Erin Massender, Small Ruminant Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Delma Kennedy, Sheep Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(Previously published online with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: March 1, 2024)
Theuse of imperial and metric measurement in this fact sheet reflects the way information is reported by the original source for the sheep industry.
Introduction
When a new producer enters the sheep industry, or when existing producers contemplate a change in their farming enterprise, selecting a sheep production system is one of the most important considerations. The resources that are available to the farm must be evaluated and the proper production system used, to maximize the available farm resources.
This fact sheet describes how to select the optimal sheep production system given the impact of various farm resources, including:
- land
- buildings
- labour
- machinery
- available markets
The optimal production system will be the one that best utilizes available resources, thereby improving the profitability of the operation.