Sheep are an unfair advantage on any farm that seeks profit.

[@jayhay1237]

"Shhh! You are letting our secret out. Let them have their hamburgers!" I grew up on a cattle ranch. I worked in metro areas my whole life to save up for my own place. Naturally I started out with cattle, since it's what I know. My time in corporate America educated me on business and balance sheets. I had a good size herd of cattle with very low cost pasture. I only had enough sheep to keep the grass down in the orchard. The first three years I lost money for two years with the cattle. Low and behold, the sheep were profitable. Got rid of the cattle and expanded the flock. That was 17 years ago. But don't tell anyone!

[@HarrisonCountyStudio]

First thing I noticed is your guard dog patrolling the perimeter. Love the footage, it’s quite calming. ❤

[@elizebethparker5412]

Our St. Croix ewes love to lamb 3 times in 2 years if the nutrition is on point. This year, I pulled the ram out in April to end that! Feeding lactating ewes during winter required too many resources. This year, we are timing lambing and peak lactation with natural grass growth cycles. I am looking forward to healthier and stronger lambs and ewes.

[@cjshadrick4607]

I have a few pregnant Ewe's (4) I live in the Willamette valley Oregon, and I've found that if I sell a Ram in the winter I'll get a higher profit margin than selling a "winter born Ram " in the spring.👍🤠👍

[@toplinek990]

Anyone doing this in central Kansas? Yes we are in a drought, cattle are being sold off, pastures are easy to over graze.

[@rontiemens2553]

That leased farm that used to be “junk” is now stunningly beautiful thanks to your management, Greg. I would be very interested to see a study on how much more a Greg Judy-managed farm is worth than the typical, sorry-looking typically “managed” farm.

[@aquireeverything9382]

Seems like rotational grazing and long rest periods for the sections is the key, are we learning how to gardenform earth right here? Right now? Safe travels ye children of nature

[@PANTTERA1959]

Your dogs are on point,spaced properly,attentive,take turns establishing perimeter.

[@ispringle]

Wild what a few miles does. We're somewhere between y'all and Poplar Bluff and our ponds are all back up to full capacity after that last rain. And after Thursday we'll be fit to bursting.

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

That’s a good thing, most of ours are down 6-8 foot from being full.

[@brianuhing2657]

Awesome Your Great Pyrenees Guard dogs keep your sheep calm for the most part.

[@lornasadventures]

Such a cute lamb brought back childhood memories.😀

[@emilmoldovan1789]

This pasture will look great next spring , sheep and goats they do better on those pasture then cattle

[@SolarSolaceFarms]

Sheep are the answer, thanks for the videos. Went out to the pasture this morning and my sheep were done grazing and laying down, my cows were still at it. When I went to the bottom my cows headed down to get water (that is where they get water for now) I filled up their troughs from the well, sheep never even stood up. I ended up turning in my ram this year on Nov. 23rd, had him separated from the ewes in an 8'X8' mobile pen, heading out of town for Thanksgiving I didn't want my sister to have the extra chore, you got to be a little flexible.

[@9realitycheck9]

Wish we could run sheep too. But, here in "Predator Protected" California, we had to give up on sheep in the early 1990s.. Coyotes, Bears and Mountain Lions are too darn hard on sheep here.. Yes, we tried livestock protection dogs, but their expense (food, vet bills, etc), didn't make sense... neither did additional fencing and water. I am happy for all those Farms which have figured out how to run both sheep and Cattle.

[@stevenfrench7940]

Congratulations on 100k

[@Lady_of_Ishpeming]

Buying some land in the spring- I wish you were going to be closer 😆 My initial plan is to start with chickens and rabbits, then add sheep, cattle and pigs as far as the animals go. Going to have a few green houses as well. All in due time! Thanks for sharing!

[@nikkireigns]

How’s it going?? 😊

[@eweandmeranch4024]

We have an expectant mother also. We took your advice on the Lambing schedule to not add a ram until December but one of the young ewes we bought was already carrying. Now we need a ram! SE MO

[@jasonkelley4672]

Great video mr Judy. Can’t wait to get some sheep on my place

[@lazytbonecattle]

I’ve had a dislike for sheep from some bad experiences early in my life. But after seeing some of your videos I could see utilizing them for pasture improvement. Thanks for the insight

[@myblueskye7505]

Same here with good lambs getting up quickly, I have Polypay crosses and Clun Forest. I used to raise Suffolks when I was a teenager in 4h. They were sweet but a little slow and alot needed help with lambing.

[@leelindsay5618]

In a week or so, the baby lamb will be in good shape. Hope the cold weather holds off long enough for the little one to get some growth on.

[@cjshadrick4607]

I get a lot of lambs at the Auction Barn, a lot of the lambs aren't weened so I bottle feed them, yep I used COWS MILK and their 2 Years old and pregnant.🤠

[@elcurandero44]

,,,gorgeous sheep.

[@roberthayes8603]

Thanks Greg. It's so great to see what's happening out near you. Pretty cool.. Wishing you the best.

[@wendyjennings1502]

Love seeing the dogs work. What a niche in management you have. Like a well oiled machine

[@joshblick]

I got a surprise lamb on Thanksgiving. Locked them up for a few days but today they're going back out with the flock. Little guy is going to have a cold first few months lol

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

If his mother is milking well, he will do fine.

[@joshblick]

@@gregjudyregenerativerancher She is. I was just giving him some time because the big rams were a little nuts around her. I don't speak sheep but she must have lined the big boys out today because they left her alone after a few minutes so all is well.

[@z978ady]

I feel so sleepy watching this.

[@gmoac]

We are in Argentina. Third season drought in a row. Hard time. Be ready for it..

[@countrymudacres]

Greg, you and Jan both are an inspiration to us upcoming ranch couples. We love your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@robertgochenour7382]

Thanks for the video. Im not sure if it’s on my end but the volume is extremely low. Which is a common thing on youtube. The louder the better. Thanks again!

[@rodney73991]

I had fantasy to build log cabin from scratch. shave sheep hair put fire resistance bags put it in attic of log cabin as insulation. stuff walls with it too. have aniamls get in it. but coved wood or steel would worry about catch fire. anyone out there invent bags that fire resistance use make sheep hair insulation for house. that make be supper happy.

[@davidthegood]

I have enjoyed your books and insight, Greg - thank you for this video. I may need to add a few sheep to our little dairy cow pasture.

[@AhrayahLaban]

You should! I would love to see some videos of you raising sheep!

[@Highlander.7]

Much love and blessings brother

[@Stratinvllc]

I live in Wiggins and we raise hair sheep crossed with wool sheep and they eat the weeds really good.

[@kkso3318]

I'm having trouble finding the information that the title leads one to think would be shared. Where is the information about the profitability of the sheep and how to utilized the sheep for profitability?

[@abuelitacaicedo3185]

6:45

[@thistledrawfarm]

Hi Greg, I love your channel and always learn something. Thanks for everything you do to keep the movement moving! One topic I would love to hear about is how you convert those sheep into cash.

[@danpit2001]

enough cattle to be respectable and enough sheep to be profitable

[@cletushatfield8817]

Lots of cows around here walking about on milo stalks and huffing Monsanto dust. Their farting is unsustainable.

[@sunstruckfarms4489]

Lol

[@tomcondon6169]

I don't seek a response. Sometimes I think I ask too many questions. I'm just going to say it: I may like having some wool sheep along with the hair sheep. I could shear, explore spinning and weaving, maybe slaughter some in the coldest of Winter, to have the warmest hides. That is just my musings. I also muse that could be a headache, keeping the wool sheep from the hair sheep in breeding season.

[@amandar7719]

You know we’ll all now want regular updates on the solo lamb that arrived late to the party.🎉 Can’t help rooting for young’uns with no playmates! 😊

[@willbass2869]

Updates? Like when is the BBQ?

[@ryandalion8379]

Ya I want an invite.

[@ThinkAboutIt-2x]

I feel I found the article late as it happened a month ago. But search for Casper the guardian dog taking on 11-12 coyotes. What a loyal faithful protector Casper is. Bet his puppies would be good to have. Amazingly he killed 8 & survived. I wish I had seen utubes & articles before now but he is down south in Decatur GA & it seem it was only in local news until Bretbart put it up. It should have been given more exposure. WHAT A GREAT GUARDIAN DOG! Both dogs did their part but he was offensive against pack. WOW

[@Eyes0penNoFear]

I just saw that too. Amazing story!

[@johnmoyer5515]

Saw that video too

[@bobann3566]

What a cute lamb. That mama looks so incredibly healthy. Look at that lambs tail when he suckles. 😆I currently have 1.6 acres. How many healthy lambs could I have on that much land?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

On 1.6 acres, it depends where you live and how much rain you get.

[@bobann3566]

@@gregjudyregenerativerancher North Carolina, North Eastern part.

[@tjriley3370]

Im looking to buy some guard dogs and about 20 ewes and 2 ram. Let me know when you have some stock available

[@ethancrownover616]

Greg knows the best way to do everything if it’s his than its better than everyone else’s

[@cajuncattlecompany484]

How many ewes per ram are needed? I’m running 10 head of cattle on 30 acres and considering your advice to add hair sheep. What advice do you suggest before jumping in? Any resources you’d recommend? My cattle are train to single wire polybraid

[@alexjones519]

Wish we had fencing. We will be looking for sheep next year.

[@jeannedigennaro6484]

Such a cute lamb!

[@braunzie2]

I am about six months away from being ready to get sheep. Where are you located?

[@Gibaskesemarfarm]

Great video mr. Judy, your video motivates me a lot.

[@HeatherNaturaly]

I bought 2 ewes, cheap. Good healthy ewes never lambed. Then I bought a ram and Katahdin ewe. First year black one had a black lamb that died at around 3 weeks. White one lambed about a week later; twins that also died at a couple of weeks old. Katahdin had twin rams. Traded one, the other died. Both original ewes lambed again in 6 months. None of those lambs survived either and both ewes died the same day about 4 months later. FREAKY. Katahdin Ram and ewe have since produced twin ewes and twin rams in the past 2 seasons with no losses.

[@christopherellis2663]

In Romania, they run a donkey or two with the sheep. Added security.

[@calebnicley754]

I know it's rare, but it can happen even when they don't lose a lamb. I had a katahdin/dorper ewe that lambed 148 days from her last lambing. I got rid of her because I wasn't going to keep taking her out the day after lambing to avoid that risk again.

[@matthenley98]

Greg, How are you marketing the terminal lamb crop?

[@tommybreen9677]

In the uk and Ireland sheep are very much seen as the biggest waste of time & money on any farm.

[@guyhickson7332]

That baby is beautiful! Reminds me of painted desert sheep babies.

[@gbltheolechurch5acrehomestead]

🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦❤️Good Day! I do enjoy lamb chops and mutton roasted!

[@SHDW-sy7oz]

my brother has ground near liberty mo regenerative farming inspired by y’all big time

[@David-kd5mf]

Do goats or sheep eat broom sedge?

[@abuskeleke3378]

How real is the threat of birds of prey, picking up young lambs?

[@lifeandliberty0172]

Predator issues? Here in Western Oregon, katahdins are very popular on small farms. Their relatively thin wool does better in our heavy rain, the shedding is great as wool has little value now, and the lack of heavy lanolin makes the meat much better. I've never had to assist in a birth, and almost never trimmed hooves. BUT.... coyotes are a problem, and cougars even worse, one neighbor of mine lost over ten sheep in a week to cougars. But we're surrounded by forest, so...

[@noturfather1106]

That's my main worry about getting sheep, I'm on the central oregon coast and cougars wiped out the goats my parents used to have. I was thinking train them to go into a barn at night and cut all the brush back from any grazing areas.

[@timpetersfarmgarden9792]

How much are you asking for the sheep

[@richardhills235]

In australia we now have a new breed of sheep called sheple they run to the farmer.i run the other way said shaun.

[@sarcasmo57]

I want some sheep.

[@allenferry9632]

What will you do with the ewe that just lamb to get her back on schedule for May lambing or will you just cull her?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Cull her once she has raised the lamb

[@dagardener]

What are your thoughts on goats?

[@cjshadrick4607]

I've got 3 Suffix Ewe's and was looking for a St Croix Ram to breed them with so I can get katahdin babies, I'm trying to have hair sheep and Katahdin's are very low income because their parasite resistance so they don't need shots and you don't have to shear them, but you do have to trim their feet. Also their very docile and social, rumor has it. It's the most tender meat.(I don't eat mine but, sell and trade)

[@cjshadrick4607]

That's buy, sell & trade 😄

[@cjshadrick4607]

That's right .

[@MVS77MVS]

P

[@David-kd5mf]

Where would you say a good place to buy a house with some land in Missouri is ? I'd like to get into mixed livestock forestry and crop farming but first need to move. I'm a trucker currently.

[@ogr8bearded175]

I always joke that lamb and mutton cost so much because they add in the cost of all the wool they didn't get to harvest and sell in future years.

[@dantheman9135]

So fun, appreciate the advantages.

[@onedashusmc]

Greg, what are some of the biggest changes, or improvements you've implemented that were ideas from your interns?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Taking out our interior paddocks on our farms so that we can use our temporary daily fencing methods!!

[@Marilou-g5t]

​@@gregjudyregenerativerancherthis would be an interesting trying weather video topic, when you are not wanting to film out of doors!

[@davekohler5957]

I have been looking to move to your area. Montana has become to expensive to ranch and thr pay is low...

[@The_Humble_Servant]

We have 5 days of straight rain coming here in MO. You’re going to have grazing gold.

[@tuvoca825]

Questions by someone who hasn't done this: How true is what the old timers said... (below) Some old farmers and herdsmen, some of them hated sheep. Is it because some of them didn't remember not to overgraze? Out in the dessert they seemed to think it ruined the land? They used to share a lot of the pasture, so this was an even bigger deal to some of them, I suspect. What they said was sheep can to eat grasses down to the nub. I know grass eaten down too low doesn't come back (basal meristem destroyed). Is there something to be done to avoid this? If the grass overall can spring back and seed the "holes", then I assume the balance is maintained and it's fine. But maybe some farmers used to let the herd get too big for the land they had, and maybe they didn't think to replant pasture. Or maybe it didn't grow back fast enough because they didn't have enough water on the land? How many head should you put out there (per acre) before you have to give them supplemental hay?

[@WonbyGrace2]

Lambs do get up and suck very quick but if born in mid winter they don’t have the fat to survive the temps for a few days. But like me just get them to lamb after winter BEFORE IT GETS HOT. HOT is bad on ewes in labor and breeding I lamb now thru Jan but I am in the field and have barns for them when they lamb and mama feeds them so not feeding hay to babies

[@chrisfrench9257]

Is this Missouri? I heard poplar bluff and the landscape reminds me of home.

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Yes it is Missouri

[@chrisfrench9257]

@@gregjudyregenerativerancher I've been in SC the last 14 years. My grandfather owns a farm in Willow Springs, Duane Fine. I appreciate the information you're sharing brother.

[@dougfirproject]

What is the furthest away you have sold sheep? Curious how they do with long travel.

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Closer shorter hauls are always better. We have had customers haul livestock 700 miles.

[@jessem9919]

4 minutes in, do you ever talk about the advantage?

[@downforwhatever67]

Greg, we’re planning on sheep to start the regenerative process. It’s 130 acres in zone 6a Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Mostly wooded but also was probably pasture 100 years ago or more. Last cut in the 1990’s we have some small clearings with forage. We plan on utilizing a silviculture approach and we plan to have a few income streams. Have you sold your stock into Canada? And if so could we email you for a recommendation on acquiring your stock from folks in the maritimes? Not looking for sheep until 2024. We’ve got to do some clearing and building out of infrastructure first. Thanks for your inspiring approach to life.

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Never sold sheep into Canada, I'm sure there would be a lot of red tape to go through to make that happen.

[@downforwhatever67]

@@gregjudyregenerativerancher Thanks Greg. I’ll check into it and see if it’s something I can manage. I’d probably look for some of your stock in the New England and New York areas if there is any. I’ll reach out if I make progress.

[@willbass2869]

@@downforwhatever67 Katahdin sheep were develope in Maine, iirc, starting back in '60s. Look for sheep developed or long time resident to your climate/ecosystem. Importing from wildly different environments for commercial purposes (non research) is probably a bad idea

[@downforwhatever67]

@@willbass2869 Hey Will, thanks for the input. I’m a Mainer who has recently purchased land in Nova Scotia. Both of these areas happen to be very similar even though they are hundreds and hundreds of miles apart. I was looking for Greg’s sheep genetics in the Canadian maritimes but he hasn’t exported into Canada personally. Others may have exported or imported those genetics into the maritimes though. Those genetics seem to be a very good starting point. I haven’t checked his climate zone but 6a isn’t considered overly harsh. Greg gets snow so I’m assuming he’s in at least zone 8. That would be a minimum average low of around 20 degrees colder for my zone. But they are sheep that are half from Maine so hopefully the St. Croix half can handle it. 😂 I’m going to start with a small flock and spend 6 or so years working towards 100 head or so. The sheep will be part of a very diversified multigenerational farm/homestead. That’s the plan anyway.

[@asherfamilyacres1698]

How many could I run on 20 acres? We are in north eastern MO also

[@davidray6962]

Standard calculation for temperate scrubland or grassland environments is 5 sheep per acre. Obviously that's a gross generalization, but usually accurate enough. Boggy, swampy areas, woodland, and such support fewer.

[@asherfamilyacres1698]

@@davidray6962 can sheep graze corn stalks over the winter like cows?

[@davidray6962]

@@asherfamilyacres1698 I'm in south Arkansas and we don't grow row crops like corn down here (some soybeans, a little sorghum, a few fruit orchards, but most agriculture is livestock), so I'm just guessing here - but I think they would maybe have to have the stalks broken up for them. Otherwise I think they should be able to.

[@Tony-t2p2v]

Good job buddy!!!

[@gemrough]

How much do 10 sheep cost? I’m hoping to get sheep in 2023.

[@rosalieroku3818]

When you bring the dogs back together, do they jostle for dominance? Or does everyone remember the pecking order from last time?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Our dominant female, Lady whips the new dogs quickly and it is all good.

[@dirkdil8268]

A local breeder told me fat ewes have difficulty going into heat. Anything to that in your experience?

[@Marilou-g5t]

Grain fattened will have trouble. Grass fattened will be ok.

[@dirkdil8268]

@@Marilou-g5t I've had two lambing seasons since posting, and at one and a half lambs a ewe I'm not complaining. It seems to validate what you say, the ladies were well fed and plump!

[@Marilou-g5t]

@@dirkdil8268 are you doing 1 or 2 lambings in a year or 3 lambings in 2 years? You may find higher preg rates breeding when forages have been lush for a bit to flush more eggs. Depending on lambing(, kidding, calving, farrowing, foaling,..) weather and environment, survival can be vastly different. Context is key to profitability.

[@Dwhinery]

What do you do with your rams while they are separated? Do you still rotationally graze them?

[@Richard-ut1oo]

Greg, could you tell me if you have a live weight ratio, cattle to sheep, that you like to aim for or would suggest, for profit and environmental gains please? I've been told somewhere around 80:20, bias to the cattle. Many thanks!

[@marvinbaier3627]

Thanks for the video! What do you think is more important: parasite resistant or gain per day? What best size for a ram and ewes?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Parasite resistance is #1 on our farm, because if they can't live here without worming, they will not be here for selling in the fall. 140 lbs for rams, 120 lbs for ewes.

[@marvinbaier3627]

@@gregjudyregenerativerancher thanks!

[@animalori]

Hai greg judy...

[@harrycooper5231]

That's all fine and dandy, but everyone knows that the most dangerous of animals is a clever sheep.

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

I’ve never been hurst handling sheep. In our old custom grazing days of caring for other folks cattle, we were constantly risking our life handling rank cattle.

[@tomcondon6169]

I would be interested what, if anything, you will do to try to keep that lamb alive this Winter, or is it sink or swim? I can ask dumb questions, like when you discussed puppies, and having trained sheep, my dumb question, but I never considered that people would let go trained sheep dogs that were any good. * I could re. I've this, you just explained hardier lambs, I'll leave it, no response necessary.

[@johnjacob442]

I’ve heard in other vid he has said that once it’s up and sucking it is tuff to kill after that

[@tomcondon6169]

@@johnjacob442 Yes, He said something similar further on in the video. I could have erased my message, but chose to leave it. I think I was reflecting on an element of storytelling. In days of old, roving storytellers would travel into a village, tell a story, and frequent outbursts of surprise, or questions, would come from the audience. My feeling is that, by responding as responses come up, it is more of a participatory event. If I try to hold it in, I get to the end, and I have nothing to say. My input has evaporated.

[@techeteri]

What breed are the dogs? Do you need to train them?

[@thepacksmith6555]

I just finished your first book and I'm trying to get my head around this fully. How important is it to start with cattle as opposed to sheep? Do the sheep rehab the grasses as well as the cattle?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Sheep are awesome for cleaning up brush and rough land.

[@thepacksmith6555]

Thanks Mr. Judy. I live about an hour and 20 minutes from your town. I will contact you sometime soon about your half day tour. You're a blessing.

[@goodlifegreenscapesbrecken5928]

@trinityMT what do you think about sheep in MT, alongside cattle?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

If you can protect them, it would be fine

[@gillsmoke]

These sheep are for meat right? What kind of market are there for mutton n your area.

[@markpiersall9815]

There has been a lot of ethnic immigration. For holidays some of the foreign kids mentioned reserving a goat. For holidays and weddings a whole fresh goat is preferred to a headless frozen Mexican import. The USDA publishes market reports summarizing market activity, number sold and price ranges. The last I checked we were keeping our some foreign beef out by allowing only tinned meats. Brazil with hoof and mouth disease the rationale comes to mind.

[@alisongilbert8902]

These are breeding stock. You keep your breeding stock and sell their lambs. Or if you have a desireable breed you can sell some breeding stock to others wanting to breed them.

[@shkibeta]

Didn’t elaborate on the title of the video much. Besides a line or two. Got too distracted filming and talking about the sheep.

[@DovidMoshe]

How many rams do you put in per ewes?

[@kendalsaulsberry2180]

Would you say the same thing about goats

[@chaco973]

Hi greg, can you keep the male all year around

[@philliplamberth4075]

Greg why does Google say all pines are poison to goats?

[@jasonroberts9788]

So the unfair advantage is.........? Get sheep? How is that unfair and how is it an advantage? You forgot to actually answer those things

[@victorygarden556]

More babies, less loss when a sheep dies, more wombs to have more babies, lowest maintenance, lowest cost, fits smaller farms, whole lotta plus sides

[@tckingfish]

And they often have twins.

[@jwinfrey6298]

Greg wanted to go on and on. I think he lost his train of thought

[@sleepingroses761]

I think the title was meant to be a bit of toungue-in-cheek humor.

[@brianuhing2657]

I bet sheep do good on grazing corn stalks. Do you have any information on grazing corn stalks? .

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

Nope, no corn stalks around us.

[@florinman265]

What breed they are?

[@markpiersall9815]

Mostly Saint Croix at this point. Hair sheep which do not require shearing or tail-docking.

[@zebwalton979]

Are you in northern or southern MO?

[@gregjudyregenerativerancher]

North central Missouri

[@carrolbell2017]

Are they Katadin sheep

[@of-Israel]

Why not goats?