First go at paddock grazing

shearerlad

Member
Livestock Farmer
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.

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Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
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

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
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.
 
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.
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
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 ?
 
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?
 

shearerlad

Member
Livestock Farmer
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

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
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
 

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