OSU Sheep Team

Tim Fine, Miami County Program Assistant, and Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU Extension Veterinarian

If you are producing sheep in the United States, there are a few resources provided by ASI that you will want to become familiar with.

“The Sheep Care Guide” published in 2006, can be downloaded for free at this web address. http://www.sheepusa.org/?page=site/text&nav_id=0f5f3dfebed3b57b05688c5eae9c8df7 . The Sheep Care Guide was developed to serve as a reference to provide sheep producers with information about caring for their sheep using practices which are based on research findings and which are consistent with a program of quality assurance. The latest edition of the Sheep Care Guide has been updated using new information available from research and using suggestions provided by a review team from the Federation of Animal Science Societies. The review was based on the Animal Care Principles developed by the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

Another web address that sheep producers will want to check out is the site that contains all of the American Sheep Industry Association’s for-sale publications. These can be found at: http://www.sheepusa.org/index.phtml?page=site/text&nav_id=42c985d7b36d445107825b11f21ff35b.

Some notable publications that can be purchased from this site include:

“Sheep Production Handbook” This handbook is the latest revision of the familiar SID Sheep Production Handbook which has been used for many years as a resource for the US sheep industry and as a textbook in many courses. It covers all aspects of sheep production for the beginning and experienced shepherd.

“Producing Consumer Products from Sheep: The Sheep Safety and Quality Assurance Program.” Consumer confidence is critical in this day and age, and the Sheep Safety and Quality Assurance Program is a guide to the production of a safe, wholesome product. This Quality Assurance Guide is only $6.00 and is just one of many resources available at the web site listed above.