PASTURE Plan for 10 Acres | Rotational Grazing Cattle on Small Acreage SHEEP FARMING
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- Опубликовано: 18 май 2021
- Rotational Grazing System Supplies List: bit.ly/GrazeSystem
SHADE STRUCTURE DIY: bit.ly/PortShade
Email: shepherdess@harmonyfarms.blog
Looking for some inspiration to launch your small acreage Rotational Grazing Program? Here is how I setup my rotational grazing system for this 10 acre pasture. I am grazing my sheep in an intensive rotational grazing situation where I move them to fresh pasture once a day. This means I had to think through a system for rotating not only the animals, but the things they needed on a daily basis. Things like water, minerals, and shade.I hope this video helps you to get your own rotational grazing plan in place!
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-the Shepherdess
"He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich." Proverbs 10:4
I love the feeling of opening the gate for the sheep. They express such joy running through to new grass.
Isn’t it the best?? Hasn’t gotten old yet. 😍🐑🌱
-the Shepherdess
That sounds lovely 🌹
Nice job Grace, looks like you're doing well!
Budgets are budgets but as graziers we're all constantly trying to figure out how to increase our efficiencies. We all have different challenges and different constraints on our time and budgets so we have to work with what we have until we can get a chance to figure out the best way to upgrade things. One suggestion I can see to make to you for consideration is a centralized power source for your paddocks. You have enough to do without having to move that fence energizer unit all the time and charging a battery. I have a video on my channel showing a solar charged, battery powered fencer that's mobile that I built. It would be enough charger to run all your stuff from one point and you wouldn't have to keep recharging batteries. It's not a cheap solution but it is the most convenient thing you can invest in. You can also run permanently charged legs of fencing using poly and step in posts off of that back permanently powered fence if your charger on that fence is hot enough. Speedrights 6j charger with a remote is what I use and would recommend.10 acres should be fairly simple to set up where you're not having to move the fencer every day.
Now for the water issue, ideal set up would be a solar/battery powered pump in that pond and bury some pipe to some central water points. I carried water for mine for a year and it sucks, lol. The plasson quick couplers are a great device. I doubt your frost line in the soil is very deep so probably a fairly reasonably cheap project using 1" pipe. Greg Judy has some good info on that type of buried system. From the frost free water points you can just hook into them with a garden hose and set up a small tank with a Jobe float valve. I haven't gotten mine in yet or I post a video on it. You may not even need to bury it down in your part of the country. You could rig it overland with some drains so you could drain it by gravity if need be to keep it from freezing.
Another great load of info here! Thank you, Brent. Yes, I do have to say that budget is confining me to existing resources. I’m trying to make some incremental upgrades. I think a geared reel will be next on my list. I’m too young for arthritis in my elbow from these plastic things. 😂😂
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess Ha, yeah that'd be a good investment for sure. It's easy to spend money or throw money at problems. You seem to be doing very well with what you have. I just know you'll upgrade as you can and thought that might help a bit. Your flock is growing quickly! With your marketing background, you'll probably have some investment capital to throw around in the near future.
@@Digger927 That's wonderful knowledge you shared with us. Thank you!
I just subbed to your channel I love learning.
Leaving your delightful content on in the background while I do housework to boost your viewcount/watch time for the algorithms- you're inspiring, bless you and bless the next generation of farmers!
So grateful for this, Elisabet!! Thank you :)
-the Shepherdess
Me too! And even though she doesn't have time to read all the comments I always at least say something to boost vids in the algorithm.
You're an Inspiration to many and Yes you are always learning and growing. Continued Prayers. God Bless You
Keep praying, Alonzo! The Lord’s strength is what keeps me moving forward.
Thank you for your encouragement!!
-the Shepherdess
Indeed !!
I love your all activities
I enjoy that your conquering goals and providing for your future. Kind of like double dipping 😀
nice tip on insulating a battery from the ground...not setting it directly on the ground. I never knew that before. It is fun drawing out or engineering a system that provides grazing while creating less work. I need to get better temporary fencing so I can map out similar strategies for fields I am not using right now. I have cattle that are used to electric but I use the metal rods and t-posts and a single strand of metal wire. It is a much more permanent solution that doesn't lend itself well to moving and relocating fence lines.
Glad you were helped by that! I never would have thought about it until my dad put the bug in my ear.
I enjoy making the plans as well... but I always wait to share them until I’ve executed. So much adapting happens between the time I pencil it out to the time the sheep are done with a pasture. 😂😂
Always enjoy your comments... thank you!
-the Shepherdess
Nice sheep. Lambs looking good! Love the sheep moving through the new opening!
It never gets old to see how eagerly they move to fresh pasture! My favorite part of the day. 🌱
-the Shepherdess
You’re blessed for doing a great job 👏 and for Sharing with us your beautiful videos thank you ! my dear ✝️🙏🏻
Thank you, Mary! God is good and I’m so grateful for your encouragement. ❤️❤️
-the Shepherdess
😍 Good morning.
Your busy getting things all sorted out. 🙌🙌🙌 The sheep are beautiful.
Be well and God bless you. 🤗🙏☝️👍
I always smile inside when you comment, Patricia!!
Thank you. ❤️❤️
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess 😳 oh my!! Your welcome. It really shows how much you want your sheep to succeed. 👍
Patricia.
it has been raining off and on all night and morning here,,, thank you for the tips
Yes, we’ve had about 15” in 3 weeks. I have to remind myself to give thanks even in the midst of mud. It’s wet now, but Texas summers are so hot and dry that I will be wishing for rain again soon. 🌧
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess i have to agree, rain is a real blessing no matter how much you get, thank you for your great videos
Great ideas! Thank you!
Thank you very much! I appreciate this feedback. 🙌🏻
-the Shepherdess
Another idea to consider during the dry season is when you dump the water trough to move it, pour the water on the ground rod. A ground rod in damp/wet soil works better than in parched, dry soil. There are many other "tricks" you will figure out to get a little water on the ground rods. Best wishes.
Great tip, Greg! This will help. 👍🏻
-the Shepherdess
Thanks for sharing
You are welcome! Hope it helps. 👍🏻
-the Shepherdess
Good job
Thank you, Todd!
-the Shepherdess
That pond is awesome, youcould get a small gas powered water pump and use it to get water to all 5 ground points. And cat tails have so many uses for humans, food, medicine. Great video, God Bless.
Great input on the gas powered pump!!
I have heard that about the cattails... now to convince the family they are a good aide dish. 😂
Thank you, Ivan. 😁
-the Shepherdess
First!
Thank you so much Sheperdess this has been invaluable. We just fired up our Polytape fence last night and the sheep are still in this morning.
Made this with you in mind, Michael! So glad to hear your sheep are doing well. 🐑 Keep up the great work and thank you for your support!
-the Shepherdess
With all this rain you need to get “floaties!”
You said it! Have we hit any rainfall records for the area yet?? 🌧🌧🌧
This is well done! Nice set up and keep going with this stuff! Unfortunately for me sheep seem like they are less of an option in humid areas like the southeast.
I know what you are saying about the climate! We underestimated the wet + sheep issue when we bought the flock and almost lost them all. This grazing is the only way we can keep them healthy in our climate.
Thanks for commenting!
-the Shepherdess
I'm in the wet Southeast too. I have a neighbor who does regenerative shepherding for profit and he seems to be doing really well. I've bought his lamb and it tastes great.
Another great video. Could you have a small pump and hose set up directly from the pond for refilling the two buckets?
Yes! A pump from the pond would work great too, but this system allowed us to use things we already had. A good sized pump would be around $200-$300. Will probably budget it in and upgrade once the farm generates some income.
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess Never realized how expensive pumps are 😲
Hello from Australia lol.
Thanks for the video... I like the portable shelters that you quickly showed. Do you have any other information/videos that cover them?
Thanks for commenting! Australia is a dream destination for me. 🐑
Yes! I have a full tutorial on how to assemble the shade structures here: harmonyfarms.blog/tutorial-portable-shade-structures-for-sheep-and-goats/
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess awesome! Thank you very much 😁
Love your videos. We currently run Hampshire sheep in western Montana but are considering a move to northern texas. My family has lived there before and I havent seen this question on any of your other posts...what do you do for external parasites/pests? Chiggers, fire ants, snakes?
Thankfully the external ones haven’t been much an issue. We have a lot of flies and sometimes treat a ewe topically for fly strike. 👍🏻
So I'm wanting to rotationally graze my cattle. The reason I haven't been doing it is because of shade concern and only have one set of premier 1 electric netting which is very difficult for me to move. I like your string method, it seems light and easy, I'm just at a loss as to how to make it work. Doesn't it have to be connected on all four sides, like a square, in order to be electrified? For instance, I couldn't run a straight line across my field and connect it to the perimeter fence since there's no electricity on the perimeter fence? I noticed you only have an electric wire on one end of your perimeter fence that you connect to, just wondering how that works since it doesn't connect in a square all around your pasture. Hope I'm not sounding confusing.
Definitely! If you search “shepherdess rotational grazing” here on RUclips you will see I have a tone of videos with info on my grazing system!
Hey again, do you see that stocking rate sustainable on the 10acres of what looks to be really good grazing? I ask because I have half the rate on poor pasture and I'm downsizing drastically. I have around 20 head on 5 acres and I'm looking to go back to 1 ram and 4 ewes to both rebuild pasture and the flock.
This is 10 of 23 acres total that. Based on what I have seen, 30 ewe-lamd pairs is very sustainable on 23 acres. If I was to run 30 ewe-lamb pairs on 10 acres rainfall would have to meet my annual average (47"). Drought forces stocking rate down fast. (recent video outlines my destocking process for my local drought)
❤🎉❤🎉❤
Grace...could you clarify how many sheep you are running on this 10 acres? Was it 40 ? Do you count the lambs in with this number or is that strictly for the Ewes?
Hi Jeff! This is 10 of 23 acres total. At this time I had about 50 including lambs. Here is a great video from a fellow shepherd that I think answers the sheep per acre question REALLY well. ruclips.net/video/Q7MvKqcpqzI/видео.html
Cuanto por diez hembras d sinco meses.??
How much farm land price approximately in your place ?
I only rent I don’t have a purchase price to give you. Thanks for commenting!
-the Shepherdess
Surprised you don’t use a solar for electric
I actually trickle charge my 12v with a solar panel now. Huge live saver!
Lessen one . Make your helper check the hot wire!😩
Essentially took till 2:30 to begin. Did not watch after another 10 seconds. RUclips has it wrong. Make the title the focus. Hit the ground running. Every click bait video starts with a long intro and the personality. The only upside was loction given. But then again central Texas is still vague. That could be the area of Tennessee.
Appreciate your feedback, David!
-the Shepherdess
David, calm down man.