Why I am rotationally grazing
In the past I’ve just let the sheep graze right down large areas & then moved them on
But what happens is things stop growing back You also drastically increase the chances of parasites; they have a lot of nutrients/minerals/proteins at the beginning but always less near the end of their ‘stay’ and they will often kill off even things they don’t care too much about (like certain trees etc) because they like variety in their grazing
Long term their becomes more need to supplementing their feed, esp in the insanely hot summers here
Now I move them to a new pasture weekly (before the old one is grazed right down) and they will not return to that pasture for 2-3mths.
Parasites will no longer be a problem
Mineral/protein deficiencies no longer an issue
Lots of variety in what they are eating
Less likely they’ll start eating things they should not
Easier pregnancies/births because of this
Pastures grow back without replanting (& re-tilling to do so)
Pastures don’t get trampled
Resulting in happier & healthier sheep, soil, land and humans
We are in the process of sectioning the fields here into 4, so they can be rotated 1 section per week. At the moment we have enough sections so they will not return to the same section for at least 2 months, but the plan is for it to be more like 3-4mths. To really help regenerate the soil and feed them in the most nutrient dense way (& of course without any parasite issues that can kill sheep).
Our two big fields will be (lightly) tilled one last time and sown with deep rooting, high protein seed mixture before sectioning them off.
I have also started planting a medicinal meadow for them that whenever they are moved to a new pasture they will be taken through just for an hour or two and this will be FULL of medicinal plants/shrubs/trees for them that they can choose from depending on their needs.
Sheep would have naturally grazed like this in the past, so what is happening here is just trying to replicate nature to increase health for us all.
One day in the future I plan to AMP graze (when I have enough land and sheep ha).
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