Author Topic: Weaners and boggy land? (Read 1877 times)

Fronden ewes · « **on:** March 01, 2017, 07:12:37 pm »

I've got 2 weaners and I have approx. 1/4 of an acre that is fenced off and unused. The area has been unused due to it being full of brambles and rushes and very little grass for grassing for my sheep, the land is fairly soft under foot and at the bottom of the land there is a stream of about 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide.

Would I need to fence off this stream from the weaners or should I leave it unfenced?
Would there be any reason not to put the Weaners on this patch of land?

Thanks in Advance, Lee

Fronden ewes · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2017, 09:07:39 am »

Hi,
Has anyone one got any advice, please

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2017, 09:09:38 am »

You would need to fence off the stream, unless there's a proper fence on the other side. Streams change their course at times of high rainfall and what was once secure can have a big gap appear overnight. A tangle of rushy brambles is not suitable for weaners - they are quite likely to gorge themselves on greenery and risk an impacted gut. Wet land will become a quagmire very quickly at this time of year and weaners will run the risk of pneumonia.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2017, 11:02:17 am »

Yes definately fence off the stream. What type of housing do you have, if its movable I think I'd start off with a small pen on the dryest bit, maybe 5 metres square and see how they get on. I think I'd probably strim all of the rushes and bramble too. Its hard to judge what you mean by the land being soft underfoot, is it like that all year round or will it dry up in a few weeks? I'd be concerned that as the pigs got heavier they'd sink deeper and deeper into the mud.

Fronden ewes · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2017, 11:02:51 am »

Thanks for the advice, we had it topped late September and thought I would have the pigs clean it out for me to reseed before the brambles started to grow again. My biggest concerns were the stream as I'm inexperienced with pigs and I wasn't sure if they would drown, there is a good stock fence on the other side of the stream so they would be well enclosed.

Fronden ewes · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2017, 11:11:34 am »

We have a homemade house which we can easily move when needed.

As for the ground it is wet and been overgrown for years, we had a big tractor on it in September when it was topped and id didn't leave any tyre marks in the ground. After it was topped there were very little grass patches here and there but majority of the area was rushes.

Pigsmightfry · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2017, 11:32:51 am »

Pigs will soon turn over the ground, they will then keep it clear but will turn it into a quagmire if there are underground springs, if it dries out they should be no problem, but may dig out all the banks of the the stream. Unfortunately the rushes will come back once you move the pigs off, their roots are quite resilient. If you clip off the brambles at ground level the pigs will dig out the roots.

harmony · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2017, 01:16:13 pm »

I would agree that the stream needs fencing off. Also fencing well back from the bank to create a strip between any potential run off and water contamination.

Without seeing the land it is hard to assess. Completely covered in brambles is not a good idea for weaners however I have seen pigs used to clear them.

Wet ground - well 1/4 of an acre for two weaners is a biggish space and they are not going to make as much mess as turning in two large sows. Depends on if you have dryer areas to feed and if you can avoid poaching around access/entry points.

I wouldn't be put off from what you have said but certainly fence off the stream.