"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..

[Kiwi Pete]

it was only by fluke i got my hands on these chips as a neighbour was having is garden cleared and the chipper parked on our lane so i said if they wanted to leave them in the yard for me
I reckon i could get loads off chip for free around my area as there are loads arborists around here.
my only buggbear is i dont really have anywhere to pile the fym up to compost it for a few years all my cleaning outs goes into another shed with concreate floor. this winter i am aiming to try and throw a few buckets off soil and worms on the heap as we go to help with the natural soil bacteria.

Can you haul it straight out to the fields as you clear out your sheds? Anything that runs out the pile (unlikely, if you sheet it) will go where it needs to be, and just spread from the pile in a year or two

 

[Crofter64]

View attachment 913642
Been moving every 3 days as I can’t keep them in as tight as I want so giving them a bigger area and more time and they seem to stay in. Is this photo worrying?

Not much of a worm worry. I would put up with it in a lamb that was leaving the farm this autumn. Having said that, our winters are harsh and Our worm burden low. I have seen worms some years, but not lately. I just keep moving the sheep around, mixing them with cattle and chickens and I have no issues. Are you letting the sheep browse at all? I find that bark and leaves are a good tonic and clean them out nicely.

 

[Karliboy]

Can you haul it straight out to the fields as you clear out your sheds? Anything that runs out the pile (unlikely, if you sheet it) will go where it needs to be, and just spread from the pile in a year or two

how I’m set up in the cow pen is a deep bed at the back about 70ft long 16ft Dee which gets left all winter to build up. Then the thick slop straight behind the barrier around 55 ft long by 12ft deep gets spread straight out off the building once a week if the land will carry if not it just gets dumped into the next shed. Normally by the end off winter this shed is full off a mix off slop and Stirk bedding as that needs sweating down as there be a lot off straw in it. Which all needs to be shifted when fit to make sure I have storage for the next winter.

 

[jack6480]

Not much of a worm worry. I would put up with it in a lamb that was leaving the farm this autumn. Having said that, our winters are harsh and Our worm burden low. I have seen worms some years, but not lately. I just keep moving the sheep around, mixing them with cattle and chickens and I have no issues. Are you letting the sheep browse at all? I find that bark and leaves are a good tonic and clean them out nicely.

Not at the moment, where they are is just straight rye grass that I need taking down which is sad. I might run them through some woods at the weekend

 

[Rob Garrett]

Does any one own their own chipper or does everyone who uses wood chips have it brought in? who/ where from?

£30/cubic meter virgin softwood chip delivered from my landlord. If you added labour cost + chipper hire (big chip size = big expensive chipper), felling timber, carting etc, guessing would struggle to get cheaper. Can get recycled chip with a waste transfer licence a lot cheaper, but it's rum stuff; alli nails, glue etc

 

[Rob Garrett]

it was only by fluke i got my hands on these chips as a neighbour was having is garden cleared and the chipper parked on our lane so i said if they wanted to leave them in the yard for me
I reckon i could get loads off chip for free around my area as there are loads arborists around here.
my only buggbear is i dont really have anywhere to pile the fym up to compost it for a few years all my cleaning outs goes into another shed with concreate floor. this winter i am aiming to try and throw a few buckets off soil and worms on the heap as we go to help with the natural soil bacteria.

Mind that tree surgery chip doesn't heat up with a bit of green in it. The lad that delivered ours had a bad do with it stored in a shed [emoji91]

 

[Poorbuthappy]

View attachment 913642
Been moving every 3 days as I can’t keep them in as tight as I want so giving them a bigger area and more time and they seem to stay in. Is this photo worrying?

Tapeworm. Not generally a problem to sheep but in extreme circumstances can clog up the gut.

 

[Karliboy]

Mind that tree surgery chip doesn't heat up with a bit of green in it. The lad that delivered ours had a bad do with it stored in a shed [emoji91]

I've just spread it all out on shed floor about 100mm deep this weekend hopefully it be ok.
It was fair getting a head of steam on outside in a sheeted up pile.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Tapeworm. Not generally a problem to sheep but in extreme circumstances can clog up the gut.

Tapeworms are generally a non-issue in lambs. I did a few seasons in the casings dept at a freezing works, and some runners are literally jam-packed full of tapeworm

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Tapeworms are generally a non-issue in lambs. I did a few seasons in the casings dept at a freezing works, and some runners are literally jam-packed full of tapeworm

Heard a retired vet talk about it 25 years or so ago. He was advocating the use of cydectin drench, but couldn't understand why he was losing lambs. Turned out they were that chock full of tapeworm it was physically blocking the gut. Acknowledged they're not normally a problem but was just cautioning against totally ignoring them.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Heard a retired vet talk about it 25 years or so ago. He was advocating the use of cydectin drench, but couldn't understand why he was losing lambs. Turned out they were that chock full of tapeworm it was physically blocking the gut. Acknowledged they're not normally a problem but was just cautioning against totally ignoring them.

It's amazing the loading they can have as in, with my farmer's hat on, you'd wonder how the hang they'd be gaining weight with no room in their guts for grass

 

[JohnGalway]

View attachment 913642
Been moving every 3 days as I can’t keep them in as tight as I want so giving them a bigger area and more time and they seem to stay in. Is this photo worrying?

Tapeworm. You could FEC them which will tell you more. I think if sheep are thriving they can take a tapeworm burden, how do they look/handle?

 

[jack6480]

Tapeworm. You could FEC them which will tell you more. I think if sheep are thriving they can take a tapeworm burden, how do they look/handle?

Fat and very clean

 

[JohnGalway]

Fat and very clean

Wouldn't bother me so.

 

[jack6480]

Wouldn't bother me so.

Even though there breeding ewes?

 

[JohnGalway]

Even though there breeding ewes?

Given that they're fat & clean what is there to be concerned about. If you are concerned, then do an FEC which will give you more information. Unless they were showing other symptoms like going thin or squirting out sh!t I would monitor but not intervene unless something changed. All that comes with the health warning that you're walking through them, not I, but with the info provided I'd be happy enough.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Even though there breeding ewes?

I'd be more concerned that they won't stay tight in their break, than their tapeworms. I'd take note of anyone who doesn't appear to be thriving, if that's nobody then

 

[jack6480]

Pearly white

 

[jack6480]

I'd be more concerned that they won't stay tight in their break, than their tapeworms. I'd take note of anyone who doesn't appear to be thriving, if that's nobody then

3 strands won’t keep them in a tight paddock but 1 strand in a large paddock which lasts then 3 days

 

[Kiwi Pete]

3 strands won’t keep them in a tight paddock but 1 strand in a large paddock which lasts then 3 days

Funny creatures!