# Sheep as lawnmowers?



## Riverdale (May 31, 2010)

Ok, another silly sheep question 

My yard has dock, violets, dandilions and various grasses
(fescues and such).  No herbicides have been used on it 
for at least four years.

Would (with suitable night-time shelter and water of course)
this be acceptable to graze a couple sheep?  We would be able to suppliment with hay when needed.

The total area is about 2/3 of an acre, and we would use the moveable fences.

Input?


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## patandchickens (May 31, 2010)

I'm grazing my ram on a bit of backyard right now, as his current (temporary) paddock is grazed real low due to drought. He approves of the lawn buffet and has survived so far   I am using electronet, in a wide many-sided shape (not very windproof alas) to avoid sharp inside corners as he has horns.

Your main concern would be for any gardens in the yard, as I don't think you could expect sheep to distinguish between grass and petunias. If you can deploy your fencing so that there is nothing inside it that is either a) toxic (e.g. certain shrubs and trees and flowering plants) or b) beloved enough to you that you don't want it et or trampled by sheep, then I don't see why not. Provided you're personally satisfied with the predatorproofness of the arrangement.

I would not personally trust portable electric fencing to be my main predator proofing measure, though. Especially at night or when unattended during the day. So it depends how your yard is fenced.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## miss_thenorth (May 31, 2010)

How are you about aesthetics?  I too am grazing my sheep in electronet in my front yard, and we rotate them.

As far as aesthetics are concerned, I have found that thereare certain areas where the sheep will not eat, and thus it grows longer, and have also noted certain areas where they eat it right down to the wood.

After we remove them from certain areas, we give it a mowing with the lawnmower, but in general, it really cuts down on the amount of gas powered lawn mowing we do.


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## Riverdale (May 31, 2010)

miss_thenorth said:
			
		

> but in general, it really cuts down on the amount of gas powered lawn mowing we do.


The whole point


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## Beekissed (May 31, 2010)

I've been doing it...this is my second year.  This spring they couldn't keep up and we finally had to mow once.  Last year we had a couple of cows here also, so they were able to keep the grass down and I only had to mow down the clumps once all year. 

I am adding to my flock in hopes that I can rotate them through three distinct paddocks and give each a rest.  It seems to me that they clean up the clumps of not so desirable grass when there is more competition for food. 

Its a great feeling to turn otherwise useless lawn into food that turns into food, if you know what I mean.  Best idea I ever had!


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