Course Duration & Itinerary
This course runs over 6 full days usually on a Sunday, with each day offering a varied mix of theory and hands-on practical learning. Below is a typical daily schedule:
Weekly Course Outline
Week 1
Farm tour
Health & safety, legislation, animal movements, record keeping, and the Animal Welfare Act (theory)
Sheep nutrition
Week 2
Sheep feeding practical and oral assessment
Sheep housing theory
Sheep housing practical activities
Week 3
Sheep housing practical and oral assessment
Sheep handling and moving theory
Sheep handling and moving practical activities
Week 4
Sheep handling and moving practical assessment
Sheep health care and disease prevention theory
Sheep health care and prevention practical activities
Week 5
Sheep health care and prevention practical and oral assessment
Seasonal practical sheep work, which may include bringing sheep in from fields, foot bathing, dagging/crutching, and flystrike prevention
Week 6
Lambing or tupping (mating), depending on the time of year
Lambing:
You will take part in a hands-on lambing day. While lamb births cannot be guaranteed, you will learn what to look for during lambing, how to care for ewes and lambs, and assist staff with daily routines such as moving ewes and lambs, ear tagging, tail docking, spraying umbilical cords, mucking out, and more.
Tupping:
You will learn pre-tupping care for ewes and rams, including checking teeth, toes, udders, testicles, and body condition scoring. You will also practise moving ewes into mating groups, fitting ram harnesses, using raddle paint, and understanding when and why to change crayon colours.
