Sheep don't require a ton of pasture space, and are docile, good-natured animals for hobby farms. Sheep can serve multiple purposes, including providing wool, meat, or even milk. Consider this guide to raising sheep if you are thinking about including sheep on your homestead or small farm.

Why Should You Raise Sheep?

Sheep are one of the best livestock animals you can raise, especially compared to cows, pigs, or horses. They are relatively small and easy to handle, offering gentle temperaments and easygoing personalities. Easy to train and work with, sheep don't require a lot of special equipment, training, or natural livestock handling ability. They don't need perfect pasture, as cows or horses might, and will instead eat weeds, brush, and junk grasses that grow everywhere -including in poor soil.

Sheep manure is a great fertilizer, and doesn't need to be composted for quite as long as other types of manure (like chicken manure). It works quickly in the soil, meaning you can rotate your sheep pasture with crop planting locations, providing a wonderfully fertile soil for your future fruits and vegetables. Best yet, sheep don't require much space, with the space of less than an acre being enough to support a small flock.