The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: ewesaidit on October 29, 2015, 08:15:44 pm
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Hi. Just been given access to my winter grazing for sheep (until end of next March) but one of the two fields has been heavily muckspread (couple of weeks ago). It's had cows on it before that and is fairly bare.
a) is it likely to grow much?
b) when is it safe to put sheep on?
c) would it be useful to plan to keep it for ewes with lambs to go on in March?
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What sort of muck and how well rotted is it? Our neighbour has had other folks' intensive poultry farm shed cleanings spread on his field and (quite apart from it spreading red mite to my poultry housing) I wouldn't want any of my stock anywhere near it for a very long time.
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oh no MF! It's coo muck, looks fairly well rotted.
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I'd be inclined to leave it for ewes and lambs.
Grass is starting to slow down in growth and so there is no point in putting stock onto bare fields.
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Thanks CG. I think I'll try to leave that field til March and hope that March weather is kind enough to put ewes and young lambs out (most lambs due last week Feb)
Spoke to a farmer today who said that having had cows on it there is an increased fluke hazard for my sheep - anyone else got a view on that?
The cows (not mine) are allowed on to the fields I get to use in winter after they are cut but the fields they are on before that are heavily covered with rushes. These fields are convenient as they are next door, however, a worry if it's going to create health problems!
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If it's wet enough for rushes I'd ask the farmer about his fluke strategy and assume you'll have the same problem.
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hmmm not convinced he'll have a fluke strategy :-\
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hmmm not convinced he'll have a fluke strategy :-\
Well you will need one .... rushes suggest wet which will inevitably mean fluke. Speak to vet for advice. The land will be no worse for fluke because it has had cattle on in .... just that they suffer from same fluke as sheep (unlike worms) so will have multiplied fluke numbers.
Oh and don't fall into the trap of using Combinex per say .... don't use a wormer if it is not needed (spoken from someone who is just doing tests to see if a second type of wormer resistance has arrived here !)
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Hi Backinwellies, I have a fluke strategy based on vets advice, don't overworm and don't use conbined fluke/wormer products. It was more a case of not having had a fluke problem using this approach am I hugely increasing the likelihood of problems by grazing on the land after the cows. I only use it to give my bit of land a rest for a few months over winter. I don't think the cows (put out as calves) are treated in any way from when they're turned out until they're taken off but I don't know whether cows can have a pour on before turnout that covers them unlike sheep? I'll have a chat with my vet though, many thanks.