Caring For Your Babydolls
Sheep Hints
These notes are intended as general guidance only. It’s essential to do your own research and reading — this is not professional advice. Please refer to your State’s Animal Welfare Code, and remember: your livestock is your responsibility.
Handling
Set up a small, secure yard or pen for catching and handling your sheep — it will also be useful for vet visits. Even a couple of sheep panels tied together will do the job.
Never handle sheep by their wool. Pulling on the fleece causes pain and bruising.
There are excellent instructional videos on YouTube showing correct handling techniques, and your vet can also give you a practical demonstration.
It’s helpful to handle your sheep occasionally for no particular reason — this gets them used to being caught and touched when nothing stressful is happening.
Rams
Many small flock owners keep just one ram, which means he will need to be separated from the ewes at times. However, rams need company too. Keeping a single ram doesn’t mean he should be alone and experts warn that keeping a ram by himself may cause him to become aggressive. If you’re considering keeping a ram (or rams), seek advice from someone with hands-on experience before deciding if they’re right for you.
Shearing
Babydoll sheep must be shorn, usually once a year. Allowing the fleece to grow excessively is an animal welfare issue and a legal breach.
The fleece must never exceed twice the average annual growth for the breed or more than 250 mm in length — whichever is shorter.
Sheep Are Flock Animals
People sometimes ask about buying just one sheep — the answer is always a firm NO. Sheep are sociable animals and separation is so stressful that individual animals show both altered physiology and stereotypic behaviours when isolated from others. Isolation from other sheep can cause severe stress and should be avoided.
A minimum of two sheep is essential; three is better, and a small flock is best. Separation from the flock can cause panic and anxiety, so avoid isolating any sheep whenever possible.
Sheep Think
Sheep are far more intelligent than many people realise. They respond readily to food calls, may problem solve, learn their names, carry packs, and can even be clicker trained. Sheep possess specialized neural mechanisms in the right temporal and frontal lobes of the brain and may recognize familiar human or ovine faces for as long as two years. Gentle, consistent handling makes a big difference. Sheep remember good and bad experiences, so the calmer you are with them, the more trusting and cooperative they’ll be.
Vaccinations
- Lambs: Require two vaccinations against Clostridial diseases — an initial dose and a booster 4–6 weeks later.
- Adults: Sheep vaccinated as lambs need an annual booster.
- Introduced adult sheep with no vaccination history must be given 2 vaccinations 4 to 6 weeks apart, then an annual booster.
All Gumbuya sheep receive a Gudair vaccination, which provides protection against OJD with a single dose.
Gudair stimulates a sheep’s immune system. While it doesn’t stop infection in every sheep, it reduces OJD deaths by about 90% and greatly lowers the spread of Johne’s bacteria, helping protect the rest of the flock.
Drenching
Worming and drenching requirements vary by region. Your vet can design a drenching program tailored to your property and local conditions.
Miscellaneous Treatments
There are a number of conditions that may affect your sheep, such as lice or scaby mouth. Your Vet is the best person to know what your flock may need.
Ear Tags
By law, any sheep leaving a property must be ear tagged with the correct NLIS tag for that year. Tags vary in colour to denote the year of birth.
- Pink post-breeder tags are used only for sheep not bred on your property or for animals that have lost their original tag.
- Sheep movements must be recorded to your PIC via the NLIS website.
Hooves
Hooves need regular checking and trimming. Overgrown hooves can become painful, affect mobility and encourage infection.
Frequency will depend on ground conditions, so inspect them often. There are plenty of helpful YouTube tutorials available, and even if you usually hire a professional, it’s good to know how to do minor maintenance yourself.
Footrot
Footrot can be a serious and contagious problem in sheep. It pays to learn how to recognize and manage it early.
More information: Agriculture Victoria – Footrot in Sheep.
Snotty Noses
Sheep can occasionally get runny noses — usually mild and self-resolving. However, if the discharge persists or is accompanied by fever, infection is possible.
Keep an animal thermometer on hand to check temperatures and call your vet if concerned.
Scouring
Diarrhoea (scouring) can occur from feed changes, worms, or illness. Sometimes a drench resolves the problem, but ongoing or severe scouring requires veterinary advice.
The Vet
Developing a good relationship with a farm animal vet is invaluable. Your vet is your best resource for accurate information, vaccination schedules, and general health management.
Feeding
Babydolls are prone to weight gain, good quality grass hay with paddock grass is usually enough for them to thrive.
Avoid overuse of pellets and high-energy feeds. Pellets are useful as treats and for moving sheep, the sound of pellets in a bucket can call them from anywhere! Lucerne is excellent for pregnant or nursing ewes and for weaning lambs. Offer lambs a small handful of pellets every second day, ideally mixed with chaff to prevent overconcentration.
If feeding grain, research carefully — too much can cause bloat and death.
Keep all feed secured and out of reach to control intake.
Never feed chook food or feed intended for other animals — some feeds can be toxic to sheep.
Sheep must have access to clean water at all times.
Mineral blocks are a convenient, waste-free method of mineral and/or protein supplementation and can be purchased at any of the feed stores or ag shops but talk to your supplier so you are supplying the correct block for their needs. Copper can be toxic to sheep.
Facebook & Online Advice
Social media can be a useful source of information — and misinformation. Always use trusted pages and verify advice before acting on it.
A Word of Warning
Babydoll sheep are prone to becoming “cast” (stuck on their backs, like a turtle), especially if overweight. This happens when they accidentally roll too far onto their backs and can’t right themselves.
A cast sheep can die within 24 hours if not turned upright, due to gas buildup in the stomach.
If you ever see a sheep on its back — act immediately. Turn it onto its feet — you’ll likely save its life.