# Are fat sheep a problem?



## Maria (Apr 24, 2003)

I've been having my 6 Shetlands on my yard this year eating fescue and clover and any weeds they can find as well as brush in the woodline.

They are roly poly fat, even the two nursing mothers. Is this going to cause problems? I still have to mow because they can't keep up with the grass, but I'm starting to worry they are eating too much.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Yes actually it is a problem. They could be difficult to breed back and may not twin. While pregnant they may have difficulty metabolizing fat into energy and have little room to actually eat enough to get nutrients that way. Some fat sheep have good muscle tone some do not, add a short tail dock and poor muscle and you could have rectal or vaginal prolapses. Fat sheep get cast more easily, and once flipped, bloat up a bit faster. You're already mowing so try to get the sheep moving and eatign a bit less while you get the paddocks choped down. Certainly if they are on grain even as treats taper that out of their diets.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

How are your sheep getting too fat on just grass? I've never seen that before. I've seen them plump up on grass, but not ever actually reach the point where it's an issue.


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## Maria (Apr 24, 2003)

I don't know how fat is _too _fat- this is my first year with sheep. I can take pictures this evening, if it might tell you something. Before getting the sheep, I'd read books, and the one I read said the nursing mothers will get all scrawny and need to recover before breeding season. These mamas aren't getting thin at all, and as the lambs are quite plump too, I guess they are getting more than enough milk.

Their bellies look bigger now than when they were pregnant, though. Maybe that's because they are processing so much grass?

They aren't getting any grain at all right now. I moved them into the yard because the calves were chasing them too much, which I think caused one ewe to miscarry at the end of Feb. I could move them back out with the cows and they'd get less grass and more exercise... but then I'd have to mow the yard more often.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Maria said:


> I don't know how fat is _too _fat- this is my first year with sheep. I can take pictures this evening, if it might tell you something. Before getting the sheep, I'd read books, and the one I read said the nursing mothers will get all scrawny and need to recover before breeding season. These mamas aren't getting thin at all, and as the lambs are quite plump too, I guess they are getting more than enough milk.
> 
> Their bellies look bigger now than when they were pregnant, though. Maybe that's because they are processing so much grass?
> 
> They aren't getting any grain at all right now. I moved them into the yard because the calves were chasing them too much, which I think caused one ewe to miscarry at the end of Feb. I could move them back out with the cows and they'd get less grass and more exercise... but then I'd have to mow the yard more often.


Bellies has nothing to do with fat. Hay/grass bellies are fine even if they look big. Its the fat over the bones that matter.


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## ShortSheep (Aug 8, 2004)

It takes a lot to get a Shetland overweight. You should be able to feel the backbone and ribs through the fleece. If you can't, then they are definitely overweight. 
They can also founder from overweight. 
RP is right, the big belly hasn't anything to do with body score, it's just intestines and such in there.


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