any limb turned in or wonky with the legs/hoofs that can cause injury navigating across a bumpy pasture, bodies that don’t grow meat right (like a small brisket area, you want to choose stock that fills in nicely), and even hair standards matter. You want stock that sheds out nicely each spring without interference or help. There’s a lot more, like hip width, head shape, etc., that all contribute to good genes being passed down. So, being armed with this very specific information helps a rancher build and grow their ideal flock. This is why they say when you’re starting a new foundation of livestock to “buy the best stock you can afford”. I kept hearing that, and I was like “yeah, but the auction down the road is way cheaper”. There is definitely a reason for that. Most auction animals are the culls. You’re most likely picking up someone else’s problem when it comes to sheep. Buying good stock from the start actually saves you money in the long run because you aren’t spending cash fixing what’s wrong, and the vet can be expensive! Secondly, buying good stock already puts you well on your way to efficiency, and you don’t need to fix conformity issues through each generation.

Even further, this is why a lot of ranchers care so much about the ram they use because 50% of the genetics of your flock are determined by a single animal. So it is important to pick a ram that meets your flock’s standards and future uses. I assume a lot of this applies to cattle, too. And since we are talking about generations, there are even considerations on breeds and picking ewes that produce high-yielding offspring. Ewes that have a high twinning rate are amazing for any operation because of the efficiency of a single pregnancy yielding multiple lambs. There are many breeds that have high twinning potentials, and Dorper sheep are one of them.

So, the Dorper sheep have a lot of things that check our boxes: highly efficient grazers, meat production, show quality, community around the breed, and good breeding stock.

From our research, sheep do really well in a rotational grazing setup (also called mob grazing). This means that they benefit from focusing on small pastures for a short amount of time and then rotating to the next small pasture once they’ve grazed. This is amazing for the grass because it gives the grass a break to rest and recover from short bursts of grazing. It is very similar to how Bison used to graze North America naturally. Where they grazed in tight herds to protect themselves against predators and were constantly on the move to the next freshest section of grass. It is also helpful to the sheep to manage grazing this way because it always provides fresh forage and lessens the parasite load, because the sheep are moved to a new area away from any parasite they might have been carrying/shedding. They also have smaller feet than cattle and aren’t known for compacting pasture. Rotational grazing is a very clean and natural way to manage a flock and a very efficient way to manage grass growth.

Sheep are incredibly efficient at converting grass into products we can sell and use, and they are also good at helping the land they graze on all day. It’s really cool to think that we have animals that can consume all of the amazing plant material that soak up all the sun’s energy through photosynthesis. So our most important “crop”, if you will, is the grass that we feed our animals. And if you ask the grass, the most important thing it needs? Good soil! This is where it comes full circle because rotational grazing contributes to soil health by providing nutrients, improving water retention, and sequestering carbon through a buildup of organic matter.

Another consideration we took into account was our local market and the farms around us. We wanted to get a feel for what local farms had around us and what people were bringing and showing at the local fair or 4H clubs. We noticed that there weren’t a lot of sheep in the area to begin with, and many of the sheep that were nearby were of commercial quality. Obviously, pasture management is job #1, but there also needs to be a “path off the pasture” to manage livestock. Otherwise, your flock will very quickly grow too big for your property.

We plan to use our sheep to maintain the grass, sell to the community and to other farmers starting or interested in sheep (because good stock is important!), sell to 4H Youth to show at the local fairs, and as butcher sheep.

Enough about which sheep and why. I also happened to know exactly where I could find some high-quality Dorper sheep in my hometown of Missouri! That was an easy “pro” tally to add to this breed.

We decided on what we wanted. Now, it was time to make it happen. I called an old friend that I went to Mizzou with because I knew his family ran Dorper sheep in Missouri. I got the chance to visit his family’s farm a few times since we were from neighboring hometowns. I still remember the first time I saw all their lambs bounding around – cuteness overload! I wanted to chat with him about all things sheep and what he would recommend to us on how to start, and if he’d be interested in helping us establish our flock. I probably started chatting with him in December 2025 with a list of questions, and he recommended I check out the Dorper breed and the American Dorper Sheep Breeders’ Society, as they have an educational book and lots of information. Then, in January, we connected again and discussed what our goals were for the flock and the ideal start size. Luckily, his sheep lamb three times a year, so we could line up our starting time when we were ready with our infrastructure and Colorado seasons. We decided we would pick up in early May and get an assortment of momma ewes and lamb ewes. Between January and May, Kevin and his dad had us in mind and collected ear tag numbers of sheep to add to our “top picks list”. Some sheep made their way off that list for one reason or another, but when we arrived in Missouri with our trailer, they had over 25 sheep to sort through. We figured we might end up taking 6-8 pairs (mom and babies) home. We landed at 7 pairs, which totaled 18 sheep (7 momma ewes and their combined 11 babies because some had twins)! The lambs were already about 1.5-2 months old. Picking them out was honestly a blast because we got to use some of the information we learned about the breed standard to figure out which sheep would make and shape our flock. Although Kevin’s sheep are all pretty much typed to the highest standard, so easy decisions all around.

Leading up to May, while Kevin was getting our flock ready, we were busy getting the ranch ready. We got perimeter fencing with a high-tensile class 3 sheep fence and a barbed wire runner at the top. This is to keep the sheep in if they happen to get out of our rotating paddocks, but also to keep wild dogs and coyotes out! We also invested in said rotating paddock fencing, which is electric netting with step-in posts that can be moved around the pasture in 1-acre sections. Also, we did the math of our rotating paddocks to size them accordingly. We needed to figure out how much grass would support our flock, determine a number that lets each paddock rest for 30 days before it is grazed again. Our magic number is 10-12 pasture paddocks that are just under an acre each. We also got all the appropriate feed ready (grain + hay). It is never fun to be sourcing hay at the last minute. You want to find a consistent supply, especially since we were in a shoulder season of spring before the first cutting. We double and triple-check our containment area (the corral) for bringing the flock home. We wanted to put them in a contained space so we could monitor them, vet check them, and get them used to us before they head out to pasture full-time.

When we hauled the sheep home from Missouri to Colorado, we did a one-shot drive (just about 10 hours), and the sheep did great! They really are a hardy, resilient breed. I can’t wait to see the difference they make on our land.

Extra Stuff (Lessons Learned)

• I mentioned earlier that we wanted something smaller than cattle to manage. Sheep might be smaller, but these Dorpers are mighty. A full-grown ewe easily weighs 200 lbs, and catching them is no feat. Rams can also be very dangerous and can weigh 250 lbs. We recommend having a solid catch pen set up and flow to make your life and your vet’s life easier.

• Buy good stock from a reputable rancher. It’s worth the spend. It’s worth the drive. I’ve already mentioned this, but this has saved us so much time and hardship in our first few months. We can quite literally see the resiliency of the genetics we brought home from the growth rate of our lambs so far.

• Also, as Kevin put it “being sheepy ain’t easy” and I do think that’s true now. I had a class when I was in Animal Science courses at Mizzou with sheep, and we were told “If their feet aren’t touching the ground, then they probably can’t figure out how to stand up”. I knew that they were kind of like turtles, where if they somehow flipped on their backs, they would probably die. They’d die because they couldn’t always figure out how to get turned over, and since they are ruminants, the gas in their digestive system can build up and cause bloat. Which can be deadly. We had one ewe get stuck upside down, and I didn’t catch her until I went to check on them mid-day. I saw four feet up in the air, and an immediate alarm bell went off in my head. Luckily, she hadn’t been stuck like that for too long and she was able to walk her bloat off within a few minutes. No need to call the vet.

• Get resourceful and connected. Find a local farmers’ group or community and see if anyone offers livestock healthcare or management classes/seminars. I got really lucky and found a group in the Front Range of Colorado that teaches a livestock healthcare class, and they even use sheep for demonstration and learning. The class I attended was 2-3 hours and included dinner while you listened to the vet from the bleachers of an arena. Maybe a small group of 20 people or so. We learned how to tend wounds, give subcutaneous and intramuscular injections, take temperatures, check body scores, check famacha scores, check for and potentially treat bloat, and even talked through birthing complications. All for $35. Oh, and they gave attendees an entire livestock first aid kit the size of a fishing tackle box, what a deal! There are resources out there, you just have to find them!

• Find and talk to your vet before you bring a small ruminant home. Maybe you are well-versed, and you don’t think you’ll be calling the vet. Either way, know you have a vet in your area that can handle sheep. It’s always a good idea to get set up and be able to reach out if you ever do need anything. Hopefully you won’t.

• Bucket training should be mandatory. Our sheep were already bucket trained by Kevin, but definitely spend the time doing something that can consistently get your sheep’s attention and attract them. It can be the bucket trick, or a special sheep call like “hey woolly woolly”, or even a dinner bell. It is so nice to have this ability to get them to go where you want them to go. All we have to do is get a bucket and walk around, and they follow us like we are a free ice cream truck. Sometimes we don’t even have anything in the bucket. Sometimes I’m trying to water my plants using a bucket, and they come running.

• Watch and observe the livestock. Don’t just do chores. Observation is good husbandry, and it is how you’re going to catch the small signs, the odd behaviors, or something in the environment that may cause problems. Also, it lets you enjoy the efforts of your husbandry to see some peaceful sheep in the pasture.

• Last one, enjoy the bouncing babies while you have them! When the lambs are young, they love to bounce and play and pronk around like little popcorn kernels. Sometimes even the full-grown mommas will get in on the bouncing, and it’s amazing how they can suddenly defy gravity.

  
  

Honestly, it is so rewarding to see a happy sheep.

KB