Description
Sheep Keeping is a comprehensive handbook, providing veterinary relevant information to the sheep smallholder.
As a sheep keeper have you ever wanted to go into more depth with your vet and gain expert advice that will keep your flock healthy and happy? This guide provides a depth of veterinary information to complement local veterinary consultations. Advice is offered on everyday issues such as feeding and nutrition, housing, organ systems and their function, disease, treatments and sheep behaviour.
The authors guide the reader through different sheep keeping systems, organ biology, correct diet and nutrition, lambing time and the many problems that can occur at this time of year. The book is filled with helpful photographs and diagrams to help identify and describe diseases, what to look for in terms of abnormal behaviour and signs of disease. The chapter on routine husbandry procedures helps inform the reader how to prevent diseases through good practice.
Sheep Keeping is a practical guide to common problems seen in small sheep flocks, suitable for experienced smallholder sheep farmers, but also relevant to new and prospective ones.
Phillipa qualified from The University of Liverpool in 2006 and worked in mixed practice in South Wales for three years. She then moved to a dedicated farm animal practice in the South West of England working with dairy and beef herds and a variety of large commercial sheep flocks and small holder hobby flocks. Sheep health, production and welfare has always been a special interest both in her career as a large animal veterinary surgeon and as a sheep farmer. Together with her husband Sam, they farm 350 commercial breeding ewes on a tenanted farm in Gloucestershire.
Kim was brought up by a rural vet on the Welsh borders, as such has always been surrounded by animals of all shapes and sizes. Since becoming a vet herself Kim has developed a keen interest in the health and welfare of sheep and become involved in the Sheep Veterinary Society.
Sue Blacker, The Natural Fibre Company Blog –
Overall, this is a very useful, helpful and informative book with just about the right balance of serious technical advice and basics for beginners. It is aimed rather above the pure beginner and was very useful for me as a reminder and revision guide.
Susan F. Myers, JAVMA –
The text provides an excellent overview of fundamental sheep anatomy, nutrition, wellness, breeding, and disease treatment and prevention… The sections on lamb care and periparturient ewe care are particularly excellent.