Getting Started with Sheep – Equipment List
Having the right equipment from the start can make a big difference to the ongoing ease of managing your flock. Below is a list of equipment that is essential for handling a small flock (less than 10 ewes). Use it to check you have everything you need.
Getting Sheep In and Handled
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Hurdles / Lightweight Gates Galvanized or aluminium metal hurdles (usually 4ft, 6ft, or 8ft) link together to form temporary pens and races for sorting and health checks. If a corner of a field, with good fencing, is available, then 3 6ft gates could form the other sides to make a holding pen. 2 8ft gates can form a race (narrow handling area). A gate within a hurdle is useful to divide areas. |   |
| Buckets for the feed |   |
| 2 buckets with a hook to hang on fence or hurdle |  |
| Electric fencing (including a circuit tester) Electric fencing is an inexpensive way to divide fields, and thereby improve the total amount of grass available for grazing. |    |
| 2 Rope Halters |  |
| Marker Stick or Spray |  |
| Footbath or Mat |  |
First Aid and Vaccinating
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Antiseptic Spray |  |
| Dosing Gun |  |
| Syringes and needles of suitable sizes |  |
| Sharps bin |  |
Hygiene
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Disinfectant for self/visitors footwear and a large bucket |   |
| Antimicrobial Handwash |  |
| Isolation pen or field away from other stock |  |
Clipping and Trimming
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Handheld hoof trimmers/clippers |  |
| Hand clippers - Scissor type |  |
| Traditional sprung blade shears |  |
Safe and Clean Storage
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Covered box for equipment |  |
| Medicines locked away, logged and kept at correct temperature |   |
Good Record Keeping
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Medicine record book |  |
| Sheep record book including a continuous register, record of first identification, tag replacement record and a running total on the holding. |     |
| Movement Record on-off holding |   |
When Planning Your Handling System
- Have gates that swing both ways and that lie flat against a fence/wall/barrier so that animals do not get trapped behind. You can use the gate to push them forward.
- Have gates that swing rather than need lifted.
- Have quick methods for securing gates closed – and open.
- Put gates in the corner of a field (not the middle of a fenceline) so that there is a barrier on one side at least.
- Have larger pens flowing into smaller pens. Small pens allow easier catching and restraint. A race, which is a narrow long pen, is very useful for allowing steady restraint of sheep.
Upgrades
These are non-essential but nice to have, and worth thinking about adding once you’re established and used to using the essentials.
| Description | Image |
|---|---|
| Weigh crate – useful for working out accurate dosage rates |  |
| Battery operated handheld clippers |  |
| Bespoke handling systems |   |
| Combi clamp or similar to help improve ease of restraint | |
| Shedder gate, allowing animals to be put in different pens |  |
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