my mob stocking experiment

[Coximus]

hers some pics.
I'll post more as it goes on.

The Cover was 3ft, with an estimated 4000kg/dm/HA.
Ground is PP, very weedy with areas of thistle and willowherb infestation as a result of being used for horses by previous occupants.

Underlaying soil is compacted, but 60% sandy, over broken rock. Free draining and PH5.3, Land reputed to be a poor field that produces "belly fill" fodder and grass. Deep roots from letting the grass grow ahead, hopefully offsetting some of this.

100 sheep, comprising of 60 ewes, and 40 ewe lambs, Placed on 2HA, behind electric fence on the 1st July.

Measurements taken weekly, showing to date, 2 weeks in, cover is varying across plot, but now estimated at 2500kg/dm standing, with some areas, espeically the stemmy areas, trampled into the ground. Importantly, the high grazing pressure has caused the sheep to eat creeping thistle, Willowherb, and even some clumps of decampsia.

They are now looking hungry and starting to go back and eat seed heads, the grass left is trampled and manure soiled, so I may look to move them in the 7-10 day or too if the grazing rate drops. Max time on plot will be 21 days, to keep worm burden broken.

Overall this is looking good so far, based on the weed-eating, and the fact I have had 1400 grazing days, out of 2 Ha.. Given that this land has historically been stocked at 3-4/ac in summer and 0-1 in winter, that would give 2730/grazing days per hectare per year. I Hope this system could prove to increase that rate, and give better growth.

 

[glensman]

hers some pics.
I'll post more as it goes on.

A bit more info required.

 

[Coximus]

A bit more info required.

Sorry mobile phone somehow buggered up!

 

[Coximus]

this one shows the stems left and trampled but leaves consumed

 

[Danllan]

hers some pics.
I'll post more as it goes on.

The Cover was 3ft, with an estimated 4000kg/dm/HA.
Ground is PP, very weedy with areas of thistle and willowherb infestation as a result of being used for horses by previous occupants.

Underlaying soil is compacted, but 60% sandy, over broken rock. Free draining and PH5.3, Land reputed to be a poor field that produces "belly fill" fodder and grass. Deep roots from letting the grass grow ahead, hopefully offsetting some of this.

100 sheep, comprising of 60 ewes, and 40 ewe lambs, Placed on 2HA, behind electric fence on the 1st July.

Measurements taken weekly, showing to date, 2 weeks in, cover is varying across plot, but now estimated at 2500kg/dm standing, with some areas, espeically the stemmy areas, trampled into the ground. Importantly, the high grazing pressure has caused the sheep to eat creeping thistle, Willowherb, and even some clumps of decampsia.

They are now looking hungry and starting to go back and eat seed heads, the grass left is trampled and manure soiled, so I may look to move them in the 7-10 day or too if the grazing rate drops. Max time on plot will be 21 days, to keep worm burden broken.

Overall this is looking good so far, based on the weed-eating, and the fact I have had 1400 grazing days, out of 2 Ha.. Given that this land has historically been stocked at 3-4/ac in summer and 0-1 in winter, that would give 2730/grazing days per hectare per year. I Hope this system could prove to increase that rate, and give better growth.

Which seed heads? If it's the weeds, you don't want them to do it because they'll just spread them with fertiliser. If it's the grass you may be missing a trick by not allowing self-seeding following a fairly heavy graze. Other than that, good so far.

In re' the worms, are you going to follow with cattle once the grass is long enough / time is right?

 

[Coximus]

the grass seed heads,
The thistles had not set seed before been eaten, and the same for the few docks, which strangely enough the sheep ate to the ground first.

I dont have any cattle, so I intend to leave this now until sept, and graze again the same then, and leave until they have eaten all the green off.

Also worth noting the field was conventionally grazed from jan - end march as winter keep.
The equivilent of 700 grazing days / hectare for the year to be added.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Any problems with scald due to longer than usual grass?

 

[dunk999]

I would go in with topper and smash it down close to the ground now and watch it come in nice and leafy

 

[SilliamWhale]

Do you think you could have hit that harder and tighter before moving?

 

[hendrebc]

Interesting experiment amd thanks for sharing his here for us. I thought mob grazing worked in thirds? You graze a third trample a third into the ground and leave a third for regrowth? Ive read this somewere i thought it was mob grazing? Happy to be corrected though

 

[Coximus]

they are still in tonight entering day 15.
theirs abiut half an acre left of good green leafy material that's laying down now. another half is badly.manured and they won't likely graze it.

I won't be topping it as the field is 7 miles from home and I also no longer have any equipt at all! another 3 to 4 days and I doubt there will be any standing bits.

I've had 1 case of scale so far, that said it is meadow grass and a dry field so it may not be representative compared to a new ley.

I think my next cell will be 1.5ha or 1.25ha not 2. this should reduce soiling and improve the trample, eat and spread.
I'm leaving them in another week at least after measuring and walking it this evening. plenty left.

 

[GreenerGrass]

Your suggested movements are too slow to break worms, i think it's about 4 days if you want to avoid auto-reinfection. Also dubious benefits for the plants either with so long in each paddock, as they will be hammering the regrowth of the best plants the hardest.

I'm moving my sheep between every 1-4 days. If you eradicate footrot (which i have) you don't get any scald and this is after 2 years of grazing pasture which at times is stemmy and long.

Also in my experience you need to not graze the lambs too tight as you'll hammer their growth rate. Again they will benefit from a tighter faster rotation rather than bigger slower. So either more numbers or smaller paddocks. Just my experience love to read your experiences and learnings.

 

[Kazak]

Are you monitoring weights? Be good to know if they are going forward, backwards or standing still.

 

[Coximus]

ewes are fine. ewe lambs have continued to grow, only weighted one as people asked and it's avgs 180g/day since on here. this field has generally never let lambs grow more than 100-125 so.im.chuffed with that. all are visibly larger and doing well.

 

[CopperBeech]

Not sure that's mob stocking, more like over stocked set stocking.......

 

[Coximus]

Not sure that's mob stocking, more like over stocked set stocking.......

I appreciate its somewhat stretched, my intention was to work with too large a parcel first, and shrink them as each move goes on until I find the right fit for the land and sheep. Never stocked so densely before.

 

[CopperBeech]

It's a good start but the trick is high pressure and quick rotation.

Recently tried week long moves. Total disaster! Back to 1-4 day moves.

Currently 3500 head in a mob.

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

It's a good start but the trick is high pressure and quick rotation.

Recently tried week long moves. Total disaster! Back to 1-4 day moves.

Currently 3500 head in a mob.

Do you top behind the mob? and is this PP or sown grassland?
And how many moves before your back where you started?

and sorry for all the cheeky questions!

 

[CopperBeech]

Do you top behind the mob? and is this PP or sown grassland?
And how many moves before your back where you started?

and sorry for all the cheeky questions!

For the first time we have done a little topping of thistles, but as a rule, no!

Mainly put the cattle through after if needed.

It's pretty much all herbal leys, with a small amount of pp.

Not sure how many cells, but a lot! Will have to work it out!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Roundup and put a match to it