How do you fence your sheep on turnips?

[MayburyBTs]

I'm about to graze my lambs on turnips for the first time and I'm just wondering how you fence it?

Do you fence blocks then strip graze?
How do you move a fence without the sods doing a runner as soon as you slacken off the fence?

Any tips in general?

 

[HappyShep76]

We always fence the perimeter and then put in two cross fences if we’re going to strip graze. That way I can reel up one once they’ve nipped them off and they cannot get past the next cross fence. I then put the second fence up ready for the next move.

If we’re fencing blocks I just sit the dog in front of them so they don’t run off to the far end of the field.....

 

[Al R]

Fence ahead, it’s up to you how big of a block you do but I find weekly good.
We sometimes do all the fencing in a field at the start while we’ve got time and then just pull the dividers out when they’ve finished a patch.

 

[HarryB97]

We run two fences and start them both at a gateway in a corner. The first fence goes up one side and then across the field and the second goes the other way round the field past the end of the first fence then across the field further up. After the first week we role back the first fence to the edge of the field then extend it past the second and go across the field. Basically two U shape fences across the field and means when you role one back to extand it to give the sheep a new patch they only have a short side that is temporarily unfenced. Sounds complicated but is very simple and works well!

 

[D.S.S18]

where I use to work,
we ran electric fence right round the boundary -

we then gave a new break every week - usually 24m tramline width -
ran down with the forklift put the wire in the wheeling.

we had all the lambs trained to come through 1 corner into the new break - fence was already set from the previous week - we then set up a break for the following week with the kit we had tidied up. (hope that makes sense!)

battery on the perimeter, battery on the breaks - often 2 units going. worked well,

lambs then ran back onto eaten ground for hay or hoppers and water.

 

[farmerm]

pulling a wheeling though and the fence in the wheeling reduces the risk of shorts and helps the sheep see the fence so they are less likly to walk blindly though it

 

[Al R]

pulling a wheeling though and the fence in the wheeling reduces the risk of shorts and helps the sheep see the fence so they are less likly to walk blindly though it

Like said above, we put a quad through then on the way back offset the last wheelmark by a few inch and put the posts in the wheelmark.

 

[pgk]

Do ewes drink much when on stubble turnips n forage rape?

 

[neilo]

Do ewes drink much when on stubble turnips n forage rape?

They will only drink any water at all on those crops if you are feeding hard food, or they are lactating,IME. I don’t have troughs I most of my root fields, but drop the bottom third of a 45 gallon drum in a paddock to keep FA happy. Fill it with water and it will be left untouched if in-lamb ewes and forage only. Most forage brassicas/roots are between 85 and 90% water already.

 

[Al R]

They will only drink any water at all on those crops if you are feeding hard food, or they are lactating,IME. I don’t have troughs I most of my root fields, but drop the bottom third of a 45 gallon drum in a paddock to keep FA happy. Fill it with water and it will be left untouched if in-lamb ewes and forage only. Most forage brassicas/roots are between 85 and 90% water already.

Would you put singles on post lambing on stubble turnips? Looks like a bumper crop for us this year and im Unsure if my twins will eat it all pre lambing..

 

[neilo]

Would you put singles on post lambing on stubble turnips? Looks like a bumper crop for us this year and im Unsure if my twins will eat it all pre lambing..

I’ve never put ewesand lambs on roots post lambing, as the main lotlamb too late for that, and my ground is too wet to entertain putting ewes and lambs on from earlier lambing mobs. In theory it would be great feed, but utilisation and wet mud/sore teats might be an issue on most farms?

 

[Al R]

I’ve never put ewesand lambs on roots post lambing, as the main lotlamb too late for that, and my ground is too wet to entertain putting ewes and lambs on from earlier lambing mobs. In theory it would be great feed, but utilisation and wet mud/sore teats might be an issue on most farms?

Lambs naval chords would be my biggest concern allowing in tetanus and other soil bornes. After our ewes we put ewe lamb’s on it and then The rams usually spend 2-3 months kicking bulbs around but depending how the winter goes we could have a lot left over? At what age would lambs be less susceptible to tetanus? My January and February lambers might get moved onto it in March..

 

[pgk]

They will only drink any water at all on those crops if you are feeding hard food, or they are lactating,IME. I don’t have troughs I most of my root fields, but drop the bottom third of a 45 gallon drum in a paddock to keep FA happy. Fill it with water and it will be left untouched if in-lamb ewes and forage only. Most forage brassicas/roots are between 85 and 90% water already.

Thank you, I shall follow your lead on putting out a trough

 

[Al R]

Thank you, I shall follow your lead on putting out a trough

Get some empty mineral tubs and fill with water, you can check their consumption, last year on turnips mine didn’t drink any for 7 weeks.

 

[dannewhouse]

filled 1000L and put it to a trough for sheep over winter on silage grass, they didn't drink a single drop!