Feeding and Fencing sheep

So, you have considered getting sheep and you have become familiar with the costs and day to day issues. Here is more information so that you can get ready.

Pasture

In general, 5 sheep per acre on good pasture is the rule in New England (in a year when there is no drought). To find out what your land is like, go the your local USDA office and they can help you. Sheep can be pastured in mixed fields and woods. Dry land with good drainage is better the swamp. Rocky pasture is fine. You can tell if you have enough pasture by watching to see if the sheep are constantly pushing the fence to get feed on the other side. If your pasture looks like a well maintained golf green, then perhaps you need more.

Make a good relationship with your hay guy.

A bale of hay that has a ton of burdock in it will ruin your wool for the year. Your hay guy will generally hay several fields and will have thousands of bales yearly. He will know where the best fields are. If you have a good relationship with him and view his product as vital to your program, then having a good relationship with him can help you to get the best consistent hay for our flock. Many folks want the payment for the year up front and if you don’t have storage for a couple of hundred bales, then delivered loads throughout the year will cost more.

Hay

When the hay is cut matters. 1st cut hay is newer and generally has more stems. it is not as rich as second cut and generally less expensive. 6 sheep per 40 pound bale a day. I use 1st cut to transition onto and off of pasture and hay out in the morning and at night. I switch up to 2nd cut when the temperature remains below freezing in the winter and lambs are on the way. Roughly between December to March. Then back to 1st cut. Baled hay cost me around 4.25 per bale,delivered and used 2 bales a day for a total of 7 months Transitioning from pasture to hay, 1st cut to 2nd, back again and then to pasture needs to be done slowly. Sheep can bloat easily if the new hay is too rich and they can also get the runs if put on pasture to new.

Grain

There has been a huge cost increase in bagged corn and grain over the last two years, nearly a double in price. Mid May, oats were over 11.00 per 50lb. bag and 10.00 for grain, 50 lb bag. I use a mixed grain called Shepherd 16 which has 16% protein. There is also textured grain that is mixed grain with molasses. I use whole corn in the middle of winter for the sugar boost instead. In the summer I give the sweet oats. and some grain, Merinos are hardy and one way to have a fine micro on the wool is to feed lean. That means lower protein and maybe only grass or range fed. However, I would rather have a healthier flock that is resistant to illness and has a higher micron count and a more consistent fleece with fewer wool breaks. I grain throughout the year. During lambing the ewes get upto 2 lbs a day and and everyone else gets about 1 lb. of combined oats and grain or grain and corn as well as the hay.

Minerals:

New England soil, especially mine, is poor. I make a mix of 1/3 salt, 1/3 kelp, 1/3 loose minerals and put out about a cup or so daily. The sheep are able to monitor what they need. Kelp is a good source of selenium, which is needed but is lacking in our soils. Minerals are not that expensive. I have tried the blocks and don’t like them as much.

Fencing

You need to fence your sheep in and fence other critters out. Unless you are on a range and fencing is not an issue. I use stationary fencing, electric 5 strand and some netting. The netting is useful if you need to move fence around, but is a hassle and can be dangerous if lambs get tangled. The five electric works well here and is my favorite. Sheep will get out our of almost every fence if they need to. If they are not getting enough to eat and there is food on the other side of the fence, then the sheep will get to it one way or another.

Some sheep breeds are known for not minding fence. Merinos will stay within the area of the fence. They are tight in a group and generally stay within the bounds once they learn them. Other breeds will breech a fence as if is is a sport.

There are predators in New England. Coyotes are the main issue in many areas, even residential. Check with your local USDA office to find out what the saturation is. If you are in a residential area, local dogs tend to be more of an issue. My barn is attached to the house, so the sheep are by the house at night and I have a house dog. We have used llamas and mini donkeys in the past for guard animals. I have found that the sheep do better without. I don’t have a sheep dog, Marama or border collie. Maramas bark to signal danger, Border collies are terrific for herding. But merinos are tight flockers and come when I call. I haven’t a need for a herder. I also don’t want my flock to be chased around. Nervous sheep make poor fleece. If you are having a predator problem, then lock the sheep in the barn at night and get a shot gun. There are more stories about rabid racoons getting in to the flock and causing problems. No fence will keep them out.

This is the second year that a large black bear has been in our pasture area. He has minded the fence, not because it shocks him, but because he doesn’t seem to like the sheep. We don’t keep bird feeders on the property, and so far we have been OK IF the bear wanted lamb, he would get it, a fence would not matter. We also have a large amount of turkeys, deer and an occasional moose that comes by. They all seem to stay out of the pasture as well.