The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: woodywood on February 27, 2009, 10:14:42 pm
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I only have about 1 acre of land but I would love to have some Ryland sheep. How many should I get? I have never kept sheep before but I have a couple of friends who have. In the longer term I'm hoping they will have lambs which we will rear and sell on for meat? Help..... I feel a bit lost!!!!
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The norm per acre is 3-5, but you must be able to rotate them onto fresh pasture.
I have Ryelands,to date 18 lambs in the last 2 weeks. :) :) :sheep: :sheep:
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I have Ryelands - three and four on the way, but I'm not counting until they are hatched!
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We have just started ourselves with two Ryeland ewe lambs on just over an acre. People have told us that there's enough room for four but on reflection it makes sense to us to have started with the two - as and when they have lambs that could be up to six for a time. I guess with the extra grass in the summer that would be OK.
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We've effectively got four paddocks. Managing the grass is a challenge. Last summer, we had to cut the grass as the three couldn't keep up with it. This year, I'm going to graze more tightly and rotate better.
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Just back from visit to are near Jane's - is that Rylands she has - hey look similar to yours?
Are we still going to do that next lunch? Seems ages since the last one and it was such fun!
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Jane bred my Ryelands - they are from the Sheriffyards flock.
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Ryelands
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They look a bit bogged down. I thought it got muddy here with my Ryelands.
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No that's not mud - it's rough undergrowth from trees being taken down. It was bone dry
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Here's some of last years ewe lambs with baby sitter.
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I think they look so cuddly - like dark brown teddy bears - I couldn't possibly eat any of my own. What a wimp I am! :-[ :-[
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The one in the middle looking at the camera is just like Juno - same shape of legs. I'm so glad she's not deformed!!
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They can look knock kneed some more pronounced than others, but that is the breed, and I wouldn't change them for the world. ;D ;D
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They're not knock knee-ed though - its just the way the wool grows down their legs.
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Does anyone know of any 'official' guidelines on this? I've been looking, but without much success, and came to the conclusion that it seems to depend on how much you are prepared to feed them. I did come up with 9 per acre (from CAFRE) which related more to their output (so as not to exeed approved manure nitrogen levels) which seemed rather a lot if they were supposed to be grazing.
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I don't know if there is any official number per acre because it depends on various factors.
Can I suggest that less rather than more is better. If you are new to sheep keeping it is better start small in my opinion.
Kaz suggested 3-5 per acre and I agree.
One of my fields is an acre and I cannot imagine keeping 9 sheep on it all year- that is far too many.
3 seems more suitable if you are going to breed from them. If you were not going to breed then you could possibly keep 5 .
You must rotate the grazing though and be prepared to feed hay and concentrates.
You could also ask around about nearby fields to let if you decide to expand a bit in the future.
I recently advertised in our local parish mag for small fields to graze and so far have had 5 offers.
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Have to admit 3-5 sounds far more sensible and suits me. I just made the mistake of 'wondering' what DEFRA had to say on the subject and spent the evening fruitlessly looking for the information. Can't believe it is not there somewhere since they told me how much floor and trough space they had to have. However, as you say there are a number of variables to consider, so they probably don't like to give too definite an answer.