About this module
In Level 1 you learned to keep sheep alive and well. In Level 2 you learn to make a flock grow in number, in weight and in profit.
Who it is for. People who have finished Sheep Rearing (Level 1), or who already keep sheep and can show the same skills. National Proficiency II covers a range of varied work, most of it routine, done under limited supervision.
The flock. 20–50 ewes with one or two rams, in the wet south of Ghana.
CTVET status. CTVET has no sheep or livestock programme; its accredited agriculture programmes are cashew, mango and oil palm. This module is not a CTVET curriculum.
Bridge from Level 1: what you already know
- Djallonké, Sahelian and crosses, and why Djallonké suits the wet south
- A raised, slatted pen with enough space, cleaned every day
- Feeding by dry matter (2–3% of body weight), clean water, cassava peels and Leucaena
- Catching and holding; body condition score 1–5; ear tags and the record page
- Signs of sickness, taking a temperature, PPR signs and reporting, FAMACHA eye scoring, hoof checks
- The 17-day heat cycle, about 150 days of pregnancy, signs of lambing, colostrum and navel dip
- Selling at festivals and a simple profit sum
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme split of about 30% school and 70% workplace.
Unit 1 · Breed with a plan
Every lamb starts with the ram you choose and the day you put him with the ewes.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Select a ram | chooses and replaces a ram to a written standard |
| 1.2 Plan mating | times mating so lambs come in the good season and rams are ready for festivals |
| 1.3 Use records | prevents inbreeding and culls poor ewes from records |
Range. The training flock. Evidence. Ram standard; mating plan; family tree; cull list.
Choosing a ram
CSIR-Animal Research Institute improves Djallonké sheep by selecting rams on farms and on its station, then giving the best rams to farmers. The government's breeding goal has been growth rate. But a study at Ejura found that, per ewe, survival was worth most, then reproduction, then growth; survival was worth about 4.7 times growth.
Do not pick a ram on size alone. Growth matters, but lambs that live and ewes that lamb often matter more. Choose a ram whose mother lambed easily, raised twins and stayed healthy.
Timing mating
- In a humid-forest flock, ewes lambing in September–October had shorter gaps to the next lambing than those lambing in the dry months or in the worst worm months. The flock produced 1.9 lambs per ewe per year.
- Ewe lambs born in the rainy season reached puberty and first lambing earlier than those born in the dry season.
- At the University of Ghana station, lambs weighed about 1.7 kg at birth and 11 kg at weaning at 4 months.
Pregnancy is about 150 days, so count back five months from the lambing date you want.
Flushing means extra feed for 2–3 weeks before and during mating. It can raise lambing by 5–10% or more in thin ewes; ewes already in good condition may not gain.
Stop inbreeding
Never mate a ram with his daughters, mother, sisters, half-sisters or cousins. Record the sire of every lamb so you can draw a family tree. Change or swap rams with another flock about every two years.
In 2019 the government imported 700 Sahelian-type sheep from Mali and Burkina Faso for farmers, who repaid two offspring per adult.
Breeding plan
- Write a ram standard: five things you will check.
- Choose a lambing month and work back to the mating date.
- Draw a family tree for five ewes from the records.
- List ewes to cull: barren, poor mothers, repeated illness.
Ram swap
Find another farmer within 10 km who might swap rams with you.
Unit 2 · Grow and store feed
The dry season decides whether your sheep gain or lose. Grow feed in the rains and store it for the dry months.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Establish a fodder plot | plants and manages grass and a fodder tree |
| 2.2 Make silage | makes bag silage and dried cassava peels |
| 2.3 Budget feed | writes a dry-season feed budget; provides minerals |
Range. A fodder plot; one batch of bag silage. Evidence. Fodder plot; silage bags; feed budget.
Grass and fodder trees
- In a 2024 trial in northern Ghana, Panicum varieties (Massai, Mombasa) and Brachiaria Camello gave the most fodder. No southern trial was found; test small plots first.
- Mulato Brachiaria grasses can be grazed, cut and carried, or made into hay or silage, and are leafier than Napier.
- Leucaena and Gliricidia leaves as a supplement helped sheep grow faster and survive better in humid West Africa.
Silage
- Ensiled cassava peels kept well and Djallonké sheep fed them grew better than those fed dried peels.
- Bag silage: chop the forage, wilt it a little, pack it tightly in a strong bag, press out the air, tie it, and keep it for at least a month before feeding. Watch for rats and torn bags. Adding molasses helps tropical grass silage.
Minerals and blocks
Keep salt and water available at all times. Urea-molasses blocks typically contain 4–10% urea, 30–45% molasses and a binder.
Urea can kill. Never let sheep eat loose urea. Use blocks made to a tested recipe, and store urea locked away.
Dry-season budget
Feed needed = daily dry matter per sheep × number of sheep × days of dry season + 10–20% for waste
The waste allowance is a planning guess; check it against your own records.
Budget sum
30 ewes weigh 25 kg each and eat 3% of body weight as dry matter. How much dry matter for a 90-day dry season, plus 15% waste?
Feed for the dry season
- Plant a small grass plot and a row of fodder trees.
- Make five bags of silage and label them with the date.
- Write the flock's dry-season feed budget.
Find by-products
List three by-products near you (cassava peels, brewers' grain, crop residues) and their prices.
Unit 3 · Run a flock health programme
Plan health with your vet, treat only the sheep that need it, and never sell meat that still carries drugs.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Control worms wisely | uses FAMACHA, rotates drugs and checks if drugs still work |
| 3.2 Respond to common diseases | recognises and responds to pneumonia, foot rot, mange and bloat |
| 3.3 Keep a health calendar | keeps vaccination and treatment records with withdrawal dates |
Range. The training flock. Evidence. FAMACHA records; health calendar; treatment records.
Worms and drug resistance
Worms that survive dewormers are now found across Africa. Resistance in sheep worms is very common, so test whether a drug still works before relying on it. FAMACHA eye scoring helps you treat only anaemic sheep.
Monthly or targeted? Level 1 described monthly dosing at a research station. Treating only sheep that need it slows resistance. No Ghana test of resistance or FAMACHA was found; agree a plan with your vet. Papaya seed and Moringa have been tested against worms in Ghana but are not proven.
Common diseases
- Pneumonia causes over a third of deaths in West African sheep and goats, peaking in the rains and the harmattan; crowding and poor air make it worse.
- Foot rot smells like rotten cheese and usually arrives with a bought sheep. Trim, use a zinc sulphate footbath, cull sheep that keep getting it, and quarantine new stock.
- Mange affected about 5% of sheep in a northern survey, and most keepers had no training.
- Bloat swells the left side like a drum. It comes with lush wet legumes, sudden feed changes or eating plastic. Give dry roughage before grazing and change feed slowly. Bloat is an emergency: call the vet.
- PPR vaccination campaigns in 2025 were in northern regions. Ask your district vet for local dates.
Withdrawal periods
In Ghana, drug residues were found in 24% of mutton samples because farmers did not know about withdrawal periods. In Sunyani, over half of farmers did not observe them.
| Drug (example) | Meat withdrawal on one label |
|---|---|
| Albendazole | 7 days; not in early pregnancy |
| Levamisole | 3 days |
| Oral ivermectin | 11 days |
| Closantel | 28 days |
| Long-acting oxytetracycline | 19–32 days by product |
Your label is the rule. Products in Ghana may differ. Buy only FDA-registered veterinary medicines. Record drug, dose, date and withdrawal end date. No sheep goes to market or slaughter before its withdrawal ends.
Health round
- FAMACHA-score the flock and treat only those your trainer agrees.
- Run a footbath with gloves and goggles.
- Write a 12-month health calendar with your vet's advice.
Read labels
Copy the meat withdrawal period from three dewormers sold near you.
Unit 4 · Manage lambing and young stock
A live lamb at weaning is worth more than any other number in your records.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Prepare ewes | feeds ewes in late pregnancy and prepares the lambing pen |
| 4.2 Handle problems | recognises lambing problems early and calls the vet; raises weak lambs |
| 4.3 Wean and select | weans lambs, records weights and selects replacements |
Range. A lambing season. Evidence. Lambing records; weaning weights; replacement list.
Late pregnancy
Ewes carrying twins can get digestive trouble late in pregnancy. Feed small amounts of roughage often, a little more concentrate, and keep them moving. Survival of lambs is the most valuable trait you have.
When to call the vet
- Straining for more than 30–60 minutes with no lamb
- Only a head, or only one leg, showing
- A ewe that is weak, down or not eating before lambing
- A lamb that cannot stand or suck after an hour
Weaning and replacements
Wean at about 4 months. Weigh lambs at birth and weaning. Keep as replacements ewe lambs from ewes that lamb regularly and raise lambs well.
Lambing record
- Prepare a clean lambing pen.
- Record every lambing: date, ewe, sire, number, weights, problems.
- Weigh and wean a group of lambs and choose replacements.
Survival rate
What percentage of lambs born in your flock last year were weaned alive?
Unit 5 · Fatten rams for the festive market
A well-finished ram, ready on the right day, can earn more than several thin ones.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Plan a fattening round | selects rams and times a 60–90 day round to a festival |
| 5.2 Feed and weigh | feeds, weighs and tracks daily gain |
Range. A group of rams fattened for Eid or Christmas. Evidence. Fattening plan; weight records; profit sum.
Choose and plan
Choose healthy rams in body condition 2.25–3, with a large frame and good teeth. Rest, water and treat new arrivals; the first two weeks decide success. Plan rounds of up to 90 days ending just before a festival; underfeeding and wrong timing are the commonest failures.
Eid al-Adha 2027 is expected around 16 May 2027, depending on the moon. Start a 90-day round in mid-February.
Gains to expect
- Rams in northern Ghana fed a cassava peel diet gained 130 g a day.
- That trial may have included larger Sahelian-type rams. Expect less from Djallonké.
Weighing
Use a scale if you can. Girth tapes made for other breeds can be wrong. Build your own chart: weigh 20 sheep, measure their girth, and write both down.
Festival prices
- Eid 2026: Tamale GH¢850–3,000 by size; Accra GH¢5,000–5,500 for large rams; Kumasi from GH¢1,500. Most animals came from Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.
- In Kumasi, prices fell from GH¢2,500 to GH¢1,500 as the stronger cedi made imports cheaper.
- Eid 2024 in Asesewa: GH¢3,000–5,000.
- Christmas 2023 in Kasoa: from GH¢1,500.
Prices swing. Imported rams set the price. Your advantage is a healthy, well-finished, tagged ram sold close to the buyer.
Fattening round
- Select 5 rams and record their start weight and condition.
- Write the feeding plan and the sale date.
- Weigh every two weeks and calculate daily gain.
- Calculate profit at sale.
Price watch
Record ram prices at a local market two weeks before a festival.
Unit 6 · Sell, move and protect your flock
Sell to the right buyer, move animals legally and keep them safe from thieves.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Sell well | uses livestock markets and direct buyers; markets the flock |
| 6.2 Move and protect | transports legally and humanely; prevents theft |
| 6.3 Earn from by-products | sells manure and breeding services |
Range. Local markets and buyers. Evidence. Buyer list; transport checklist; theft-prevention plan.
Buyers
Most sheep traded in Kumasi and Tamale came from Burkina Faso. Buyers also want sheep for naming ceremonies, funerals and weddings, not only Eid, so sell all year.
Moving animals
District veterinary officers issue movement permits that show animals are healthy and not stolen. Ask your district vet office for the current rules and fees. Rest and water animals, do not overcrowd the vehicle, and carry your papers.
Theft
Residents of Kansaworado in Essikado-Ketan asked the police for protection after night thefts of livestock. In 2025 a suspected sheep and goat thief was killed by a mob in Ashanti.
Protect without violence. Lock sheep in at night, tag and photograph every animal, keep receipts, and report theft to the police. Never join mob action.
Manure
Sheep manure comes as dry pellets with good potassium, and farmers rely on it when fertiliser is costly. Government promotes organic fertiliser.
Market and protect
- List five buyers, including two who buy outside festival time.
- Make a transport checklist.
- Photograph and record the tag of every animal in the flock.
Vet office
Ask your district vet office how to get a movement permit.
Unit 7 · Run the flock as a business
Count your profit per ewe each year. It tells you whether to grow, change or stop.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Calculate gross margin | works out gross margin per ewe and per fattened ram |
| 7.2 Plan the business | chooses a site and business model, and finds support |
Range. The flock's records for a year. Evidence. Gross margin sheets; business plan.
Gross margin
Per fattened ram: sale price − (purchase + feed + drugs + transport + labour) Per ewe per year: (lambs weaned × value + cull ewe sales) − (feed + health + ram costs)
Profit depends on days on feed, feed price, feed efficiency, the gap between buying and selling price, transport, labour, deaths and vet costs.
Worked example
A ram bought for GH¢800 is fed for 90 days. Feed costs GH¢300, drugs GH¢50, transport GH¢60. It sells for GH¢1,800. What is the gross margin?
Location settings that give good returns
These are practical guides, not research findings:
- Near Muslim communities and city buyers in Sekondi-Takoradi
- Near cassava processors (peels), breweries (spent grain) and farms that buy manure
- Well-drained land, away from busy roads
- Close to a district vet office
Business ideas and ingenuity
- Fatten rams for Eid, Christmas and naming ceremonies
- Sell good ram lambs and ewes as breeding stock
- Offer ram service to neighbours
- Make and sell bag silage or fodder cuttings
- Bag and sell sheep manure to vegetable growers
Market yourself
- A flock name and a WhatsApp Business page with photos and weights.
- Sell tagged animals with health records; buyers trust them more.
- Take pre-orders for festivals and deliver on the agreed day.
Support and accessibility
From 2026 the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund for persons with disabilities rose from 3% to 5%, with a Disability Desk at each assembly. Assemblies give livelihood grants; one paid GH¢219,300 to 97 persons with disabilities. Rearing sheep and goats near home suits people with limited mobility, though farmers with disabilities report being refused loans.
Practical changes: ground-level feeders and water, a firm wide path, a ramp into the pen, a catch pen so sheep are not chased, phone photos and voice notes for records, and working in pairs.
Business plan
- Calculate the gross margin per ewe from the flock records.
- Calculate the gross margin of your fattening round.
- Write a one-page plan: site, flock size, buyers, support.
Disability Desk
Find out who runs the Disability Desk at your District Assembly.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bag silage | Chopped forage packed airtight in a bag |
| Daily gain | Weight gained per day |
| Flushing | Extra feed before and during mating |
| Gross margin | Income minus direct costs |
| Inbreeding | Mating closely related animals |
| Resistance | Worms that survive a dewormer |
| Withdrawal period | Days after a drug before meat can be sold |
Logbook
- Unit 1: ram standard; mating plan; family tree; cull list
- Unit 2: fodder plot record; silage bags; feed budget
- Unit 3: FAMACHA scores; health calendar; treatment records
- Unit 4: lambing and weaning records
- Unit 5: fattening weights; profit sum
- Unit 6: buyer list; tag photos; transport checklist
- Unit 7: gross margin sheets; business plan
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- Which trait did the Ejura study find most valuable per ewe?
- When should you mate ewes to lamb in September–October?
- Name three relatives a ram must not mate with.
- How do you make bag silage?
- Why is loose urea dangerous?
- Why treat only sheep that need deworming?
- What does foot rot smell like, and how does it usually arrive?
- What must happen before a treated sheep is sold?
- When should a 90-day fattening round start for Eid 2027?
- Write the gross margin formula for a fattened ram.
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: your Level 1 manual; ESGPIP technical bulletins on fattening and health; the Hub's Money Skills manual.
What this module does not cover: artificial insemination, slaughter and meat processing, goat-specific care, and large ranching.
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.