The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: lowlander on July 21, 2015, 01:19:07 pm
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Am I right that when calculating stocking density you only include adult animals (and not lambs at foot)?
We currently have 14 shetland ewes and 2 Hebrideans plus 11 lambs at foot. We have a total of 7 acres but are currently working 4 acres as these are securely fenced into 3 paddocks and the rest is not secure yet (aiming at rotating every 2 to 3 weeks between these three so resting each for 5 weeks). Am I right that our stocking density at the moment is 4 per acre (based on the adult sheep and the acres in use)? And when would the lambs become part of the head count (assuming they are staying)?
Just looking at future planning and deciding on when we might need to bring new pastures into play, how many lambs we should keep etc.
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Stocking density has many variables and is another case of an art and a science. Depending on your soil, location, aspect, rainfall and time of year the availability of grazing will vary widely. Whether you have an improved or ancient ley will also have a considerable influence. You are extremely unlikely to be able to graze your stock on top quality grazing all year. In summer there will be too much grass, some of which you can conserve as hay or haylage. The grass is unlikely to grow much between October and March.
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You might find this useful/interesting:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/smallholding/grassland-management/how-many-animals-can-my-grassland-support/ (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/smallholding/grassland-management/how-many-animals-can-my-grassland-support/)
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Thanks MF - you are right - and I am planning to supplement with ad lib hay in winter. The grass is decent pasture but has been somewhat neglected in recent years so we're working on weed control as well (mainly thistles and nettles). The stocking density is really just to give me a starting point - but I wanted to be sure I was calculating it correctly! Dan - that is a very useful document - thank you.
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From experience and asking neighbours in my area (and on here last year) - stocking density for my land varies from 2-6 an acre without supplimentary feeding, down to these variables;
Rotational grazing or not;
Feeding on the land or not;
Fertilizing of the land;
Breed of sheep.
To give an idea, If you graze down to 4cm, however long it takes, then move paddocks... you will get the best grass growth, but you could do set timeings which has the benefit of creating long grass areas, more wildlife and less worm/parasite burden (i currently practise this, but may experiment in time).
If you feed hay on the land a) you eek out the grass and b) the manure from the hay adds fertility so improving grass growth, so a double edged sword of greatness increasing your carrying cap.
Add nitroen in May and well - you can grow grass faster than 12 sheep an acre can eat it for 5 weeks or so.
Breed - 12 hebrideans eat about the same grass as 4 texels in my experience on my land, and the same as 5 NEM Mules, and 7-8 Lleyns......... they are smaller sheep though
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We find our dilemma is that our pasture can hold far more sheep in the summer than the winter (duh!).
We currently have 12 adults and 10 lambs, and the grass is getting away from us big time, such that I'd say we probably need 2-3 times the number of mouths to keep it down.
The problem is, that number would be utterly unworkable in the winter and the place would just turn into a quagmire.
Since this is also relevant to the O/P, can I ask what others do to manage this sort of seasonality? It's playing on my mind at the moment, as 5 acres is taking a loooong time to top with a push mower! ::)
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We find our dilemma is that our pasture can hold far more sheep in the summer than the winter (duh!).
We currently have 12 adults and 10 lambs, and the grass is getting away from us big time, such that I'd say we probably need 2-3 times the number of mouths to keep it down.
The problem is, that number would be utterly unworkable in the winter and the place would just turn into a quagmire.
Since this is also relevant to the O/P, can I ask what others do to manage this sort of seasonality? It's playing on my mind at the moment, as 5 acres is taking a loooong time to top with a push mower! ::)
Run a couple of Shetland cattle/beef cattle with the sheep on the grass in the summer and send them off as winter approaches (either to slaughter or for finishing) If you timed the buying of them with the start of spring/grass growing it might work quite well? Or a grass eating pig that would be ready to go ;) or rent to a local pony owner for summer livery?
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Use of a plate meter can really help, its far far easier than trying to figure out stocking calculations as it gives you an exact calculation and shows you what that field can support.
Or a similar thing called a sward stick
Before moving animals on to the grazing, measure how many kgs/DM per acre/ha there is, this gives you an exact guide as to how long the grazing will last a certain amount of animals
two weeks ago 5 acres lasted 103 sheep 5 days, however it was hay aftermath and pretty brown with a low kgs/dm per acre, if this 5 acres was lush green pasture and measured much higher on the plate meter it would have lasted possibly double this time
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Thanks - I hadn't heard of a plate meter/sward stick. Looking into that.
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Plate meters are very expensive to buy, I borrow one when I can but actually I find the use of one of these to be fairly accurate
http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/news/qms-sward-stick-monitor-optimal-grass-production (http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/news/qms-sward-stick-monitor-optimal-grass-production)
If you email asking for a free one they send you one within a couple of weeks, its easy to use with the tutorial being here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fsXl_NrZU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fsXl_NrZU)
:wave:
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Thanks - have sent off for one. :)
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We find our dilemma is that our pasture can hold far more sheep in the summer than the winter (duh!).
We currently have 12 adults and 10 lambs, and the grass is getting away from us big time, such that I'd say we probably need 2-3 times the number of mouths to keep it down.
The problem is, that number would be utterly unworkable in the winter and the place would just turn into a quagmire.
Since this is also relevant to the O/P, can I ask what others do to manage this sort of seasonality? It's playing on my mind at the moment, as 5 acres is taking a loooong time to top with a push mower! ::)
Make hay!! while the sun shines ;D
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We live in Scotland. What is this 'sun' of which you speak? :raining:
Seriously though, we did consider haymaking, but we don't have the equipment, and can't justify buying it for only a few acres. We could get a contractor I guess, but we'd be such small fry for them that I can't see it working happily.
I think that's a common problem for smallholders really. For this year, I've borrowed a couple of :horse: s to help keep it down!
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Our contracting neighbours are very obliging about doing smallholders' hay at the same time as they do their larger contracting jobs. If they can just turn into a smallholding field on the way back from cutting/turning/rowing up/baling 60 acres it's a lot easier than having to keep switching the kit over for small fields.
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Thanks - have sent off for one. :)
Great :thumbsup:
I hope you find it as useful as I have done :)
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We find our dilemma is that our pasture can hold far more sheep in the summer than the winter (duh!).
We currently have 12 adults and 10 lambs, and the grass is getting away from us big time, such that I'd say we probably need 2-3 times the number of mouths to keep it down.
The problem is, that number would be utterly unworkable in the winter and the place would just turn into a quagmire.
Since this is also relevant to the O/P, can I ask what others do to manage this sort of seasonality? It's playing on my mind at the moment, as 5 acres is taking a loooong time to top with a push mower! ::)
I have a bit more than you - 18 acres - and way more grass than I can cope with in the summer, but I'm lucky in that my dairy farmer neighbour bales some of it and gives me what I need, and keeps the rest. This saves me the expense of doing it myself! He will always give me extra if needed as well, or if he is short there is another neighbour I can buy from.
I (and many others I expect) have the same problem of how to manage the summer grass while not overstocking for winter. Much of my land is too wet to sustain grazing all year and I only have one 7 acre well-drained field which can take a fairly large population without getting too poached, so most of them end up on that over winter along with some horses and are fed haylage once they've eaten the grass down.
I usually send my lambs off to market around October time but last year I didn't have a large amount and kept them over winter with the ewes, and they went off in March - when the ppk is much higher and it was far more profitable! I'm considering doing that again this year but it would mean finding grazing for 31 lambs so not sure how it's going to work out ???
PS you need a small tractor with a topper :)
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If you email asking for a free one they send you one within a couple of weeks,
Do you have to be in Scotland for the freebie?
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If you email asking for a free one they send you one within a couple of weeks,
Do you have to be in Scotland for the freebie?
Nope - I'm in Yorkshire and mine arrived this morning. Really quick service - all it took was an email. Away tomorrow but will be having a try with it next week. :)
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We find our dilemma is that our pasture can hold far more sheep in the summer than the winter (duh!).
We currently have 12 adults and 10 lambs, and the grass is getting away from us big time, such that I'd say we probably need 2-3 times the number of mouths to keep it down.
The problem is, that number would be utterly unworkable in the winter and the place would just turn into a quagmire.
Since this is also relevant to the O/P, can I ask what others do to manage this sort of seasonality? It's playing on my mind at the moment, as 5 acres is taking a loooong time to top with a push mower! ::)
Most would bale the excess for use in winter. I was reading about a guy the other day who bales paddocks and leaves the bales there (small) in little shelters so in the winter he still rotates but doesn't have to bring a machine out everyday and mess the gateways up, the bales are already in place. Difficult balance I would assume.