beardface
Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Looking for info from people that currently graze solar parks. Looks like we're getting 170 acres going in at bottom of farm and said we'd like to graze it.
Solar park grazing
- Thread starter beardface
- Start date
- Location
- Mendips Somerset
make sure cabling is sheep proof , one of my customers sheep did 000s worth of damage in a few days , can be a pain getting them out from under panels , and dont bank on any quality of grazing after the first flush.
The site here sent 3 Romanian guys around 12-18 months after the build, to cable tie up all the dangly bits!! I usually have a couple of ties in my pocket when I am checking sheep to do the same.
If using alarm wires on the perimeter fence, make sure that the long lengths are on the OUTSIDE of the fence, to reduces issues with sheep eating the wire.
Train the sheep to a bucket, and you can also use electric fences internally (I am told) to create paddocks.
Good dogs are a must.
Build catch pens and funnels for working on the sheep inside...
Sheep love being under the panels, but grass quality under the panels tends to be meh.
beardface
Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
What's the grass like between the panels? Fields are split with ditches so will be speaking with them about internal fencing. What sort of stocking rates are people getting under them?. It's FBT land we're having to give up for it, BUT they have to come through main farm to build it. So landlord wants as much out of it for us as possible. There's 65 acres of current grassland and 100 acre arable to go in.
yeah cables need putting up out the way or covered in wavy coil drainage pipe/ducting down to ground. bit of concrete around the base on ground to to ffix and stopmice etc as well.
its grass they will eat it, the good parameter fence makes for tight management,great for weaned ewes tight great for couples with small lams great for in between ,win win.
Best tip would be use the same sheep so they get used to it,no the in and outs, and if possible dont move until theyve eaten right down so they are looking for a change,just basci stockmanship really to make the most of it. then you wont need the dogs so much or at all. as that can spook them and theres lots of obstacles. can run up and down the avenues with the bike.
manageed right theres no topping or strimming at all, except maybe if theres rushes on wetter ground. but spot spraying is a good toll as long as everything gets kept grass covered to arrest water run off sort of tyhing
No down sides ime.
its grass they will eat it, the good parameter fence makes for tight management,great for weaned ewes tight great for couples with small lams great for in between ,win win.
Best tip would be use the same sheep so they get used to it,no the in and outs, and if possible dont move until theyve eaten right down so they are looking for a change,just basci stockmanship really to make the most of it. then you wont need the dogs so much or at all. as that can spook them and theres lots of obstacles. can run up and down the avenues with the bike.
manageed right theres no topping or strimming at all, except maybe if theres rushes on wetter ground. but spot spraying is a good toll as long as everything gets kept grass covered to arrest water run off sort of tyhing
No down sides ime.
Agree that a "hefted" flock is good under panels. I check mine with a motorcycle, as I can bimble up and down the PV alleys as well as along the access alleys.
I have got the maintenance contract now as well, so bought a replacement Korean baby compact for spraying and weedwiping and any topping around the inverters/substation etc Very useful as I have no quad here.
What I have found useful is that we have an internal hedge with openings either end. I set up a semi-permanent corral at the one, so we can drive the flock towards the opening with a trap waiting! Wife hidden behind the hedge, waiting to shut the gate. No dog here, so we have to be creative
Look in the Renewables section @benny6910 for more details, but 1200 is unlikely nowadays unless its a very, VERY long Lease!
Under a Grand at present is the norm, but will depend on size, then location, location, location.
Thanks I’ll take a look. It’ll not be a straightforward site but location is in its favour.
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
Around £900. You wont get anything over £1000 now.
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
We have a small flock now - havent invested in a few years so lucky if there is 90 ewes now. 28 acres divided into 5 fields. Rotation depends on the quality of the grass. Around 5 days per field obv thats dependable on the time of year and the quality. I like putting the new lambs in the solar as it keeps the friendly fox away. Making sure you block up any wildlife runs.
At sheep possible browsing height , Cable coverage yes 100% and from the start. small square weld mesh fixed around the cable entries to the ground,the fencing contractor can be in charge of that as they have a good knowledge of livestock habits./control.
but panel height can be reasonably standard ( not extra high which will add to costs and visibility , or too low generally ) and the only issue might come for that eventuality is if the low end of panels are lower than average as in on maybe a slight North facing undulation that maybe part of the site but in practice sheep dont bother the low end...... or at least do damage anyway ime. and it was one of the things i worried about before.
i had worried they might jump up on those for fun as they do on bales sometimes but they haven't ,i guess they sense that its slippery and its dark and shiny of course bit like water hole i suppose.
any site that has to be maintained wont want to be set to low anyway as strimmer's ,etc would still need to be worked under them (well unless there's a load of really short people doing the work) as with all things common sense i suppose
The site builders/ developers/company will i expect have experience of sheep stocking on sites, as there are a fair few around these days.
for the purpose it would also help ( one of the rare occasions ) if the planning officer makes it a requirement /condition of planning / or its suggested at planning stage to help the success of the 'naturally resourceful' project in the local public eyes and so on.
Long post but i love the idea of it. 'power generation and sheep grazing'... perfick.
but panel height can be reasonably standard ( not extra high which will add to costs and visibility , or too low generally ) and the only issue might come for that eventuality is if the low end of panels are lower than average as in on maybe a slight North facing undulation that maybe part of the site but in practice sheep dont bother the low end...... or at least do damage anyway ime. and it was one of the things i worried about before.
i had worried they might jump up on those for fun as they do on bales sometimes but they haven't ,i guess they sense that its slippery and its dark and shiny of course bit like water hole i suppose.
any site that has to be maintained wont want to be set to low anyway as strimmer's ,etc would still need to be worked under them (well unless there's a load of really short people doing the work
) as with all things common sense i supposeThe site builders/ developers/company will i expect have experience of sheep stocking on sites, as there are a fair few around these days.
for the purpose it would also help ( one of the rare occasions ) if the planning officer makes it a requirement /condition of planning / or its suggested at planning stage to help the success of the 'naturally resourceful' project in the local public eyes and so on.
Long post but i love the idea of it. 'power generation and sheep grazing'... perfick.
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serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
And if there's 24/7 security the sheep might be safe too!
yes indeed, only snag is sometimes in the night the sheep snuffle around down by the entrance gates /security cameras and set off the light /camera then there's sometimes a visit from the man in the van security boys just to check whats up .
its all part of their job tho and included in there contract price i guess.but tbf wild animals can do that as well.
Totally agree with this.
My only issues really, have been when the previous Contractors were unwilling to communicate what they intended doing in the site with Spraying etc, so I quite often missed out on summer grazing, as I was not willing to be faffing about moving sheep at 2 mins notice....
My having the contract will transform this!
The matter of height of panels is not an issue I have found, taller ewes soon learn to duck!
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serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
How do the stocking rates compare on solar land to regular open land
Low...