Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep, 4th Edition: Breeding, Care, Facilities [Paperback]

Carol Ekarius (Author), Paula Simmons (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 16, 2009 | Series: Storey's Guide to Raising

Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep has earned the praise and trust of sheep farmers around the world, with its in-depth coverage of breed selection, lambing, feeding, housing, pasture maintenance, and disease prevention and treatment.

The new 4th edition, now with 253,000 copies in print, contains new and expanded features:
• Guidelines for organic certification
• Tips and advice on Web marketing and networking
• Coverage of rare breeds, including photographs

Storey's Guide to Raising Series is the essential animal husbandry information from the trusted source. With a combined total of 1.7 million copies in print.

Praise for the book:
"As first-time shepherds, my husband and I found ourselves referring to your book over and over again. We have several other publications but yours was far superior in covering all topics most thoroughly." - Linda, Sumner, WA

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Small-Scale Sheep-Raiser's Bible

Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep is an invaluable resource for everyone who raises sheep. It contains the most comprehensive and current information available on:

Breeds, including minor ones

Feeding and housing

Breeding and lambing

Pasture management

Disease and health care

Herding dogs

"...a welcome and much-needed addition to sheep literature in North America. Beginners and experienced shepherds alike will discover valuable, practical information in every chapter. The book is a joy to read..."

(Dave Thompson, editor, sheep! Magazine)

About the Author

Carol Ekarius is the author of Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds, Pocketful of Poultry, and several books on small-scale farming. Carol and her husband live with their many critters in Hartsel, Colorado.

A respected authority on sheep raising for over three decades, author Paula Simmons has written many books and magazines articles on spinning wool. She has authored three Storey books for children and adults, including Turning Wool Into a Cottage Industry and Raising Sheep the Modern Way, which many readers call their sheep "bible" and The Mother Earth News has dubbed it, "A fine shepherd's textbook." Paula is also a lecturer and conducts workshops in the United States and Canada on raising sheep and spinning wool for a living. Together with her husband, Ross, Paula has been raising and sheering sheep, and spinning and weaving wool for over 20 years on their farm in Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 438 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; 4 Upd New edition (December 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1603424598
• ISBN-13: 978-1603424592
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Medical Books > Veterinary Medicine > Food Animals
  • #37 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Agriculture

More About the Author

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for the serious sheep rancher November 10, 2010

By Hal Trussell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found this book to be thorough in its content and what you need to know to raise any kind of sheep. Complete span of necessary information for the professional with a large flock, or for those who want to start and raise just a few. Filled with terrific information. I currently have 80 ewes and 4 rams of Barbado. Based on information I gained from this book I will be introducing rams and ewes from two different breeds, to create a blood-line that will be optimal for production in my geography and climate, and on my acreage. I'm looking to eventually have maximum flock size of 280. I am very grateful to the two authors for sharing their knowledge and all this information.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Must have for beginners December 3, 2011

By Crystal E.

Format:Kindle Edition

This book is a great book and a must have for getting started in sheep. It covers all the basics and a bit more. It's not as comprehensive as it could be on diseases as I've encountered a lot of issues in my own flock that aren't mentioned in this book and it doesn't give much help in way of treatment (recommended drugs, dosages, etc.). It's also not as through about feeding either. Provides some general information, but doesn't cover how to determine what and how much to feed during the various stages of production for various weights of sheep (a 200 lb ewe requires a lot more feed than a 100 lb ewe). So like I said, it's a very helpful manual for the beginning shepherd, but could be a little more thorough in my opinion.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate sheep book December 30, 2010

By Sue Weaver

Format:Paperback

I am a writer--in fact, I'm currently writing a sheep book on assignment by Storey Publishing--and I keep sheep, therefore I have a huge personal library of sheep books.

Based on my experience, let me say that if you can afford only one sheep book, make it this one! Anything by Carol Ekarius is very, very good and she's done a fantastic job of expanding and updating Paula Simmons' earlier work.

Most anything you could want to know about sheep is in Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep and it's nicely organized so you can find the information when you need it.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars my review May 28, 2013

By bub

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Everything was exactly as I hoped and dreamed it would be, these people should run for president of the world someday

5.0 out of 5 stars pleased May 4, 2013

By paul souza

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

all of the info i could have wanted. describes everything you need to know to raise sheep. The perfect book for sheep lovers.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book April 19, 2013

By mwhitlo

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My grandpa had been wanting this book for quite some time. He was very pleased when I gave him the book as a birthday gift. He's a big fan of Storey's Guide books.

5.0 out of 5 stars Starting out April 13, 2013

By Kelby

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is absolutely amazing! Anyone looking to get a start in raising sheep or looking to improve their flock MUST own this book! I am in the process of acquiring my first flock and this book has made it possible for me to select the right additions, take care of them, and make the entire process easier and less stressful!

I would recommend this to everyone who wants to raise a flock!

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Storeys Guide March 20, 2013

By Jolene

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Storey's Guides, because they are so useful, and considered the final word on animal rearing in most circles. This book is no exception, You will find everything you ever needed to know in here, written in a way that will hold your attention.