How to Make $25,000 Raising Sheep | Step-by-Step Guide
At Heifer USA, our sheep farm has been thriving for decades, and now we're teaching YOU everything you need to know about sheep breeding season: how we breed our sheep naturally in season, how we care for pregnant ewes, how we stock our lambing toolkit, how we maintain thorough lambing records, and MORE. If you're learning how to raise sheep, follow this sheep business plan and see how we made over $25,000 in revenue in one cycle of breeding sheep and raising lambs on pasture! 💸
📖 DOWNLOAD Heifer USA’s Sheep Breeding Resource Guide: bit.ly/41xWH5K
👁 Learn FAMACHA Scoring here: bit.ly/3McCOgv
⏰ TIMECODES ⏰
00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - Part I: Breeding
02:06 - Preparing for Breeding Season
09:24 - Introduce Rams for Breeding
10:50 - Part II: Pregnancy
10:57 - Ultrasound Pregnancy Checks
12:36 - Recovery for Breeding Rams
13:48 - Caring for Pregnant Sheep
15:27 - Body Condition Scoring for Sheep
16:02 - Mouth Checks for Sheep
16:29 - FAMACHA Scoring for Sheep
17:46 - Nutrition for Pregnant Ewes
18:46 - Paint Branding Ewes
19:40 - Part III: Lambing Season
19:45 - Lambing Supplies Checklist
23:24 - Field Processing Newborn Lambs
24:40 - Eartagging Lambs
25:10 - Weighing Lambs
25:33 - Treating Lamb’s Umbilical Cord
25:49 - Lamb Castration
26:29 - Paint Branding Lambs
27:11 - Returning Lambs to Ewe
27:54 - Lambing Records
29:05 - Caring for Newborn Lambs
31:15 - Treating Illness in Lambs & Ewes
33:23 - Rotational Grazing
34:24 - Part IV: Sales
💌 Subscribe to Heifer USA: bit.ly/3sGaTZC
✨ Follow us on social media: linktr.ee/heiferusa
Heifer USA trains farmers, gardeners, and homesteaders in regenerative agriculture, combining sustainable horticulture and market gardening with ethical, regenerative livestock management, implementing proven methods to improve soil health. We offer virtual training through livestreams, workshops, and long-form video tutorials. Subscribe to be notified every time we publish a new video with information to improve your farm, ranch, or organic garden!
DISCLAIMER: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
I love it when a new Christine video is posted!!! Lol!! She is so awesome and is really such a wealth of knowledge and inspiration!! Thank you for the video, Heifer USA!
You're so welcome! Christine is such a great educator - on top of her farming expertise - and we are so lucky to have her here at Heifer USA!
@@HeiferUSA I have learned soooo much from her. She has a great way of explaining things and her reasoning. Hello from Bentonville! I hope to start my flock soon!
@@dylandunlap212 We love hearing that! Thank you for sharing your experience. Best of luck!
@@HeiferUSA Can I work with you on the farm because I love raising animals
Hello Christine, you're such a great teacher. I've never seen sheep knowledge sharing 🎉well delivered like this,especially that you covered so many topics in a single video. It appears from your explanation about how you made 25k USD in one year from 124 sheep that the profit from the farm is just slightly above 2kUSD per month, assuming that the expenses are taken care of. It looks like it's going to be a tough for new farmer to survive on 120 sheep operations only. Is there a perspective missing for me ?
We love you Christine!!
Isn't Christine awesome?! We're so lucky to have her here!
@@HeiferUSA She is the BEST!
Greetings from Somalia, Thank You For the knowledge and best information, I watch tonight one of the best videos about sheep one more time Thank you So much
appreciation from 🇿🇦 South Africa🇿🇦
Thanks for watching! Welcome to our channel!
This is EXCELLENT information! Thank you so much!
What a great video! This is so thorough! Thanks for putting this together and sharing!
Thanks for your support! It was a long process, but we're hopeful that we can help beginning farmers learn the tricks of the trade.
Thanks for your detailed guidance! Great work ❤
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!
Very well explained video for beginners thank you for that!! Looking forward to seeing more of your videos
You're very welcome! Be sure to subscribe to our channel for even more videos on regenerative ranching!
Just wonderful, very informative
Glad it was helpful! Cheers! ✨
Excellent information and a very well done video. Thank you!
Amazing content! Thank you for this
Thanks for your support!
This is dense and complete introduction. Thanks allot
You're very welcome! Feel free to take notes or revisit the video at any time for a refresher.
Awesome video !!!
Thank you! 🤠
So informative, thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for your support!
Hi! Thank you for this video! Very clear, simple and informative. To shorten the breading season couldn't you use teaser tops?
Great content. I wait to see for next video❤❤
Thanks! Be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a new video from us!
Very informative video, thank you
More info! Yes please! Can’t wait to learn more!
More to come!
Great video, very informative . thanks 🙏
You're very welcome! 😄
I just got my first ram and 3 ewes, This si an OUTSTANDING first step video. thank you.
Thank YOU, and congratulations on your new sheep flock! Wishing you the best of luck. 👏
Haven't even watched whole video because at 00:30 in the intro my mind is blown away.... Christine counting out the "Benjamins" all gangsta like !! Woo woo. You go Christine!......now back to the video
Heck yes! We're here to blow minds - and to educate farmers, but mostly to blow minds! 🤪 Hope you enjoyed the rest of the video!
Very informative video with great effort , what is your opinion about Awassi bread?
Que excelente calidad bendiciones ilimitadas
so educational - as first gen farmer - thank you
You're very welcome! Let us know if you have any questions!
Thank YOU so much, very informative video and thank you so much about records keeping guides!!!
We are so glad you enjoy them! Thank you!
Very informative! Thank you! We are hopeful to get into sheep soon.
Thanks for watching! Best of luck with your first flock! ♥️
@@HeiferUSA thank you
thank you so much
This is amazing. Thanks so much, as always, for the really high quality content. We'll be using a lot of this information when we start our flock. The work you all do is so impressive.
Thank you for your support! We work hard to create these in-depth tutorials, and it's wonderful to know that folks find them helpful. 💙 Best of luck with your flock!
Thanks alot ! Beautiful video and very helpful. greetings from Normandy, France.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for this superb video! I can't find rhe link to the record keeping pages you show. Where can we find rhose well designed tools? Thank you so much for all you're teaching us!
It's also good that goats are grown in Indonesia🇮🇩, because Indonesia is the biggest lover of mutton and beef, grass is very abundant here, Indonesia also only has 2 rainy and dry seasons
This information is invaluable. So glad this channel exists and I found it!
We're so glad you're here! Thanks for your support!
How many acres are used to pasture your 120 Ewes and four breeding Rams? 30 to 40 maybe? It might be harder to catch them, however applying Castrator bands at one week seems sound, as the Umbilical cord will be half healed and the blood full of healing material. Surprised you are Castrating at day one instead of day 60 to 100? Imagine some potential for weight gain is lost. Good and informative video. Covered a lot of ground. Good job on the script writing and all the help from the behind the camera talent.
Love your information! Can you please provide a link to get the lamb jackets?
Sure thing! Here's the product link: www.shearwell.co.uk/protective-slip-on-lamb-macs
This was such an informative video! Thank you! Do you separate the ewe and ram lambs during growing them out so they don't get bread before processing?
Great question! Because we have four breeding rams already, we castrate all male lambs to prevent breeding before processing.
I REALLY loved this video, I join in, greetings from the North East of México... Old México
Thank you for watching! We're glad you enjoyed the video. 💙🐑
Yes Christine you are very motivating! I have 50 sheep but we have not been aggressive with the business. You have motivated me and I am going to adopt your ways and get with the program . Where do I download your record keeping forms? Thank You
Heck yes, Christine is such an inspiration! You can download her forms for record keeping here: mailchi.mp/heifer.org/sheepbreeding Best of luck with your sheep operation! We're rooting for you!
Thanks for the video love to have farm someday
I'm a brand new subscriber watching in London UK. ❤
Welcome to the channel! We're glad to have you! 💙
Good job
Thank you! 🤠🐑
Another GREAT video Christine. I plan to import Australian White's for my flock. The only unknown is how the breeding season will be affected because there is basically only 1 season in Ecuador - Spring - with 12 hours of sunlight all year long (it does vary by 3 minutes since I'm locate near the equator). There is a 'rainy' season (October to May), which means it usually starts to cloud up around 4 pm and rain from 5 to 6 pm. We do get an occasional day or two during the rainy season when it rains all day. I'll have to check with some farmers there to see when they typically breed their ewes. We will have some Akbash LGD's to be with the sheep. Because the warm weather is much longer I expect the lambs to weigh more when we process them. Any insight or suggestions with when to breed, etc. would be appreciated. Dennis
Ecuador? Are u from the US? How did come to be raising sheep there? Do u have a KZhead channel?
@@johnm7899 - I don't have a YT channel and I am from the US. My objective for raising sheep is consumption for everyone living/working on the ranch.
Are by any chance thinking of Africa particularly Zambia to build capacity of local farmers
How much does it cost to buy the ewes for breeding if you don't have any? And will you still make $25,000 if you have to first buy the said sheep?
Very well explained Christine, love your work and knowledge even from Australia 😊 I as wondering of the revenue raised from a yearly laming season which can vary in many cases. The revenue raised is unfortunately not profit, after expenses of feed even with being on pasture some grain used, Veterinarians cost, programmed drugs for lambs and the mother’s and in labor cost which add up in costs, there wouldn’t be much profit margin at the end of a season. Other considerations, land use, would another animal like cows or chickens be more profitable than sheep. Note: A general farmer wouldn’t include their own labor but still assistance is required on a Farm with multiple resources or crops that may lower feed costs especially in drought conditions as this example is in luscious conditions. Thank you😊
Thanks, Rick! We agree revenue is only part of the picture, and we did our best to clearly indicate that we are discussing sales $ in the video. It is very challenging for us to explain cost of production because so many of our inputs are shared across multiple enterprises. We might have to make a separate video on it!
@@HeiferUSA thank you for your reply❤️🇦🇺
The "Shepardess" here on You Tube says she sells her lambs north of $450!
how to make way more than 25,000 with sheep: Graze solar installations.
what can I do to increase the chance of my sheep lambing twins
You actually make more than that if you get three breeding cycles in two years. $81,000 over a two-year period.
Do you ever leave sheep uncircumsized? Is there a market for Rams?
Where do we find the biodegradable coats for the new lambs born in cold wet weather?
I can only find these in the UK is this correct
We purchased our biodegradable Macs (rain coats) from Shearwell, which is UK based. Here's a direct link to the product: www.shearwell.co.uk/protective-slip-on-lamb-macs
One Ram can be used for how many ewes
❤❤❤❤❤
Most of the people poking fun at the gross income need to realize most people with sheep work full time and this sheep enterprise is a on the side hustle for extra income and to allow you to use the expenses for a tax advantage. Thank you
How do your 7 month olds get 100+#? Feed implements or straight genetics an grass? Thanks
Just the power of strong genes and rotational grazing! The only time we provide supplemental feed is during the third trimester of pregnancy for our pregnant ewes.
Where is the link to get the pdf format of the record keeping?
I would also like to know where the link is.
it looks like katadin dorper cross full-blooded katadins doesn't have that body structure ?
We have full-blooded Katahdin, full-blooded Dorper, and Katahdin-Dorper crosses.
27k is revenue but what were the costs for the season
I got lost at the 200 lambs on the ground and selling only 130? Are you keeping 70 replacements? Well 50 you had i think 20 bottle babies. If thats death what are you seeing hurts that the most?
Hi Heifer Ranch, Am farming from South Africa, and I really learned a lot from this video. Can you kindly assist with the Premier 1 Harness and the marking crayons, They don't deliver to South Africa, Kindly help me. I REALLY NEED THEM. LETS TALK THROUGH EMAIL, IF YOU CAN PLEASE. From Neo
27k for year can we get the expenses of getting to the end of the processing
Hey Big John, we can look into it. Every farm is going to be a lot more different on the expense side of things, so it is not always a fair comparison. Might have to make another video!
@@HeiferUSA just a general idea a starting point I'm more looking at getting into the pig business but sheep would be nice to
How about labour? Maybe that could be an easy way to measure if it is a profitable business or not. For instance if a couple puts in 2 hours each per day, including weekends cause these things eat on weekends as well😅, that's 14 hours a week x 2 humans x 52 weeks in year = about 1500 hours. Now let's do more math , shall we? 27k by 1500h equals less than $20 per hour. I did assume land is free, animals are free, thier food was free, free veterinary services, etc.If it was for strictly economic purpose, I would go for a job 😅😂
@@last_samurai6690 that's what I was thinking about 😅 the numbers don't add up for me !
@@earthgraduate726 As someone who grew up on a farm, I can tell you that 27k does not even cover the labour involved with raising them animals. It is almost a 24 , 7 days a week. If you take a weekend away, you have to find someone to look after them. I can tell you that they are using the farm either as a hobby or/and to actually create content for YT. So I would say the farm is a tool like the camera or drone or video editing equipment, to help them grow the channel.
Its a shame that my country people does not respect this business. But I love sheep
can i work with you
Hello how are you do you need a worker I work in this field
Funny, someone working at Del Taco could make that much money (they pay $20hr in Calif. 😮). But Im going to homestead bc I love it &
This is just one of many enterprises we run simultaneously
يا ريت لو يكون في ترجمه صةطيه او كتابه لنفهم ماذا تقول
Please I like Redding animals can you employ me to work under you
I want work at ur farm
Thanks for supporting our work! You can browse available job postings on our Career Opportunities page, at this link: jobs.jobvite.com/heifer/
I am speaking from Bangladesh. Sheep farm is my favorite. I started on a small scale but I needed better quality sheep breeds. If you could give me some sheep of superior breed from your country.
In bangladesh dumba and dorper sheep is very profitable business
We raise Katahdin and Dorper sheep, which are easy to manage on pasture and provide great yields.
I'm Indian I am very interested in doing all this work will you take me there I have only passport
Kramer looks like a cross between a lion and a sheep XD
Hi I'm going to USA can you help me I have a passport
They should be way more profitable. Each lamb should almost quadruple its cost
What you identify as profits is more accurately called Gross Profits. You then need to subtract your expenses to arrive at your Net Profit. Net Profit is what matters. No matter how much you make, if your expenses are greater than your Gross Profits, you are in the proverbial hole. Looking at all the equipment and people involved in your operation causes me to think your net profits are in the red. If you really want to help people, please share your total financial picture regarding your sheep operation - Grain, hay, labor, equipment, medications, property tax, land management, fuel, electricity, bottle milk, etc.
Hi Stephen, thanks for your comment. We did our best to state in the video that we are discussing gross sales revenue. Cost of production is going to vary significantly from farm to farm and more challenging for us to paint a full picture in a concise video. Just one example...much of our labor, equipment, land, etc. are used in multiple enterprises, and sharing their cost only related to sheep isn't accurate and not as relatable to as many farms. We will definitely give it some more thought, however. Might have to make another video!
Please I would like to know the importance of castrating the male lambs
We have selective breeding stock and manage it carefully.
Soooo.... your gross was 27K. What were your expenses? You started with 120 sheep, which is already large chunk of money. About 20K if I use your own sales price. What about feed. Vet. Med. Parasites and all these other wonderful things you were talking about? You are definitely doing very nice and thorough professional work. But how much profit did you actually make? It looks like if I add labour costs you are hardly breaking even. Can you actually provide the net profit amount if any? Do not include the cost of 120 ewe. Let's say they always been there.
Most of our inputs (labor, equipment, feed, supplies, etc etc) are shared across multiple enterprises. It wasn't possible to separate them in any way that made sense for this video. We hope you found something in it useful.
If you make 25 k a year rasing a flock of sheep, you haven't made any profit. Oh well, negative profit, I we can call it that. That does not even cover labour costs. Indeed if they were to employ someone to do exactly the job they do , same hours, and pay them 25k a year, it would end in labour courts 😅. I bet they make more money on YT showing us how they do it than the actual business. Which could be said that the farm is a like a business input to their social media business, like the camera or drone or editing equipment and software😅
Land, buildings, medical equipment, vetanarians, fencing , medicene much more ? You would never pay for outfit no way make money? All workers paid? Zero profit
Hi Phillip, we've been raising sheep on pasture for many years now. All our infrastructure was built and paid for many years ago, and we face recurring expenses just like any other farmer. We're not suggesting that a beginning farmer can instantly profit from a sheep breeding operation. Building a farm takes time and money, often invested over the course of several years. We help farmers make informed decisions as they scale up their operations. If you have a specific question about our infrastructure and equipment costs, we'll be happy to answer it here in the comments.
Well, are you sure those rams are not part lion?
يا ريت لو يكون في ترجمه صةطيه او كتابه لنفهم ماذا تقول