Farm Update -- Desparately need advice

[CESpeed]

Unfortunately I didn't get the 4 acre place I was looking at and have instead gotten a much smaller 1 1/2 acre tract. Which means I need to readjust my plans tremendously. I know the pigs are out, the place is too small. When I posted my desired barn design several people mentioned that a 1/4 acre pasture rotation with 2 - 12 x 13 pens would be good for a small flock.

Now I would have room for only one 1/4 acre pasture and maybe the two 12 x 13 pens. Would this be big enough for 2 (maybe 3) ewes and a ram, bearing in my mind lambing. I saw the plans in another thread with the gates and hallways I plan to incorporate those ideas.

Now that I need to reduce I'm at a loss. Recommendations, please.

 

[BrownSheep]

I would suggest either renting or buying a butcher ram just for breeding season. You may have to suppliment depending on pasture quality.

 

[CrazyFlocksters]

X2 BrownSheep. Buying a butcher ram lamb would kill two birds with one stone. But renting would be a better idea if you were planning to sell the lambs to someone that might breed them.

 

[CESpeed]

Rather than buying a butcher ram can Texel sheep be AI'd?

I really need to know if I have enough space to accommodate a small flock.

 

[RemudaOne]

How much of the 1 1/2 acres will be for pasture..... Is there a house there as well?

 

[Shelly May]

Rule of thumb: 1500 lbs per acre, Since you are now down to 1/4 acre, you should only run 375 lbs of livestock,
So you will need to know the mature weight of the livestock you get. Hope this helps

 

[goodolboy]

My guess is you should be able to handle 750lbs. of livestock on 3/4 acre. No matter what kind. Maybe 4 sheep, or 3 sheep and a yearly hog.

 

[Bossroo]

"rule of thumb" may or may not apply to a given location.... the limiting factor will be location, location, location ... type of soil, availability of irrigation water and additional pasture growing conditions due to/ lack of soil ph, growing seasons, rainfall, snow, temperature, sunshine, shade from trees or structures, etc. .

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

"rule of thumb" may or may not apply to a given location.... the limiting factor will be location, location, location ... type of soil, availability of irrigation water and additional pasture growing conditions due to/ lack of soil ph, growing seasons, rainfall, snow, temperature, sunshine, shade from trees or structures, etc. .

Yup

I don't really like the whole this much on this much land or this many pounds on this much land. So many things to consider.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

"rule of thumb" may or may not apply to a given location.... the limiting factor will be location, location, location ... type of soil, availability of irrigation water and additional pasture growing conditions due to/ lack of soil ph, growing seasons, rainfall, snow, temperature, sunshine, shade from trees or structures, etc. .

YES. It all depends on how much of their food you want to provide.

Obviously, if you plan on providing a lot of the food then you could have more animals.

My SO grew up on a farm with chickens hogs etc on a 1/4 piece of property, but we are dry lots out here (meaning we provide 100% of the feed).