Hi...Its me again. Talking about sheep again. I just want to know how much land is necessary to keep sheep. I don't know how many sheep, yet, because I'd like to know how much land per sheep. Anyway...any help would be appreciated. Calves are just too expensive this year.

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), May 25, 2000

Answers

Hpoefully someone can be more specific for you but it would be hard. It makes a HUGE differance as to how good and what kind of pasture you have. Also the kind of sheep you choose. some have to have the best, some can go nearly anywhere. Also, are you going to feed grains? And finally, If you cross fence into sections and rotate every couple of days your land will "go farther". Is that any help?

-- Novina West (lamb@stellarnet.com), May 25, 2000.

"How much land is necessary to keep sheep?" As much as it takes. Depends on the land and the vegetation and the climate, depends on the sheep, depends on whether they're in lamb, or with lambs at foot.

In Australia they classify the carrying capacity of land in DSE's (dry sheep equivalents). So many DSE per acre (or hectare these days). Assumed is that the dry (not lactating) sheep are Merinos. Convert as necessary for the type and condition of sheep as above. Those conversion factors vary from breed to breed.

So - it depends. If you have a particular area or areas in mind, get free advice from your equivalent of our Agriculture Department. I think some terms I've seen that seem functionally equivalent are county agent, and land grant college.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 26, 2000.

The breed I'm looking at are the North Country Cheviots. I know someone who raises Black Welsh Mountain sheep and would REALLY like to raise some of them, but even a cross breed lamb is very expensive!! How much land for 3 ewes, for example? We have pretty decent pasture, with grass, a bit of hay and clover, amongst other things. There is lots there, unless we have very dry weather. I just need an estimate. How much do you all use for x number of sheep? Thanks

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), May 26, 2000.

Oops, I forgot to mention the climate. We have a fairly blananced climate. We live in New Brunswick and its fairly hot in the Summer, but we usually, (unless there's a drought), have plenty of rain.

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), May 26, 2000.

Abagail, you've gotten some good answers already. I thought I'd add that I have over 2 dozen sheep on about 8 acres. Because of the drought, I've kept feeding them grain this spring. Normally they wouldn't be getting any this late in the year. Some of the areas I can shut off so the grass can get going again. This coming week the sheep are going to be introduced to the concept of electric fence so I can shut down more areas of their pasture.

You can supplement with untreated grass clippings (spread out so they don't heat), branches (check locally for species sheep can't eat, evergreens for starters), and of course various purchased feeds.

If you can fence temporarily, you can run them into an area for brief periods and let them mow the lawn for you.

How many sheep depends on the pasture at that moment, sometimes it is so many animals per acre, and sometimes it is so many acres per animal. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 27, 2000.

Sorry to take a while getting back to you. Land around here is approximately two to three DSE per acre, "depending on the season". This also supposes, as others have said, that you use controlled grazing to make sure they eat the lot, rather than just destroying what they like and leaving the weeds to prosper. This is fairly good dryland farming and grazing land, with a highly variable annual rainfall averaging approximately 23 inches per annum. Climate is a LOT milder than it was when I was a schoolkid, say forty years ago.

latitude 330 52' South, longitude 1480 even East

Grenfell, Australia

G renfell's climate

But look, it's just coming on winter here - that's how far away I am. Principles I can talk about, but local knowledge is what you need to get.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 28, 2000.

I use movable electric fencing with no problem. They (13) have a small paddock with shed for night and when I am gone area. We have a lot of coyotes. I have them grazing on a few acreas at the moment which seems plenty. My horses and cows seem to need hundreds of acreas (just kidding). In Eastern Ok. (not the plains) you can probably get by with 3 - 5 an acrea. Up North where I use to live more than that. As summer moves on I will have to take them across a creek area for the day using battery electric fence.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), June 01, 2000.

Debbie, I use portable electric fencing as cross fencing. It works great but I am getting tired of moving the fencing! Have you tried using "wheels" with the fence wire suspended in them? Anyone?? It looks so easy in the Gallagher fencing video. I am tempted, but broke! It also looks like a lamb could sneak under it pretty easily.

I know someone who has >100 ewes with lambs, plus a handful of rams, on less than 20 acres. That is a serious stocking rate! It just depends on so many things.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 01, 2000.

I am a hobby farmer wanna be. I have the home in the country with about 3 acres available for pasture. Now I need the barn (the old one was torn down before we bought this place..argh!!). How large a barn to I need for say ..5 sheep, a small flock of chickens, a cow, a pig, meat rabbits and a couple of ducks? (my dream farm) I know I will need to buy feed since I have so little cleared land. Help anyone?? The sheep and chickens are the most definite animals on my list. There is just something about sheep!

-- Alison Proteau (aproteau@istar.ca), September 19, 2000.

We tryed small paddocks with three pallels of electric mesh fence, obut 150' each. Two for the paddock and the third to surround the flock in a "bubble" while repositing the main two. a battery powdered charger keeps things hot. The sheep were moved on to new grass each day (very important). This alowed us to manage the pasture, and if we had the equipment to cut hay from the same area, and keep the flock off and not over graze. This worked well until the goats figured out that the lowest wire isn't hot. Once this happen the system failed. My point is you can carry more animal units per area this way. Just not goats! The sheep stayed unless the goats got out.

-- Greg Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 20, 2000.