MAKE TIME TO SOCIALIZE

Miniature cattle breeds are adorable — and Mark Christenson of Red Circle Ranch in Cleveland, Texas, warns that miniature Texas Longhorn are addictive — so interacting with them is a pleasure; it’s also essential

Spending time with your flock every day also alerts you to abnormal behavior, allowing you to diagnose a suspected illness before it’s too late.

“The Babydoll is small in stature and easy to handle,” says Michelle Schubert of Bergamascos’ Babydoll Brigade farm in Stomping Ground, Kentucky. “They also love treats — I use sheep pellets as treats — and they will come when I shake the bucket and call, ‘Here Babydolls.’ If you want your Babydolls to be friendly, you want to spend quality time with your flock and handle them on a daily basis.”

It’s not just socializing and regular health checks that take time. You’ll also have to establish a team to care for your livestock when needed.

“The No. 1 thing [new farmers] don’t consider … is the amount of time livestock requires,” says Jill Christopher of Six Wags Over Texas, a Van Alstyne, Texas, farm raising Harlequin sheep. “You can no longer go on vacation without a farm sitter to check the sheep twice a day, feed and water as needed and be alert to health changes.”