5 Tips for Adding Small Ruminants to Your Life
by Tom Shea
Sheep and Goats, also known as small ruminants, are a great way to start raising livestock or diversifying your current operation. Sheep and goats are fun to raise but require a strong plan.
Good Fences
An ideal fence is high-tensile 3x3 woven wire at least 36 inches high for sheep and 42 inches high for goats. I once had a professor tell me that there are thousands of goats in North Carolina, but no one knows where because they probably aren't in their pasture.Wool vs Hair
Sheep come in two main varieties, wool and hair. Wool sheep tend to be larger and produce more meat; however, they require shearing multiple times a year, often at a cost. Hair sheep, on the other hand, tend to have slightly smaller frames but do not require shearing and typically are not as prone to external parasites and are more heat tolerant.
Pastures
Sheep and goats have different grazing habitats from cattle. Goats are considered browsers, with a dietary preference of 30% grass, 10% forb, and 60% browse. Sheep prefer 50% grass, 30% forbs, and 20% browse, whereas cattle prefer 70% grass, 15% forbs, 50% grass, 30% forbs and 20% browse. Where cattle preference is 70% grass, 15% forbs, and 15% browse (Noble, 2025), using multi-species grazing can reduce parasite loads and predation risk.
Diversification
Adding sheep to an existing operation allows you to increase your revenue and customer base. The cattle and sheep markets are cyclical; often, one will be stronger when the other is weaker. Sheep and cattle tend to have a 9- to 14-year cycle.
Care
Compared to cattle, sheep and goats require a more hands-on approach. As mentioned above, wool sheep require shearing. Both Sheep and goats need their hooves trimmed every several months. The most common issue in sheep and goats is parasites, especially with those that live in hot humid environments. It is critical to learn more about parasite management from your veterinarian and learn the FAMCAHA scoring system from wormx.info.
