300 sheep for sale by U. of Saskatchewan, must stay together

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SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, May 7 (UPI) -- The University of Saskatchewan says it seeks a buyer for its 300 sheep, which must head to a new pasture due to budget cuts, but won't break up the herd.

The university, with a strong reputation in agricultural sciences, keeps the sheep year-round on its campus farm, but has cut 40 jobs and will leave 10 positions unfilled to help close a projected budget shortfall of $44.5 million in 2016, the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported Tuesday.

Mary Buhr, dean of the school's College of Agriculture and Bioresources, said in a statement that sheep will still be purchased for research purposes but the flock has to go in a move aimed at "minimizing the maintenance that comes with a permanent sheep flock residing on the campus farm."

The sheep will graduate and enter the world outside academia together, the newspaper noted. The school is looking for a single buyer for the entire flock.