Valais Best Care
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Tips and Resources
Valais Blacknose Care
This includes providing a balanced and nutritious diet, offering shelter tailored to their needs, regular health monitoring, shearing twice a year, facilitating social interaction, especially for their sociable nature, and implementing responsible breeding practices for genetic diversity.
Tips for Optimal Care
Explore insights and best practices to ensure the health, happiness, and well-being of your Valais flock. Trust Gordilly Park to be your partner in cultivating a nurturing environment.
Ample Space:
Valais Blacknose sheep are relatively large animals, and they require ample space to graze and roam. If you have a small backyard or live in an urban environment, they may not be the most practical pets.
Social Animals:
Sheep are social animals, and it’s usually recommended to have at least two sheep together. Keeping them in pairs or small groups can help prevent loneliness and stress.
Care and Maintenance:
Like any pet, Valais Blacknose sheep require proper care, including access to fresh water, appropriate nutrition, and veterinary attention when needed.
Wool Management:
Valais Blacknose sheep have a dense coat of wool that will require shearing, especially in hotter months. Proper wool management is important for their comfort, health and well-being.
Zoning and Regulations:
Check local zoning laws and regulations to ensure that keeping sheep is allowed in your area. Some places may have restrictions on livestock within residential areas.
Reproduction:
While they do not adhere strictly to a seasonal breeding pattern, it is advisable to engage in natural breeding once annually. The average reproduction rate stands at 1.6 lambs
Healthy Hooves:
Regularly check the hooves of Valais Blacknose sheep, especially after prolonged period of rain. Wet and muddy environments can contribute to foot problems such as scald. Providing ample shelter and bedding will help maintain their health and comfort.
Breeding Records:
For those involved in breeding Valais Blacknose Sheep, keeping accurate records of breeding activities, pedigrees, and health histories may be required. DNA samples are taken and recorded as this helps maintain the integrity of the breed and assists in tracking the health and genetic background of each animal.
Fencing:
Although sheep are known to be good jumpers Valais are a more relaxed breed. They are regularly seen jumping for joy not jumping to escape. Many people enjoy haing their Valais’ roam close so they can have social contact on a regular basis and enjoy their friendly, loving nature. Ensuring that your fencing is secure so they can not accidently wander will prevent heart break.
Q & A
Should I isolate my sheep on arrival?
Upon the arrival of newly purchased sheep onto your farm holdings, we recommend a minimum six-day isolation period. This initial period serves as an opportune moment to verify accurate identification and ensure the overall health of the sheep. While a six-day isolation is a standard practice, adhering to a gold standard quarantine of four to six weeks is sometimes recommended for enhanced disease protection.
What are best feeding practises?
Maintaining appropriate stocking densities on productive grass is key, typically ranging from 6-10 sheep per acre. While supplementation with hard feed is optional within this range, if chosen, high-quality sheep food at a rate of 0.5-0.75kg per sheep per day are recommended. The quantity of concentrate feed required depends on forage quality, lambing proximity, and the number of lambs. A tailored feeding plan for rams, ewes, and lambs ensures optimal nutrition.
Should I immunise my sheep?
Active immunisation is crucial for protecting your flock from various diseases. Vaccination schedules for lambs, with booster injections at regular intervals, ensure ongoing protection. Ewes receive booster injections prior to lambing to safeguard the health of both ewe and lamb.
How do I spot fly strike?
Vigilance against fly strike is imperative, particularly during the warmer months. Regular checks around horns, hooves, and rear ends, coupled with proactive measures, safeguard the flock from potential infestations.
Initial indicators of flystrike that ought to be observed in a monitoring regimen involve areas of wool that exhibit discoloration due to chewing or rubbing. In the early stages of detectable flystrike, there is typically no significant strike wound, but the discoloration intensifies as more exudate (weeping) occurs.
What is the ideal worming strategy?
Implementing effective worm control is a vital aspect of flock health. Alternating anthelmintic products or utilising targeted treatment based on fecal analysis minimizes the risk of treatment resistance. Recognising the susceptibility of lambs to worms, particularly monitoring for mucky rear ends, allows for timely intervention.
How do I keep their hooves healthy?
Regular attention to hoof health is paramount, with common issues including scald, footrot, and overgrown hooves.
For effective hoof care, regularly trim the hooves, incorporate foot baths, and conduct routine checks. Additionally, pay close attention to behavioral cues such as the head moving up and down while walking, signs of limping, or feeding on front knees, as these observations can act as early indicators as to issues.
For more information, visit the Aus Farm Nutrition website.
How often should I book shearing?
Due to their longwool and fast-growing fleeces, Valais Blacknose sheep benefit from biannual shearing. Adjusting shearing dates based on individual circumstances ensures the welfare of the flock.
How do I ensure breed integrity?
Castration of ram lambs that deviate from breed standards is advised to maintain breeding integrity.
Credits
Credit to the Valais Blacknose Society in the UK, we recommend reading their extended care guide.