Space Requirements for Sheep Production
The amount of space required for efficient sheep production varies with the breed, level of productivity, drainage, and management system. See table 4 for the average space requirements under most conditions, according to the 1974 Mid-West Planning Service's Sheep Handbook.
Table 4.
| Space requirements for sheep production. | |
| Feeder space | |
| Group-fed: | 16 to 20 inches per ewe |
| 9 to 12 inches per feeder lamb | |
| Self-fed: | 10 to 12 inches for silage per ewe |
| 8 to 10 inches for hay per ewe | |
| 3 to 4 inches per feeder lamb | |
| Creep-fed: | 1 to 1.5 inches per lamb |
| Water | |
| Per automatic bowl: | 40 to 50 ewes or ewes with lambs |
| 50 to 75 feeder lambs | |
| Per foot of tank perimeter: | 15 to 25 ewes or ewes with lambs |
| 25 to 40 feeder lambs | |
| Shelter space | |
| Open-front building with lot: | 10 to 12 square feet per ewe |
| 12 to 16 square feet per ewe and lambs | |
| 6 to 8 square feet per feeder lamb | |
| Lot: | 25 to 40 square feet per ewe |
| 25 to 40 square feet per ewe and lambs | |
| 15 to 20 square feet per feeder lamb | |
| Lambing pens | |
| 4.5 x 4.5 x 3 - depending on size of ewes | |
| Creep panels - adjustable opening of 6 to 10 inches | |
New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.