Daily Sheep Care Checklist: What to Check Every Day

Spend a few minutes observing from a distance first. This lets you notice which sheep come to feed, which ones stay behind, and whether the flock is moving normally as a group. Sheep are diurnal and usually spend much of the day grazing or foraging in repeated bouts, with rest and rumination in between.

Look for sheep that isolate, lag behind, stand with their head down, seem dull, or avoid the feed area. Early behavior changes can be the first clue to pain, parasite burden, pregnancy problems, foot pain, or infectious disease.

Every day, confirm that each sheep has access to appropriate forage or ration and is actually eating. A sheep that does not come up to feed, chews less cud, drops feed, or shows a sudden decrease in appetite should be watched closely and discussed with your vet.

Poor intake can be tied to dental issues, pain, fever, digestive disease, late-gestation metabolic stress, or competition at the feeder. If one sheep is thin under the wool, use your hands to assess body condition rather than relying on appearance alone.

Check that water is clean, available, and easy to reach. Empty, frozen, tipped, or manure-contaminated troughs can quickly affect flock health. Raised feed and water troughs and well-drained placement help reduce fecal contamination and lower risk for diseases such as coccidiosis.

Also note drinking behavior. A sheep that is not drinking, seems dehydrated, or suddenly drinks much more than usual should be evaluated. Water problems can affect the entire flock fast, so this is one of the most important daily checks.

Watch every sheep walk. Even mild limping matters because foot pain reduces grazing time, body condition, and overall welfare. Check for reluctance to bear weight, kneeling to graze, swollen joints, foul odor from the feet, overgrown hooves, or sudden severe lameness.

See your vet immediately for sudden severe lameness or a sheep that cannot keep up or stand. If lameness lasts more than 24 hours, Merck advises veterinary attention. Daily observation makes it easier to catch foot rot, injuries, arthritis, or hoof overgrowth early.

Look for bright, alert eyes and normal breathing at rest. Check for nasal discharge, coughing, open-mouth breathing, increased effort, or a sheep that separates from the flock and stands still while breathing hard. Any breathing difficulty is urgent.

Look at the eyelids and mucous membranes when appropriate. Pale membranes can suggest anemia, including from heavy parasite burdens in some regions. Many producers use FAMACHA as part of targeted parasite management, but it works best with training and guidance from your vet or extension program.

Normal manure varies with diet, but sudden diarrhea, straining, black stools, blood, or manure stuck around the tail should prompt closer attention. Dirty hindquarters can also increase fly strike risk in warm weather.

Soft manure alone may not always be an emergency, but bloody, foul-smelling, or uncontrollable diarrhea is. Keep an eye on urination too. Straining without passing urine or manure is an emergency and needs immediate veterinary care.

Wool can hide weight loss. Use your hands over the loin area to monitor body condition over time. In sheep, body condition is scored on a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 very thin and 5 obese. Many healthy, productive ewes are maintained around 2 to 3.5, though the ideal target depends on age and production stage.

A sheep losing condition despite eating may have parasites, dental disease, chronic infection, or nutritional mismatch. Thin or overly heavy late-gestation ewes deserve extra attention because metabolic disease risk can rise in both groups.

Part the wool and look for rubbing, scratching, wool loss, crusts, sores, or external parasites. Sheep keds and other ectoparasites can cause itching, wool damage, poor thrift, and in heavy infestations even anemia.

Daily checks also help you spot contagious skin problems around the mouth, teats, or feet. Lesions that interfere with nursing, eating, or walking should be discussed with your vet promptly.

If you have lactating ewes, look for a hot, swollen, painful udder, reduced milk, or milk that looks watery, clotted, discolored, or unusually thick. Lambs that are hungry, weak, or repeatedly trying to nurse can be the first sign that a ewe has udder trouble.

Late-gestation ewes carrying multiples, newly lambed ewes, bottle lambs, and sheep recovering from illness should get especially close daily checks. Early behavioral changes such as separating from the flock, avoiding the feeder, or becoming less active can be important warning signs in small ruminants under metabolic stress.

Finish each day by checking the setup around the sheep. Make sure fencing is secure, bedding or loafing areas are reasonably dry, shade or wind protection is available, and there are no sharp edges, toxic plants, or predator entry points.

Also look at stocking density and feeder space. Crowding and limited feed access can increase stress, aggression, and disease spread. Good daily management is not only about spotting sick sheep. It is also about preventing the next problem.

See your vet immediately for trouble breathing, inability to stand, seizures, heavy bleeding, sudden severe lameness, severe pain, or bloody uncontrolled diarrhea. Contact your vet within 24 hours for appetite loss, persistent coughing, discharge, moderate but ongoing lameness, swollen joints, weight loss, or a sheep that is clearly not acting like itself.

If more than one sheep is affected, treat it as a flock issue until proven otherwise. Quick notes on who is affected, when signs started, what changed in feed or pasture, and whether lambs or pregnant ewes are involved can help your vet guide next steps.