Since we put the sheep out to pasture about a week ago, we've moved them four times. Our rotational grazing guru is going to be away for the summer, and so I will have to be the sheep mover. I got a lesson a couple of days ago.
Around the whole big pasture is a permanent perimeter fence. We subdivide the large pasture into many smaller pastures by putting up temporary fence.
First, we made a dent in the pasture by driving a straight-ish line from one permanent fence to another. This dent is where we set up the temporary fence.
We laid each of the fence sections out on the ground. It took four sections of fence and a gate to reach across the pasture to subdivide it. After laying each section out, we stuck the poles of the fence in the ground. The temporary fence was very easy to set up because the ground was so soft.
After all the sections were set up, we electrified it. Can't have the little buggers getting out.
And then we opened the fence between the old pasture and the new one.
It was awfully fun to watch them run through. They were very excited about the prospect of new food.
While we were setting up the fence, a ewe was finishing up birthing her twins. We left her alone until all of the sheep were into the new pasture.
Then we carried her two ewe lambs into the new pasture. She followed nervously along, and they all seemed to settle in nicely in their new location.
Good looking feed. Some of the frost seeded brassicas? TB
ReplyDeleteIt's a clover/grass mix (heavy on the clover) from last year. Funny, the sheep are not overly fond of the clover right now. So we're moving them through pretty fast. Might get a cutting of hay from it yet, since they are not eating it all.
DeleteWe haven't been out to the corn field to see if the frost seeded radishes germinated.