When to let out on pasture? And other random feeding questions.

[NachoFarm]

So I know it's different for every situation and every area but how do I know when I should let our sheep out on pasture and start rotating? We're in Southern Ontario and the grass is coming up nicely but the alfalfa is still MIA.

We only have one acre to rotate, how do we determine how much space to give them and for how long to leave them on it? We have three ewes, one ram, two five week old ram lambs and one horse. The ram lambs aren't staying and one more ewe is due in the next two weeks or so, hoping for some ewe lambs.

We put down some new seed a few weeks back and, this may be a really stupid question, how do I know that the new stuff I put down took and is growing? I can't tell the difference between pasture grasses to be honest so I wouldn't know the old stuff from the new.

I was sure I had other questions...can't seem to remember them now that I've sat down at the computer.

I remember it now!...if we want to calculate how much hay to buy to get us through the winter for our animals, is there any general way to do that? Something that will get you close to the correct amount. Say pounds per sheep per month or something like that? Again I know a lot of things can affect that number, hay quality, feeding method etc. but we'd like to try and order it in the summer when we have the extra funds to buy it.

 

[secuono]

I'd put them out now to avoid bloat issues when the grass is too lush.

Can't help with much, my sheep live freely on 4.5acres 24/7.

 

[SheepGirl]

So I know it's different for every situation and every area but how do I know when I should let our sheep out on pasture and start rotating? We're in Southern Ontario and the grass is coming up nicely but the alfalfa is still MIA.

We only have one acre to rotate, how do we determine how much space to give them and for how long to leave them on it? We have three ewes, one ram, two five week old ram lambs and one horse. The ram lambs aren't staying and one more ewe is due in the next two weeks or so, hoping for some ewe lambs.

We put down some new seed a few weeks back and, this may be a really stupid question, how do I know that the new stuff I put down took and is growing? I can't tell the difference between pasture grasses to be honest so I wouldn't know the old stuff from the new.

I was sure I had other questions...can't seem to remember them now that I've sat down at the computer.

I remember it now!...if we want to calculate how much hay to buy to get us through the winter for our animals, is there any general way to do that? Something that will get you close to the correct amount. Say pounds per sheep per month or something like that? Again I know a lot of things can affect that number, hay quality, feeding method etc. but we'd like to try and order it in the summer when we have the extra funds to buy it.

Let the sheep out when the grass is at least four or five inches tall. Make sure they have filled up on hay first, though. I dont rotate my sheep so I have no advice for you on that.

As for how much hay you need: 2% of their body weight in DM each day. This works out to 3 to 3.5 lbs of hay each day not including waste for the average open 150 lb ewe. Bred and lactating ewes will need more hay and/or grain.