The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: silkiechick on May 27, 2013, 07:16:01 pm

Title: Paddock rotation
Post by: silkiechick on May 27, 2013, 07:16:01 pm

Out of interest how long would you graze a paddock before rotating to the next assuming there is plenty of grass & you are not moving them because they have munched it off.

Title: Re: Paddock rotation
Post by: suziequeue on May 27, 2013, 09:35:14 pm

In the summer we usually move them every two weeks

Title: Re: Paddock rotation
Post by: Backinwellies on May 27, 2013, 10:26:57 pm

why?

Title: Re: Paddock rotation
Post by: suziequeue on May 28, 2013, 06:18:46 am

We have seven paddocks and they all need grazing in the summer. Last summer we could barely keep on top of it - even with top cutting after each paddock had been grazed off and even then we had to get the bottom field cut at the end of the summer.

This year we have a few more sheep and a few more rams so we can split them up more so it may not be such a problem (last year we only had one ram).

Title: Re: Paddock rotation
Post by: fifixx on May 28, 2013, 08:47:33 am

After doing a sheep parasite course at the vet, the longest you should leave sheep on the same grass is 3 weeks (the time it takes for worms to hatch, go through 2 larvae stages and be ready to be eaten again)

Title: Re: Paddock rotation
Post by: silkiechick on May 28, 2013, 09:05:46 am

Was just following on from the worming posts & what constitutes clean grazing thanks for the replies