mob stocking

Kiwi Pete · Nov 28, 2018

The only worm issues I have are: feeding them all

Nothing gets wormed here apart from the cats, I do monitor FEC but have never reached a point where it is needed - my "cheats" are that I use cattle to provide the bulk of the animal impact, and only run a very small mob of ewes.
I run a mob of store spring lambs and some of them crash out, so they are quarantined on one area, and don't put my sheep in there; handily I also tack graze a mob of hoggets in the winter to chew out the pastures and export the problem in exchange for a monthly cheque

My sheep only graze fast while the lambs are here, and then I put them on a diet

We had 4 inches of rain last week

unlacedgecko · Nov 28, 2018

henric irbladh said:
Those of you who mob graze with sheep, how long regrowth period do you aim for?
Have anyone noticed any difference in worm burden after changing to mob/holistic grazing.

Strictly speaking I’m not really mob grazing. I’m paddock grazing ewes over winter to improve grass utilisation and reduce poaching.

Asits a winter only thing for me, there is no re growth grazed. The sheep don’t go over the same ground twice. Nothing gets wormed while it’s with me.

ShooTa · Nov 28, 2018

henric - im only in my first year and we had pretty drastic improvements with our worm issues fec tests were good all year - although i did bork and ended up not fencing a wet ditch and them getting fluke.. DOH

henric irbladh · Nov 28, 2018

Thanks for the replys. Seems like you have about the same thoughts and experince as I.

Cheers

henric irbladh · Nov 28, 2018

Left side grazed 24 hours,right side 36 hours (Due to Groundswell visit)

Left side grazed 24 hours, right side 48 hours.

None of the paddocks that were grazed more than 24 hours never catched up during the regrowth period (approx 30 days).
Just love mob grazing

Samcowman · Nov 29, 2018

henric irbladh said:
View attachment 743188
Left side grazed 24 hours,right side 36 hours (Due to Groundswell visit) View attachment 743190
Left side grazed 24 hours, right side 48 hours.

None of the paddocks that were grazed more than 24 hours never catched up during the regrowth period (approx 30 days).
Just love mob grazing

Were they grazed down to the same level?
Was talking to a dairy grazer tonight and he was saying that you have to graze down the grass to 1200 or it affects the cows on the next round. He would be rotating rather than mob grazing. Thinking that level would be quite low for mob.

Kiwi Pete · Nov 30, 2018

If this is 1200, then yes

I don't worry about quantities, take half, leave half behind - the main dynamic is the movement, to avoid stress

henric irbladh · Nov 30, 2018

Samcowman said:
Were they grazed down to the same level?
Was talking to a dairy grazer tonight and he was saying that you have to graze down the grass to 1200 or it affects the cows on the next round. He would be rotating rather than mob grazing. Thinking that level would be quite low for mob.

Different grazing levels, more"left overs" in 24 hour paddock. I think thats one of the reasons, there is more
"solar panels" left starting to generate energy to the plant. I think yo´re right on the next round, on dairy cattle.
My sheep just graze the leafy part and leave the rest

ChrisStep · Jul 9, 2019

Really struggling to keep up this year. I've 40 acres of ley to graze but we haven't got anywhere near yet - still grazing pastures and BPS fallow. I'm going to try a weed wiper after we've grazed this lot.

Brisel · Jul 9, 2019

Ditto. I started in May in stuff 18" tall and now it's 5 feet in places. A nightmare for putting out electric fencing.

SilliamWhale · Jul 9, 2019

Brisel said:
Ditto. I started in May in stuff 18" tall and now it's 5 feet in places. A nightmare for putting out electric fencing.

Careful on Pinkeye

Nsoiled · Jul 9, 2019

Why would you be weed wiping?

Tall covers are an issue with shorting.
But ultimate objectives should dictate management. Not the other way round

Tall grass will be feeding soil in a way that no fertiliser can ever do

Tighten up those groups to achieve uniform trampling and utilisation. This may mean moving multiple times per day. But the rewards will pay off, in grass growth and reduced poaching in winter

Nsoiled · Jul 9, 2019

SilliamWhale said:
Careful on Pinkeye

If you're not making them eat to the base then exposure to pink eye will be minimal

ChrisStep · Jul 10, 2019

The weed wiping is for the thistles in the fallow land. The grass has now been eaten / trampled, leaving a good stand of thistle for a weed wipe at about 2 ft. Hopefully miss any remaining grass stalks. Thanks for the heads up on pink eye. Is long grass a cause?

Brisel · Jul 11, 2019

I had always thought pink eye/New Forest Eye was from long grass scratching their eyes as they grazed. After 2 years of mob grazing, it hasn't been an issue so far.

Nsoiled · Jul 11, 2019

Yes, pink eye is commonly associated with long grass.
But as Brisel says, those that actually mob graze haven't reported issues with it, AFAIK

Kiwi Pete · Jul 11, 2019

It's been a problem on this farm in the past, and tall grass is only a recent addition to the landscape (hence my battle with letting the grass express itself, it takes time).

That was more to do with what I would call "scungy calves" and do wonder if it is to do with lack of care/colostrum? Below par immune systems?
It can be caused by chlamydia or mycoplasma bacteria, as well as allergies, irritants.
It can certainly spread rapidly via contact, things like feeders and bale rings (and housing, which was the case here before we arrived).
But I doubt if long/stalky grass is the main reason, as this is "the natural state of affairs" on most landscapes in the world, remember these were around long before the topper and overgrazing shifted our baselines as to 'what a farm should look like'.
Likewise scald and lameness, these are also the result of human's own actions, or lack thereof.
We tend to blame nature, ahead of our own faults.

martian · Aug 4, 2019

Not had any problems with pink eye...moved the mob into this wild flower meadow today. I was going to graze it a month ago but the wildlife people wanted to do a plant count so I missed it out of the rotation. Now a bit coarse, but they seem quite happy.

We were told we had to have a maximum of 8 beasts out there all summer. The plant counters were surprised that we've managed to get rid of all the thistles with mob grazing and also the floral diversity seems better than ever...with any luck they'll modify their pig-headed rules

Nsoiled · Aug 6, 2019

Brisel said:
Ditto. I started in May in stuff 18" tall and now it's 5 feet in places. A nightmare for putting out electric fencing.

Having seen

ChrisStep said:
Really struggling to keep up this year. I've 40 acres of ley to graze but we haven't got anywhere near yet - still grazing pastures and BPS fallow. I'm going to try a weed wiper after we've grazed this lot.View attachment 818584

Having seen this and many other examples of similar covers I think it's important to achieve both even utilisation and faster moves. Basically to get across the ground and "catch up" with the grass that's getting ahead of you.
Basically, to achieve both you will most likely need to be moving more than daily moves.
The image below shows 30 residuals from day move. You can see the large areas of unutilised (and untrampled) grass. That is now senescent, and lost to the system, as it is oxidising, rather than being decomposed (feeding organisms). As well as the fact these grasses probably won't grow much again this year. The only way to overcome this issue at the time, is to increase the stock density, so the animals are forced to trample (by bunching) or utilise the grass (through competition).
This boils down to a skim grazing system where utilisation rates are right down, stocking densities are right up and moves are very frequent. A case for batt latches or tumblewheels. The latter being the ideal where the former the more convenient.

GreenerGrass · Aug 6, 2019

Nsoiled said:
The image below shows 30 residuals from day move. You can see the large areas of unutilised (and untrampled) grass. That is now senescent, and lost to the system, as it is oxidising, rather than being decomposed (feeding organisms)

Hmm interesting.. this is a problem I am having. I wanted to show photos to check I was on right tracks, but instead .. Guilty as charged perhaps! Only have sheep and I know their trampling isn't as effective as cows. On daily moves mostly. This shows a paddock post grazing. Looking down there is a super amount of plant litter. But looking accross there's plenty I've not got and hadn't been trampled. I was hoping it would even out with the next rotation or worst case over winter if still standing.

It has been hot and dry here but regrowth hasn't been where I'd have hoped. We've just had a bit of rain so fingers crossed... Was down to a 25 day rotation so going to put the whole flock on hay aftermath (cut 5 weeks ago). Not a huge deal there but should buy a week or two of growth on the grazing paddocks.. thoughts welcome!

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