# Grass is greener on the other side



## mystang89 (Jul 10, 2017)

In this case is really true lol. This is after 2 days in this spot and not even all day in it. They are let into the main pasture through the day. This is only from 3 sheep .


----------



## Mike CHS (Jul 10, 2017)

It is amazing how fast they can clean out a field,


----------



## Baymule (Jul 10, 2017)

Sheep are great for clearing land. We have a 1 acre pasture that was briars 20 feet tall last spring. We chopped with machetes, dragged the vines out of the trees and the sheep ate what they wanted, then we piled and burned the vines. They stood on their hind legs to reach up and eat everything they could. We and the sheep worked several months on that mess last summer. I sowed winter rye and it gave them green grass all winter, it is now bare dirt. Soon I will lime the pasture, spread wood chip mulch and plant grasses and forbs.

It looks like you have some good grass. It will have to have rest periods, which gives it time to grow back. If not, then it will soon be bare dirt. You might need to have a dry lot where you can pen them up, give them free choice hay, and give your pastures time to grow back.


----------



## mystang89 (Jul 10, 2017)

Fortunately that was only 200sq ft of my 7 acres so they have plenty of space to roam. I normally put them in that pen when they sit in the baking sun. Trying....... trying oh so very hard, too show then were shade is.

Its funny but everything I've read about sheep before I owned them seems to be wrong. Either that or I bought wool goats lol


----------



## Southern by choice (Jul 10, 2017)

This should be referenced!

So many people come here and ask questions and think their tiny yard can handle sheep and everyone warns them but so many don't listen.... this is so great for the example of what sheep can do in a short period of time! Great pic!  Glad you have the land to support them! 


you have yummy grass!


----------



## misfitmorgan (Jul 12, 2017)

I agree! Our smallish herd can clear cut a pasture that is literally 3ft tall in about 1.5 weeks. Said pasture being only 1/4 acre though atm, they do also have their main pasture that is another 1/2 acre and we move the electric fence to two other locations. Our stocking rate is between 6-10 sheep/goats per acre though.


----------



## Sheepshape (Jul 14, 2017)

It gets light here about 5:00 a.m at the moment, and the sheep are up and grazing soon after that. They rest (and regurgitate) at about 11:00 a.m and then graze again, down time about 3:00 p.m for an hour or so, and then feed until dark at 9:30 p.m. Something that is feeding for so long HAS to be taking a lot. Most of the forage is not nutrient-rich, so they take lots and lots and lots.

Our grass isn't too bad, but we stock at just under 5 sheep per acre.

Sheep will eat lots of things if they get the opportunity....ours have broken into and decimated my vegetable plot a couple of times and sheep are little b's for eating tree bark (especially rams and especially fruit trees).


----------

