First go at paddock grazing

[shearerlad]

Got a 9 acre field that’s not been grazed since September. I can split it roughly into quarters with electric and have a mob of 140 ewes on the first quarter. It got a good cover of wet lush autumn grass but not sure how bare to take it for the winter and next growing season.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I’d bear it well down or it’ll be rank

 

[Jerry]

How long are they taking in each paddock at the moment?

This is something I am looking at for the spring after lambing. Have 40 acres been shout up since the end of October.

Its traditional perm pasture in a single block that I roughly split into three for the ewes and lambs but think it could carry more if it was managed better.

Fert application is limited due to the CS options.

Hoping to put a group of 150 to 170 ewes plus lambs on it from mid March and trying to work out paddock size??

 

[Al R]

How long are they taking in each paddock at the moment?

This is something I am looking at for the spring after lambing. Have 40 acres been shout up since the end of October.

Its traditional perm pasture in a single block that I roughly split into three for the ewes and lambs but think it could carry more if it was managed better.

Fert application is limited due to the CS options.

Hoping to put a group of 150 to 170 ewes plus lambs on it from mid March and trying to work out paddock size??

5acre and preferably split into 2 groups, like first 80 lambed and second 80 lambed.

 

[HarryB97]

Ours our treading more into the mud than they are eating at the minute despite paddock grazing, if only every winter could be like last year!

 

[M-J-G]

I'd skin it to the ground

If its only 9 acres I'd just throw the 140 into it. That size of field isn't worth messing about with for paddocks at this time of year.

Plus if you get a fall of snow in a few weeks you'll be glad to have the top off it all rather than having a section of it not grazed.

 

[Global ovine]

You have the kit to subdivide it up. Work out the daily requirement of the mob you are grazing and split it up into blocks which can be eaten off in one, two or 3 days. Don't go over 4 days as the bottom of the sward will be of little feed value. Don't penalise your sheep just to break in the paddock.
Be flexible with time on a block, as the weather will dictate soil conditions. Keep in mind that cleaning up the paddock to get a good sward in spring is about tooth and hoof. The rejected grass if dead or dying will be trodden down and the edible will be eaten. If good green grass gets dirty due to wet muddy conditions, it will stand up again for re-grazing when soil conditions are firmer.
A bit of extra time now spent on fencing up will make your pasture much more valuable in the spring and encourage the clover component.

 

[BeReyt]

Don't scalp it, leave a few inches on, then move to next paddock. Grazing it right down will just knock it back and it'll take longer to fully grow again in the spring.

 

[ShooTa]

ill second @Global ovine s post

 

[Kiwi Pete]

How often can you get there to move them, @shearerlad ?
This is the time of year to shave out your paddocks - they are NOT actively growing and thus causes little/no stress to the plants to bare it off

We live on our bit so we maybe move them once a day in the winter, or two times if it's really sh!t wet.
(We have cattle + sheep boxed up)

Little breaks = small mistakes

I just peg it down for them, rather than open it up; go from cell to cell to cell
Lots of ways to kill a cat but it has to work for you or it'll be unsustainable, and then you'll go off it before seeing all the benefits of "dog and stick"

There is no recipe for what works but I have many many suggestions ?

 

[shearerlad]

Photo taken yesterday when I moved the fence. That’s what’s left after 3 days of grazing

 

[glensman]

Photo taken yesterday when I moved the fence. That’s what’s left after 3 days of grazing

A mob of ewe lambs now to tidy it up

 

[unlacedgecko]

Photo taken yesterday when I moved the fence. That’s what’s left after 3 days of grazing

Residual looks great!

 

[M-J-G]

If you don't mind me asking @shearerlad how come you've got such an excessive cover on the 9 acres, is it land that you've acquired recently or hasn't been in your management?

I wouldn't want any more than half of that grazable cover at this time of year as it's well past it's best for utilizing and recovery will be poor, especially of there is a good fall of snow or even a hard frost?

 

[ajcc]

Photo taken yesterday when I moved the fence. That’s what’s left after 3 days of grazing

Put new battery on and hold them there for another week.

 

[jack6480]

@Kiwi Pete sort these lads out

 

[ShooTa]

@ajcc - leccy fences should be for mostly holding them from going back from where they had their first bite - not forcing them to eat into the worm/virus zone. otherwise youll be forking out for foot jabs, dewormers, vaccines and a whole lot more - not good if your trying to cut expenses.
3 days is plent enough on one area.

 

[shearerlad]

That winter trial run at paddock grazing went fairly well, although probably went a wee bit barer than some would of. That 9 acres fed 142 ewes from just before Christmas through to scanning at the end of January, never had ewes in such good condition at scanning before and they have kept it on right through. It also convinced Dad that it’s worthwhile.

For the summer, the ewes and lambs are on a block of seasonal tenancy ground of old PGRS so can’t/don’t want to do anything permanent. Using Planimeter app I’m dividing it up, getting about 21 paddocks of 2.2-2.5 acres.

Will 140 ewes with twins be enough to utilise this?

 

[unlacedgecko]

That winter trial run at paddock grazing went fairly well, although probably went a wee bit barer than some would of. That 9 acres fed 142 ewes from just before Christmas through to scanning at the end of January, never had ewes in such good condition at scanning before and they have kept it on right through. It also convinced Dad that it’s worthwhile.

For the summer, the ewes and lambs are on a block of seasonal tenancy ground of old PGRS so can’t/don’t want to do anything permanent. Using Planimeter app I’m dividing it up, getting about 21 paddocks of 2.2-2.5 acres.

Will 140 ewes with twins be enough to utilise this?

No

 

[Kiwi Pete]

They will dent it, but not enough stock to maintain it well enough to give good animal performance IMO
However you don't have to use it all and could maybe defer some until the lambs are weaned, for the ewes to munch away at, and keep rotating the lambs (fast) on the rest