Table of Contents
Monthly schedule of sheep farming operations:-
The study of farm routines enables proper scheduling of various farm activities on a sheep farming and goat farming. It also aids in the optimum utilization of labour and resources, and higher returns through efficient management practices.
The monthly schedule of various sheep farming operations with twice a year lambing or shearing pattern under semi-arid conditions on an organized farm is given below:-
| Month | Farm operations |
| January | Stock verification, protection against cold weather; care, management and supplementary feeding of advanced pregnant ewes; preparation of lambing pens, care at lambing, docking, identification of newborn lambs; supplementary feeding of breeding rams for spring mating; vaccination against clostridial infections |
| February | Lambing continues, care and supplementary feeding of lactating ewes; creep feeding, ear-tagging, tail docking and growth recording of lambs; flushing of breeding ewes for spring mating, tupping (in later part of February), vaccination against sheep pox |
| March | Lambing continues, care and supplementary feeding of lactating ewes; creep feeding, ear-tagging, tail docking and growth recording of lambs; washing of sheep, wool sampling, shearing, dipping, vaccination against sheep pox |
| April | Wool sampling, shearing and dipping continues, creep feeding, growth recording and weaning of lambs; culling of old, infertile and weak animals; deworming, vaccination against FMD |
| May | Weaning and supplementary feeding of lambs, drenching of weaners, grazing during cooler hours, tree lopping, proper shelter and adequate drinking water |
| June | Care, management and supplementary feeding of advanced pregnant ewes; supplementary feeding, culling of undesired ram lambs, preparation of lambing pens, vaccination against tetanus, ET & HS. |
| July | Washing, shearing, dipping, drenching, care of advanced pregnant ewes, autumn lambing starts, care at lambing, flushing of ewes for autumn mating |
| August | Lambing continues, flushing of ewes for autumn mating continues, supplementary feeding of breeding rams, deworming |
| September | Selection of breeding rams, autumn breeding starts, creep feeding and management of lambs; drenching |
| October | Autumn breeding continues, creep feeding of lambs and supplementary feeding, care of weaners, culling of underweight & deformed lambs, vaccination against ET, drenching |
| November | Winter grazing, deworming continues depending on worm load, penning at night |
| December | Protection against cold and chilly weather, disposal of surplus lambs, supplementary feeding of advanced pregnant ewes |
