Managing sheep in drought

Sheep must be closely managed before, during and after a drought to ensure the survival of the overall flock.

By preparing for a drought you can help limit the impact on your flock. During a drought, you may need to reduce the number of sheep you have by selling, agisting or culling. You will also need to prepare feeding strategies for the sheep you keep, which may include supplementary feeding, agisting, feedlotting, or using mulga.

Once the drought breaks, manage sheep and pasture carefully to prevent any further animal losses.

This guide explains how to predict upcoming droughts and prepare for them. It also outlines how to create a drought management plan for your sheep, and how to protect them once the drought has broken.