Overview
Effective grazing management optimizes animal health, pasture productivity, and environmental sustainability. By adopting the right grazing habits, sheep producers can improve forage utilization, control parasites, and maintain soil health.
Key Grazing Systems
- Continuous grazing: Sheep have unrestricted access to one pasture. Simple but risks overgrazing and uneven manure distribution.
- Rotational grazing: Pasture is divided into paddocks; sheep move every 3–7 days to optimize regrowth and break parasite cycles.
- Creep grazing: Lambs access high-quality forage ahead of adults, boosting early growth without overgrazing the main sward.
Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing balances forage supply and demand. Typical parameters include:
- Move sheep every 3–7 days to new paddocks to prevent spot grazing and allow rest.
- Rest each paddock at least 65 days between grazing events to reduce internal parasite survival and let plants recover.
- Use temporary fencing or portable nets to subdivide fields cost-effectively.
Continuous Grazing
Continuous grazing works on low-input or rough terrains but requires strict monitoring:
- Maintain stocking rates that match growth rate to avoid bare ground and weed invasion.
- Choose hardy grass varieties tolerant of constant grazing pressure.
- Provide multiple watering points to promote even pasture use and reduce soil compaction around troughs.
Stocking Density & Rest Periods
Balancing sheep numbers with pasture growth sustains yield and quality:
ParameterRecommendation Stocking rate6–10 ewes per hectare¹ Rest period≥65 days between grazings Grazing duration3–7 days per paddock
¹Actual rates depend on forage productivity, soil fertility, and rainfall.
Pasture Measurement & Management
Regular sward assessments guide grazing decisions:
- Use a plate meter or sward stick to sample 30–40 locations in a “W” pattern.
- Target sward height of 4–6 cm for ewes and 6–8 cm for lactating ewes to optimize regrowth.
- Monitor soil fertility and apply nitrogen when grass heights reach 4–8 cm to boost photosynthesis and tillering.
Water, Shade & Nutrition
- Ensure each paddock has clean water access; ideal placement is centrally located to distribute manure evenly.
- Provide shade or shelter in hot climates or during lambing to reduce heat stress and protect lambs.
- Offer hay or conserved forage for one week before grazing new annual forages (oats, ryegrass, triticale) to prevent scouring and support rumen microbes.
Mixed Species & Pasture Diversity
Grazing sheep alongside cattle or goats can:
- Improve forage utilization by targeting different plant species.
- Break parasite lifecycles since many internal parasites are host-specific.
- Enhance pasture resilience through diverse grazing pressures.
Adopting a combination of these grazing habits—tailored to your climate, soil, and flock—will foster healthier sheep, higher quality pastures, and more sustainable farming practices.
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