Tips, Guides, and Information About Raising Sheep

About RaisingSheep.net

Joe, the Owner of RaisingSheep.netWelcome! I’m glad you’ve discovered my website. Here at RaisingSheep.net I share tips, tools, guides, and information about raising sheep. My name is Joe and I started in 4H in 1991, and have been involved with sheep and farming ever since.

On this site I share my 20 years of experience in all aspects of farming sheep – from wool production, the 4H sheep project, to caring for and maintaining a flock, and running a sheep farm as a business. 

I invite you to read my articles, learn all about sheep and farming, and download some free resources while you’re here. I hope this website helps you learn how to raise sheep, or (if you already have sheep) helps you to improve your management practices to save you time and increase the productivity of your farm and flock.

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Starting Your Journey with Sheep

If you’re new to raising and working with sheep, I’ve got you covered. The resources on this site will provide the information you’re looking for.

I’ve gathered together my best articles and organized them into three topic areas to guide you. Begin with one of these categories to acquire basic knowledge about sheep, or to learn about starting a sheep farm or succeeding with a 4H or FFA lamb project.

Basic Sheep Information

Start with the basics and learn some essential terminology and facts about sheep and sheep farms.

Sheep Farming for Beginners

In the early stages of sheep farming? The detailed articles in this resource hub will guide you every step of the way.

4H Sheep Project

Prepare your kids with these resources that take you from selecting your first lamb to success in the show ring.

Learn About Different Breeds of Sheep

Sheep are raised around the world for many different purposes, including for their wool, their meat, their milk, and simply for the enjoyment of their company. 

Our sheep breeds list features information about more than 50 of the most popular types of sheep, and you can learn more about every kind by clicking through to the category pages below:

Meat Breeds

Wool Breeds

Dual Purpose

Hair Sheep Breeds

Rare Breeds

Flock Management Resources

If you already have sheep and are looking to improve your management practices, the in-depth articles in my “Manage Your Flock” section are a great place to start. Here you’ll find step-by-step guides to some common management practices like trimming hooves, de-worming your flock, and more. You’ll also find some in-depth guides to help you improve your pasture quality and yield by adopting improved grazing practices. 

Of course sometimes things go wrong, and if you have a sheep who has fallen ill, but you’re not sure why – our sheep diseases page is a great place to identify the issue.

Managing Your Flock (resource hub)

This page features an expansive set of articles and guides which cover every aspect of optimizing your farm, caring for your sheep, and completing the common chores you’ll need to manage while raising sheep.

Common Sheep Diseases & Disorders

This page provides an overview and description of most of the common ailments, diseases, and disorders which can affect sheep. This resource is provided to help you diagnose and treat ailing sheep on your farm.

Additional Popular Resources on This Website

You’ll find these resources linked elsewhere on this site, but they’re very popular so I’m sharing them on the homepage to make them super easy to find:

Producing Wool & Discovering The Fiber Arts

One of the most common reasons people raise sheep is for their wool. It’s an amazing natural fiber, with unique qualities that make it desirable for clothing, rugs, blankets, crafts, and more. In the Working with Wool section of this website you’ll find articles which range from “How-To” guides, to rich informative articles designed to help you learn the history of wool and the best practices for producing high-quality fleeces on your sheep farm.

Here are the latest articles in this section of the site:

This website was first published in the fall of 2013 and in the 10 years since then, I have written and published additional articles and resources every year. 

RaisingSheep.net underwent a complete design overhaul and refresh in the summer of 2021. I hope that the new design, improved navigation, and content improvements help to continue the website’s long track record as a helpful resource to new, established, and aspiring shepherds. 

Thank you for all of your support over the years.

– Joe, Owner of RaisingSheep.net

If there’s a resource that you’re having trouble finding on the redesigned website, you can search for it right here: