[PK]

I have 2 ewes and their 4 lambs on about an acre of pasture. The grass has grown quite high and is now flowering in the areas they have not grazed. On previous threads there have been different views on  whether sheep are happy with long grass or not. I could move them to another acre field which has shorter grass because I mowed it a few weeks ago. Is it okay to leave them where they are? The ewes are Wiltshire Horn and the lambs crossed with Jacob if that is relevant.

[TheSmilingSheep]

Hi there.  You will certainly hear from more experienced voices than mine.... but a couple of years back we had really long grass (couldn't find contractor, and tractor with topper was being renovated, so we had grass which was uncut all spring until mid-June.  We have small rare breed mountain sheep, so they were well hidden at times!  I'd read that it wasn't a good thing for a number of reasons.... bad for feet and poor nutrition.... but no harm came to the flock.  Personally, if I could move the flock relatively easily onto a newly mown field then I suspect that I would, but don't lose sleep over it!

[Melmarsh]

Hi I agree and would give them shorter grass, more nutritious for you lambs if you want to finish them on grass. Last year I too had an area of grass at the bottom of my field that ewes and lambs ignored once it got to flowering, had it topped by a neighbour and raked away.   

[Marches Farmer]

One of the problems I've had in fields with long grass in the past is if it gets thoroughly wetted by rain or dew and stays that way because the weather hasn't been dry or windy enough to dry it out.  Wet, long grass can be a problem for old sheep or youngsters whose rumen isn't working at the optimum level and they suffer from bloat as a consequence.  Once it happened overnight and one of the old girls (a Speckle Face) was dead in the morning.

[PK]

Helpful replies; thanks.