Preparing for winter and breeding season

Preparing…..

As fall approaches, we are busy stacking hay and getting ready for the upcoming breeding season. For our northern climate, we’ve found that feeding around 5 pounds of good-quality grass hay per sheep each day is a solid average. Later in winter, as our ewes progress through gestation, we boost their diet with some grass hay mixed with a bit of alfalfa to increase protein intake. This balance keeps our ewes in good condition through the cold months, helping them deliver strong, healthy lambs in early spring.

However, there’s a delicate balance. Feeding too rich a diet can cause pregnant ewes to gain excess weight, which can lead to oversized lambs at delivery—a situation we work to avoid. Our focus is always on maintaining balance and promoting health across the farm!

In late August and early September, we conduct a thorough health check on our flock to prepare for breeding season. This helps us ensure we know the health and condition of each ewe and ram before breeding begins. During these checks, we evaluate their worm load, trim hooves, assess body condition, and give a dose of selenium and Vitamin E. We also begin forming breeding groups and identifying which sheep will be available for a starter flock. Regular health checks throughout the year allow us to catch issues early—prevention and early detection are key to good animal husbandry.

Did you know that Icelandic sheep are seasonal breeders? Even in Montana’s milder climate, their genetic sensitivity to daylight triggers their reproductive cycles when the days begin to shorten in late summer. This ensures that lambs are born in the spring, when conditions are ideal for their survival. Seasonal breeding also makes rotational grazing easier, as the entire flock—ewes, lambs, and rams—can graze together through the summer and fall. This has been especially helpful in managing our rams, who join the rest of the flock for grazing in the summer months.

As we move into winter, we continue striving for balance, health, and preparation to ensure a successful breeding season and healthy lambs come spring!