Keeping Sheep E-Book

Jack Cockburn

• Herausgeber: The Crowood Press
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 319

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

While they can be hardy and self-sufficient, sheep require a knowledgeable and dedicated shepherd to care for them throughout the year. With an easy-to-read style and over 200 colour photographs, this book provides guidance on managing a healthy flock, as well as a holistic view of the diverse roles sheep can play on any farm or smallholding, including: The history of native breeds and their conservation, Preparing land, welfare, handling sheep, including sheepdog training, economical feeding and grazing practices, common health problems, rams, tupping, management of pregnant ewes, lambing and aftercare, shearing and wool and the role sheep play in the conservation of grassland, carbon sequestration and the restoration of wildlife habitats

Leseprobe

Foot trimming a ewe. This book covers all the sheep husbandry tasks a shepherd needs to know.

First published in 2023 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

[email protected]

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2023

© Jack Cockburn 2023

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 7198 4222 1

Photo credits

All pictures in this book supplied by:

Jack and Leah Cockburn

Peter Thewless

Pete Birkinshaw, Creative Commons (p.48, top left)

Ceredigion Museum Archives (p.8; p.153, right)

Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Association (p.22, bottom; p.36)

Kendal Teeswaters (p.155, top)

Dave Lumb (p.50; p.85)

MacGregor Photography (p.22, top)

Hannah Watson (p.52; p.53; p.125; p.126, bottom; p.153, left)

Welsh Mountain Sheep Society/MacGregor Photography (p.7; p.47; p.81, left; p.166)

Cover design by Blue Sunflower Creative

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

1 Field Boundaries

2 Managing Grazing and Grassland

3 Regenerative Agriculture and Organic Sheep Farming

4 Animal Welfare

5 Sheep Breeds of Britain

6 Moving and Handling Sheep

7 Weaning and Preparing for Breeding

8 All about Rams

9 Sheep Housing

10 Nutrition

11 Feeding Sheep in Winter

12 Lambing Time

13 Caring for the Ewe and her Lambs

14 Common Health Problems at Lambing Time

15 Sheep Lameness

16 Internal Parasites

17 External Parasites

18 Sheep’s Wool and Shearing

19 Basic Sheepdog Training

Acknowledgements

Index

FOREWORD

Britain is steeped in sheep-related history of which few people are aware in today’s fast-moving world. But while it is right to understand the past, the role of sheep farming in the future is where we should focus our attention.

Today’s global challenges of climate change, resource protection, nature recovery, and human health and well-being, are undeniable, and my belief is that sheep farming, with its glorious diversity, will play an important part in our future. Sheep farming can be almost the ultimate renewable technology, feeding on grasslands, reliant on few inputs other than sunshine, rain and soil, and producing highly nutritious lamb, mutton and sheep milk – and, of course, wool, which is once again growing in popularity as a natural, sustainable fibre.

Interest in keeping sheep is still very much alive and kicking, but keeping them well, in good health, and in a rich and vibrant environment, is essential not just for our reputation but to give us pride and satisfaction in continuing a practice that has been a big part of our past and will be a big part of our future. Keeping Sheep will be a useful resource for anyone starting a flock or wishing to improve their knowledge of sheep keeping.

Phil Stocker

Chief Executive, National Sheep Association

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the age-old pastime of sheep keeping. By keeping and breeding sheep today’s shepherd is picking up a thread of culture and subsistence that leads back into the mists of time. Along with traditional farming, gardening and stewardship of the land, sheep farming can give the dedicated keeper a rootedness and purpose that is often lacking or difficult to find in the digital age.

The shepherding of sheep in Britain is as old as the hills, with the earliest evidence of their presence on these isles dating from the Neolithic period, 4000 to 3000 BC. The Romans were responsible for greatly increasing the number of sheep and the amount of pasture in Britain.

SHEEP IN HISTORY AND CULTURE

For millennia, natural pastures have allowed the inhabitants of the island of Britain to produce sheep and harvest important products like food and wool for trade and export, but also for home consumption. Through the ages, sheep helped the people of Britain to survive the winters in the northern hemisphere by providing the raw ingredients for clothing, food and light (tallow for candles). Early civilisations in Britain realised that sheep can be produced on the hills and mountains, providing a supplementary winter food source to complement the crops that could only be grown on the fertile flatter lands.

Bringing sheep back to the farm from hill pasture, Rhydyfelin hill, Ceredigion, 1915.

Sheep in Britain have long occupied a key position in the national psyche, featuring prominently in art, religion and literature, from the Roman conquest through to medieval times and the romantic poets of the nineteenth century. The monks of the Middle Ages realised the economic benefits of organised sheep farming on the hills, and sheep became the basis of their economic success.

SHEEP, LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE

The historic image of Britain in art, literature and song as a land of green rolling hills is woven from the ancient job of keeping sheep. Along with cattle, sheep are responsible for maintaining that green lustre for which the hills and valleys of Britain are renowned.

Sheep and meadowland. Native breeds are perfectly adapted to make best use of natural pastures and to maintain natural grasslands for carbon sequestration and wildlife.

Without the nibbling of sheep, the landscape would take on a duller hue. Brambles, bracken and scrub would proliferate, rendering the land useless for food production and presenting a greater risk of wildfires during heatwaves. The landscape would also lose open grassland that many species of bird and insect have evolved to rely on. Sheep farming has shaped the evolution of wildlife in Britain over millennia.

Small-scale traditional sheep farming supports a rich diversity of natural habitats for wildlife. Your keeping of a small flock can have the added benefit of providing wildlife-rich grassland, field edge habitats of longer grasses, shrubs and seeding grasses, and the impetus for restoring old hedgerows. Before larger-scale, industrial-style farming predominated in the later twentieth century, our wildlife was rich and abundant.

Small-scale sheep farming and the conservation of rare breeds help to restore and rebuild what pesticides and intensive farming have destroyed while preserving the tools required for a self-sufficient agricultural system.

WHY SHEEP?

What has made this humble woolly herbivore take such a prominent position in people’s minds, arguably more than any other animal?

The mild and moist maritime climate of Britain is perfect for growing grass, which is perfect for feeding sheep; this is the reason that the island has such a large national sheep flock (over 30 million, according to the National Sheep Association). Britain has considerable areas of hills, mountains and moorland, characterised by stony, steep or boggy landscape and acidic, thin soils, most of which cannot be cultivated for crops. Yet much of the area unsuitable for economic crop production will grow pasture all year round. These pastures sustain flocks of sheep and the sheep have enabled the people to sustain themselves.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

Keeping Sheep details the sheep husbandry tasks that are required for successful home production of sheep. It gives a comprehensive and holistic view of sheep keeping, considering the changing seasons so that the reader can formulate an approach to sheep keeping that suits their own land, production objectives and lifestyle.

The book provides guidelines to when each stock task should be carried out, the reasons for it and ways to avoid health and welfare problems arising.

A wealth of ‘how to’ videos exist online, covering everything from shearing to foot trimming. Rather than seek to replicate this practical learning resource in print, I have aimed to provide useful background knowledge, to give the reader an insight into why each sheep husbandry task is done and what problems to look out for. On this basis, the reader will be able to sketch out a management plan for their own flock that covers the whole calendar year.

The importance of good land management in keeping a healthy flock is also covered. There are chapters dealing with the practical aspects of restoring and maintaining hedges and fences to keep the sheep flock secure and to benefit nature and the heritage of local landscapes. This leads on to how to manage the grassland effectively to keep the sheep healthy and well fed for as much of the calendar year as possible.

Conservation grazing and regenerative farming are important to reduce the environmental impact of sheep farming.

Ways of integrating regenerative agriculture, mob grazing and organic farming into flock and land management for economic and environmental benefit are also covered.

This book will provide the reader with a good base from which to sketch out a flock management plan that covers all the basic sheep husbandry requirements through a whole calendar year.

Chapters 6 and 7 look at animal welfare, selecting a suitable breed for your land and lifestyle, and marketing products from your flock. How to catch and handle sheep efficiently is discussed before the book moves on to dig more deeply into the practical elements of sheep keeping, for example dealing with common health problems such as lame sheep and internal and external parasites.

Looking after rams and the breeding cycle are covered as part of a guide to managing the flock through the different seasons, including winter feeding. Three important and informative chapters are dedicated to lambing time and caring for ewes and lambs.

Finally, the book rounds off with an in-depth look at shearing and sheep’s wool, and even includes an introduction to training a sheepdog.

CHAPTER 1

FIELD BOUNDARIES

HEDGES – ANCIENT FIELD BOUNDARIES

The decision to start a sheep flock on your land can be the beginning of a countryside restoration and species conservation project. An old hedge is a thing of beauty and great utility and has a long, unsung history at its roots. It serves many functions and looks very pretty in spring, summer and autumn, when it’s festooned with berries and hips. Traditionally, hedges were relied upon to provide a stockproof barrier to keep sheep and cattle from straying and shelter from winter winds, and to protect crops from grazing animals.

A healthy hedge dividing fields is good for shelter and fodder. Here you can see willow in the hedge, which can be a useful medicinal plant for sheep.

In winter, farm workers of old tended to the hedges by trimming them and ‘laying’ the hedge plants horizontally to block up holes and keep the hedge stockproof and healthy, with plenty of young thorny shoots. Cut twigs were stuck in the ground in gaps and would take root if there was sufficient moisture. It was time-consuming, labour-intensive but satisfying work. The process of cutting back renewed the hedge, the plants would live for longer and the new growth promoted flowering and fruiting, helping birds and pollinators like bees store up reserves for winter.

In summer, a hedge of mixed plant species is home to myriad insects for birds to feed on. Autumn brings seeds and fruits and places to hibernate. In spring, a thick-laid hedge provides ideal cover for farmland birds to nest in and shelters young lambs from cold winds. Look closely into old hedgerows and you can see gnarly old hedge tree trunks growing horizontally for sometimes 3m (10ft) or more, evidence of hedge laying carried out decades ago.

As farm workers moved to industrial areas in Britain or were lost in the wars of the twentieth century, hedges were no longer tended to in this age-old way. The postwar drive to increase food production and intensify and mechanise agriculture even led to the government paying farmers to rip out hedgerows. Between 1950 and 2007, over half a million kilometres of hedgerow were lost in Britain. Lack of management, development of land for building and roads and over-cutting the hedges back with tractor-mounted flails has also caused the decline of ancient hedges.

According to the Soil Association,1 studies have shown that organic farms have on average 50 per cent more wildlife than conventional farms. Part of the reason for this is that they have looked after and preserved their hedgerows, regarding them as important wildlife habitat. Fortunately, some government-led schemes now offer grants to help farmers reinstate and restore old hedgerows.

BENEFITS OF HEDGES

Hedges provide wood for making useful things and logs for burning. A hedge boundary is also a source of wild foods and herbal medicines as well as a provider of shade on hot, sunny days and shelter from blizzards, torrential rain and chilling winds. On a cold and windy winter’s day, the temperature can feel several degrees warmer behind the shelter of a thick hedge.

Renewing Field Boundaries in Winter

Fencing is usually a winter job. When the nettles and annual weeds on the field edge have died back, it is easier to see the ‘bare bones’ of your field margin. Fences are usually installed tight to the hedge itself, as most farmers do not want to lose even an inch of grazing to a wild hedge advancing into the field; historically, this would have meant less field area for which to claim subsidy money. With regenerative and organic agriculture this is not such a concern, as hedges are valued for their shelter, beauty and historic and ecological value.

A bumblebee collecting nectar from wild flowers (herb Robert) that grow along the farm’s hedges.

Hedges provide an alternative mineral-rich food source for browsing herbivores. In some areas of Britain, it is common to see the fence positioned on top of the hedge bank so sheep can graze both sides of the bank. This is not good for hedge plants, as the leaf buds are nibbled away. Animals grazing the bank cause soil erosion, leading over time to the loss of ancient field boundaries and important habitats for birds and invertebrates.

RESTORING HEDGEROWS

Hedges that are not tended to or well fenced begin to deteriorate as sheep and cattle walk through the gaps. Damaged hedgerows full of gaps become too open and exposed for birds to nest in.

If animals can walk over the hedge bank, they cause soil erosion and nibble off new green shoots of hedgerow plants.

A good, thick hedge growing low to the ground allows the build-up of a rich layer of leaf litter and composted organic matter under the hedge. This makes a wonderful home for hedgehogs, mice, frogs, toads, invertebrates, fungi, wild flowers and much more wildlife besides. An open hedge bottom, on the other hand, exposes the leaf litter to the wind and bare soil to the feet of cattle, sheep or rabbits, leaving it open to erosion and taking away an important living and feeding space for wild creatures.

Coppicing

Working on a hedge in winter in the traditional style, using hand tools, is a great way to immerse yourself in the gentle rhythm of the countryside and a wonderful opportunity to get to know the wildlife and landscape around you.

An old hedge line full of gaps with intermittent mature hedgerow trees and bushes can be restored easily over ten years and transformed into a young and vibrant field boundary once again.

Over time, animals walking through the hedge leads to large gaps forming and the loss of ancient field boundaries and shelter for animals.

Coppicing involves cutting off old hedge plants at the base in wintertime. After cutting, the plant will regrow with multiple stems. This age-old art allows harvesting of wood for different uses while stimulating natural renewal. In the first few years after coppicing, you will need to protect the young regrowth of the hedge from grazing animals. This means dismantling old wire fencing and replacing it with new fence materials or, if the wire is still good, renewing an old fence by replacing the posts holding it up with new ones.

Tree guards are used to protect the saplings from the nibbling of voles and rabbits in their first few years of growth. Voles in particular can be an unseen menace to newly planted tree whips.

Once the coppicing is complete, the hedge bottom is laid bare. Gaps of naked soil where no perennial hedge plants are growing can be planted up with new ‘whips’. These are tree seedlings used to fill the gaps by planting 60cm (2ft) apart in a staggered double row.

The newly laid hedge should be fenced off from sheep. In the first few years you will see a strong regrowth of wild plants and flowers on the banks with the newly revitalised hedge growing through the middle.

After eight to ten years, you will have a fine, young, upright hedge that can now be laid. Basic hedge laying is achieved by trimming back the sides of the hedge and cutting out shorter or twisted gnarly pieces. The straightest upright stems are retained and laid by cutting through the stem at the base but leaving one third still attached to the root base. A hedge is usually laid in an uphill direction to help the sap rise to the ends of the stems in spring and promote new growth. Once laid down across each other, the stems are woven in and out of upright sticks that are banged into the earth at intervals of between 60 and 120cm (2–4ft). Small cuts can be made into the laid stems on the skyward side to promote new shoots of growth.

This hedge was coppiced and left to regrow for eight years. The new growth was then laid down by cutting the small trunks two-thirds of the way through and laying them on top of each other. Today it is a thick and vigorous hedge again, a good windbreak and a great habitat for wildlife.

FARM FENCES

DIY fencing installed by new smallholders is often quite easy to spot by grizzled old farmers, who smile to themselves as they go bumping past in their tractor. The wire netting sags and bows between posts that stand too tall and at jaunty angles. The fence might even offer a proper belly laugh if the wire netting is fixed upside down, an easy mistake to make. And the incomers from town won’t have used any barbed wire on top because of the bad karma associated with it, meaning cattle and horses can easily push it down.

Unfortunately, a saggy fence is not a secure one. Fencing materials are expensive, but if you do a good job, the fence will keep your animals where you want them for a decade or more. Poor fencing is a source of sheep-related stress to the shepherd. Sheep will rarely escape when you have time to round them up. Instead, it is usual for them to choose a moment designed to cause maximum angst, such as when you’re just leaving home to attend a wedding or an important job interview.

The Advantages of Well-Fenced Fields

‘You can’t farm without fences’ goes the old saying, and it is largely true. ‘Good fences make good neighbours’ is probably the second most memorable nugget of rural wisdom I have heard many times. Farming without fences is more akin to ranching, and not a way to efficiently produce quality livestock.

Besides the obvious function of preventing your animals from straying and wandering into high-value crops such as vegetables and cereals (or your beloved garden flowers), fences are essential for good grazing management.

Fencing End to End

A line of fence is only as secure as the ‘strainer’ posts at each end of a length of wire. Take time to dig in solid end posts (13cm/5in in diameter or more) so that 60–90cm (2–3ft) of post is in the ground with 120–150cm (4–5ft) standing tall. Old telegraph poles cut up with a chainsaw are ideal for this, as they are solid and well creosoted. Dig in a flat-bottomed post using a metal bar to loosen the soil and use a shovel or post-hole digger tool to remove the loose soil and stones. Make the diameter of the hole as small as is possible so the post fits snugly inside. Measure the depth of the hole as you go; when it is the required depth, slide the post in and backfill with fine, stone-free earth, tamping it down with the end of the bar as you go.

If the fence line requires a change of direction or meets an obstacle, this will be the location for your next strainer post.

Brace your first post in the direction you wish the fence to run. Nail a strand of barbed wire to the bottom of your strainer post (most livestock farmers put a strand at the top and bottom of fences). Unroll the barbed wire and use it to mark the finished fence line. Go as far as you can in a straight line up to 50m (164ft) from your starting point.

Tools for putting up agricultural livestock fences with barbed wire and stock netting (left to right): roll of stock netting, wire netting clamp tool, bucket of fence staples, 13cm (5in) nails, handsaw, chainsaw (PPE should be worn), post knocker tool, spade; (bottom) roll of barbed wire, length of chain and fence puller, fencing pliers, claw hammers, leather gloves.

Once the second strainer post is in the ground, you can tension the bottom wire between the first and second post. This will give you a nice, straight guideline along which you can bang in the smaller intermediate posts every 3m (10ft). Barbed wire along the bottom of the fence stops the sheep from pushing the netting up. If you decide not to use it, a long piece of string or rope to temporarily mark your fence line can be used instead so that you get your posts in a line. You can buy a specialist hand tool designed for tensioning a single strand of wire. The tool grips the wire and is used as a lever to tension the wire around the end post. A staple is then driven into the post to secure the length of wire in its tensioned state. If working alone, three hands and the dexterity of an octopus is required for this manoeuvre, although you can often get away with using your knee to hold the strainer tool in place.

A specialist fencing contractor can bang strainer posts in with a large post knocker mounted on a tractor or digger. A strand of barbed or plain wire will be stretched between two strainer posts. Then smaller intermediate posts will be knocked in at intervals of about three paces. A tractor or digger is also useful for tensioning the stock netting. The netting is clamped with a special metal clamp designed for stock netting. One end of the netting is stapled to a post and the other end is clamped and attached to the tractor using a chain and ratchet. The wire is then tensioned and secured to the end strainer post with staples. This can be dangerous if too much tension is put on the wire, so be careful.

Stock Netting

This is the wire with square holes in it that you find along hedgerows wherever there are farm animals. In livestock-raising areas of the UK you will see it everywhere. It can be bought in neat rolls of 25m, 50m or 100m from agricultural merchants. A roll of wire is very heavy, so, unless you have long straight sections of fence to do, it’s more practical to buy the shorter-length rolls. The wire is galvanised so it does not rust and it will outlive the wooden posts used to hold it four times over. Often an old saggy fence line can be rehabilitated by knocking in some new posts along its length to support the wire. Renew the strainer posts at each end of an old line of fence wire and it can be pulled tight again.

From personal experience, I can vouch that a mistake the novice fencer will often make is to staple the wire to the posts upside down. If you look closely, you will see that the square holes in the wire are smaller on one side. The smaller holes are supposed to be at the bottom of the fence and are designed to stop young lambs wandering through.

Fence Posts

This subject is a source of much discussion and angst for farmers. The natural life of softwood fence posts is disappointingly short. Most are made from treated softwoods and the portion in the ground rots away after five to seven years. This is the reason that you see so many farmers’ fences falling over willy-nilly. It is worth spending more on longer-life posts if you can because putting up fences is costly and really hard work. Some posts will have a fifteen or twenty-five-year guarantee. In olden times, split oak posts were used, and these can still be seen in hedgerows, a hundred years later, while their softwood chemically treated cousins of less than ten years are rotting into the soil.

Poor-quality softwood posts will rot after four or five years. It is worth investing in longer-lasting posts for new farm fences.

Post Banging

Without a tractor-mounted post knocker machine, banging the posts into the ground is the most physically demanding part of fencing. A long metal bar with a point on the end is useful for this job. The bar is speared into the ground on the spot where the post is intended to go, making a guide hole and testing the ground to see if there are rocks or tree roots in the way.

Once a hole has been made with the bar, the pointed end of the post can be slotted in and the post will stand up ready for you to hit it with one of your heavy implements. A post knocker tool consisting metal tube, 13–15cm (5–6in) in diameter, with handles welded on the sides, is better for the job than a large mallet. It is much easier to knock the posts in straight with and does not split the wood on the top of the post like a mallet or sledgehammer will. Be warned, however – when lifting the post knocker ready for another enthusiastic downward blow, be careful not to catch the edge of the metal tube on the top of the post. Many people have clonked themselves on the head doing this, as the weight of the heavy tool is diverted towards the head of the off-balance operative.

Tensioning and Stapling the Fence Wire

Once you have your line of posts in the ground, it is time to staple the stock netting to the posts using a claw hammer and large metal fencing staples. Check the netting is oriented with the smaller holes at the bottom then securely staple one end of the wire to your first large strainer post. Unroll the wire as far as the next strainer post. Pull in as much slack as possible by hand then attach your fence clamp device or clamp the wire using bolts between two 90cm-long (3ft) pieces of wood. The netting is clamped so that when it is pulled, all the strands of wire in the netting are pulled equally tight. Attach a chain to the wire clamp and secure it to your tractor, 4x4 car or digger arm. The vehicle point to which you attach the chain must be positioned in line with the line of posts.

Now use your fence-puller tool to tension the wire and draw the stock netting tight over the posts. Staple the netting securely to all the intermediate posts in between and double or triple staple the wire to the strainer post. Release the tension and remove the clamp from the netting. You should now have a beautiful straight and tensioned line of wire fencing that will keep your sheep exactly where you want them.

Fencing Contractors

Apart from a tractor-mounted post knocker, the tools required for fencing work are not too expensive. Consider, however, if you will have the time and physical capability to invest in the job. Fencing is an intensive workout of heavy lifting, squatting, pulling, bending, fetching and carrying and a great deal of walking up and down the stretch of hedge line that you are working on. It’s a job that requires perseverance and determination.

You may quite reasonably decide your skills are best employed on other tasks and hire a fencing contractor. A contractor will usually charge by the metre of fence to supply the materials and put up the fence. It’s worth discussing the quality of the posts with them and buying longer-life posts if you can afford them.

1 Bengtsson, J., Ahnström, J., & Weibull, A. C. (2005) ‘The effects of organic agriculture on biodiversity and abundance: A meta-analysis’ Journal of Applied Ecology, 42(2), 261–269.

CHAPTER 2

MANAGING GRAZING AND GRASSLAND

The graziers of today can reap the benefits their predecessors have bequeathed, and use the native breeds of sheep that are perfectly adapted to make best use of the natural pastures. The modern shepherd can pick up the sheep tradition and produce climate-friendly food and wool of the highest quality. All of this requires good management of the pastures.

A Llanwenog ewe and her three lambs in mid-west Wales.

A well-managed pasture means well-fed, healthy livestock. The grazing and growing of good pasture should be a key objective for anybody keeping ruminant livestock. This chapter covers the main points of managing grassland so that you can get the best out of your sheep and the land you are looking after. This is the cornerstone of a productive, healthy sheep flock. Grass is the lowest-cost, most economical feed for sheep. The way the grass is managed is also the single most important factor in managing the health of the flock.

STOCKING RATES

If your pastures are well managed and not too heavily stocked with animals, you should be able to keep sheep all year round and require very little bought-in feed. Some hay to feed during harsh winter weather and perhaps some concentrate for prolific ewes to eat pre-lambing may be needed, but the bulk of the sheep’s diet will be homegrown.

There is no easy answer to the question of how many sheep can be kept per hectare.

Potential stocking rate will vary from region to region and even field to field on the same farm. For example, a sheltered level field in Herefordshire could produce five times more grass and of better quality than a field at the base of a Lakeland fell on thin, acidic soil. This is partly the reason that breeds adapted to local conditions have been developed and why so many distinct sheep breeds can be found in Britain.

The number of grazing animals a piece of land can support will vary according to soil type, drainage, the age of the sward (sown pasture), the grass species present, the amount of clover present, altitude, aspect (north- or south-facing) and the longitude and latitude of the farm.

Land is graded from 1 to 5 in the UK according to quality. For more information about how land is classified, search online for ‘agricultural land classification UK’.

Scottish Blackface ewes. The regional contrasts in temperature and precipitation can be marked in the UK. While people in Sussex might be shearing the downland sheep and weaning lambs in May, shepherds in Scotland can be braving snow showers while they check on their Scottish Blackface ewes lambing on the hills.

As a rough guide, you might expect to carry six to ten sheep per hectare (two to four sheep per acre). This is a modest stocking rate to begin with. It takes time to get to know a piece of land and work out how many grazing animals it can support through the calendar year.

A Dorset Horn ewe, a breed developed in the rolling green hills and lush pastures of Dorset, southwest England.

Mature ewes of around 50–60kg (110–132lb) will need approximately 0.6ha (1.5 acres) of grazing each in the winter. In the summer, 0.2ha (0.5 acres) each of grazing should be ample. In practice these figures can be altered by feeding hay and using rotational grazing. Neither the sheep nor the pasture will thrive if the sheep are left on the same patch of ground all year, unless there is a very low stocking rate. If the pasture is short and turning to mud in winter, the sheep should either be moved to another field to give the ground a rest or they should be housed for eight to twelve of the coldest, wettest weeks so the ground can recover.

Case Study: Overwintering Lambs Without Feeding Hay or Concentrate

In early November, ninety-six seven-month-old hoggets were put on a 7ha (17-acre) south-facing block of fields in west Wales where there was a considerable amount of deferred grazing available (leftover summer grass). This equated to 13.7 sheep per hectare (5.6 sheep per acre). By the end of January, after twelve weeks, the sheep had to be moved as they were losing weight and had eaten all the nutritious parts of the pasture. Because of low light levels and temperatures, the grass was not replenishing itself daily and had drawn much of the nutrients back to the roots. To kick-start the hoggets’ growth, forty of the males were moved to new pasture that had been sown the previous May with ryegrass and clover. The aim was to fatten them ready for sale during the Easter lamb trade and get a good price for organic grass-finished lamb (a hogget is a lamb between weaning and first shearing).

The 4ha (10 acres) of new pasture had not been grazed since the end of August so there was a considerable amount of grass cover available (stocked at 3.6 sheep per acre). The average weight of the hoggets in January was 34kg (75lb). They were sold in April at an average live weight of 40kg (88lb), after being fed exclusively on grass with a mineral bolus given to each animal. The 4ha (10-acre) block was then mowed for silage the following May. The sheep grazing had helped to thicken up the sward, encouraging the grass to produce more shoots.

The winter was relatively mild, with little frost and no snow, so hay was not required. This was a cheap, less labour-intensive way of fattening lambs to sell when the price is highest – the alternative would have been to house them and feed daily with hay and concentrates. This system of grass-finishing lambs is dependent on having a large area of winter grazing. If the hoggets had been left on the same block of permanent pasture all winter, they would not have grown until the grass growth accelerated in mid-April; they would then have been too old to sell as ‘lamb’ so would have lost considerable value.

FIELD MANAGEMENT

Well-fenced smaller fields give the farmer or smallholder the ability to manage the supply of grazed grass through all seasons. This gives the shepherd the opportunity to feed their sheep more efficiently and to manage the grassland for grazing, hay production and for wildlife if desired.

A supply of clean, fresh water in the field is essential for all sheep, especially for ewes producing milk for their lambs.

Electric Fencing

Fencing is a large capital cost for any farm or smallholding. If larger fields need dividing into smaller paddocks to manage the grazing, electric fencing can be a viable option. The equipment is lightweight, portable and cost-effective, though it does need careful setting up and maintaining to get the best out of it.

Electric fencing, such as the two white polywires used in the picture, can be used by the shepherd to set up a system of rotational grazing where permanent fences are not available. This can help in managing the supply of grass and protect the health of the sheep by allowing them fresh pasture.

Electric fence manufacturers can advise on suitable electric fencing equipment for sheep and setting up. Once installed, the fencing must be checked every day alongside the usual sheep welfare checks. Daily checks should include:

Voltage An electric fencing energiser unit can be powered by mains electricity (if close to a supply) or by battery. A simple volt metre can be purchased that allows you to test the correct voltage is travelling through the fence wire.

In the summer, a solar panel can be used to power the electric fence energiser and save work recharging batteries.

Batteries A common reason for electric fencing not functioning properly and not keeping the livestock where you want them is the battery being low on power. In the winter, or in bad weather, it is necessary to carry the battery to the mains and charge it. A spare battery and battery charger is a necessary investment.

Entanglement