The Sheep Book for Smallholders

This is just *THE BEST* book for any small-holder who is looking to learn more about sheep. In my case it comes highly recommended by my 'mentor', a very experienced sheep breeder and keeper. It was my 'assigned homework' between choosing our ewes and taking delivery of them once they'd been 'seen' by the tup as we make the leap from keeping just store lambs (young lambs for fattening for a few months pre slaughter) to year-round lambing ewes of our own. I expected it to be a good book and it did not disappoint. Tim Tyne's style is detailed, thorough and highly informative as he works his way round the mass of subjects and spin-off topics, nicely sectioned up and well illustrated with pictures and diagrams. He covers a bit of the history of sheep keeping and breeds and then goes into a 'Shepherd's Year' format. This brings him through making up your flock and health, tupping (mating), feeding, housing, lambing pens, equipment and routine, obstetrics, shearing, showing and vet stuff, finally round to the 'harvest' (butchery and meat. Along the way we also get helpful equipment check lists, technology (weighing etc), handling systems (sheep-races and shedding gates etc). There are big sections on grassland management and keeping your pasture in good heart, hay and silage, keeping sheep for milk, sheepdog training and bits on fleeces and wool craft (spinning etc). There is then a good portfolio of appendices on the legal side, paperwork and even dying and recipes. Having read it hungrily from cover to cover I now feel a whole lot more ready to take on the ewes and will keep it available for dipping into. Thank you Tim Tyne, and thank you to my 'mentor' for giving me the cue. Amazon too, of course, for getting it to me.

A complete bible of sheep keeping. Most books I’ve bought on livestock keeping , and there’s been a few, lack the neccessary detail required for some one wanting more than a basic introduction. This is sooooo detailed, every last aspect is explained in detail month by month, season by season. Every question, and questions you didn’t even know you had, are answered. It’s like having a personal lecture from a shepherd. Worth every penny, stuffed with information. I would mention , and this isn’t a criticism, just to point out that there does seem to be a focus on building numbers and growing your own flock. If you just want a couple of pet sheep, rather than to throw yourself into breeding, then this may be information overload.

I found this an excellent book to read and I will be dipping into it for helpful information for many years to come. As far as I can see the book deals comprehensively with most (all?) aspects of sheep farming, explained with the benefit of obvious personal experience. My one gripe is that he has chosen to farm in Wales rather than the Scottish islands (where I live) so that I will sometimes have to adapt his advice (eg. indoor v outdoor lambing). To close: My favorite snippet of information drawn from his experience goes something like this - "if you want to maintain your credibility at the auction mart make sure you can reverse with your (new) trailor attached" This is indeed comprehensive advice on every aspect of sheep farming.

With lambs on the way for the first time, this book seemed to give me the information I needed. The delivery was faster than I had anticipated and the contents are just what I needed. There is all the information you require as a beginner and it is well set out and easy to read. I really like the way it works though the year - covering all aspects of keeping sheep and more. Cannot recommend this highly enough.

This book was a present for somebody and as far as i know it was just what they were looking for !

I bought this book over 2 years ago and still dip into it now. It is an ideal guide for newbie sheep farmers and smallholders like me and I particularly like the way Tim Tyne shares his mistakes as well as his skill with the reader. His writing style is warming as well as informative and the book is easy to use as a reference guide.

Having just completed our first 12 months of keeping a small herd of sheep, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. However, if you are new to sheep, as we were, be prepared for a steep learning curve and try and have access to someone more experienced than you who you can bother with questions; you will still have plenty of them!

This was bought as a present for someone considering keeping sheep. The feedback I have had from him is that it is an excellent book, and he keeps dipping (no pun intended) in and out of it. I am sure it will help him to make up his mind when to start and be useful after he has his flock.

Informative

it's most about managing, it doesn't explain the animal itself. i found only some tip useful, but you can find better information