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Description:

Raising sheep is an incredibly rewarding, yet also challenging enterprise. You have to provide the best care for your sheep, while making sound business decisions to ensure that your operation is profitable.

In this self-paced course, you’ll use a combination of readings, videos, and handouts to learn about the basics of sheep production. Readings will be your primary source of information. The course begins with looking at production facilities and how to design a handling system that meets your needs. Videos will teach you how to select the breed of sheep best suited for your goals and operation, how to meet the nutritional needs of your sheep, and how to manage pasture and forage. This course covers breeding and managing sheep through the reproductive cycle, as well as how to identify and correct sheep health problems. You’ll also learn effective ways to market your sheep and lamb products, and how to handle the financial planning for sheep production. Videos will teach you about pricing practices, identifying a market, and direct marketing.

You will be able to print handouts about sheep body condition scoring, breeds and reproduction planning, and grazing management. You will be provided with worksheets that you can use to create your own operational records and budgets, make feeding decisions, and estimate retail values. Knowledge check questions throughout the course will help you review what you learn, and each section also provides you the opportunity to reflect on how to incorporate what you’ve learned into your sheep operation. There is a 5 question quiz at the end of each section. You need to score a 70% on each quiz to successfully earn your certificate.

More details on the website.