which would be better ??

the hunter

im looking to keep the grass down/maintained on a acre
was wondering which is better for the job horse/pony or sheep ???

The_Conductor

Sheep are better. Horses/ponies are picky creatures who will only eat the better grass- leaving tufts of rougher grass randomly scattered around the place.

the hunter

how many would i need ??

The_Conductor

Not many. If its only an acre- I'd hazard a guess at maybe 6 sheep (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong anyone). Note: once they have eaten the grass down fairly well you may have to supplement their diet with other food (or find them a fresh grazing patch).

the hunter

Note: once they have eaten the grass down fairly well you may have to supplement their diet with other food (or find them a fresh grazing patch).[/QUOTE]


hi mccarrick i was thinking of maybe 2 or 3 might do the job for the reason you stated above .. will i need a herd number ??

The_Conductor

Yes, you'll need a herd number or a flock number.

the hunter

what will i have to do to get one ??? someone also said goats are good at keeping the grass down ?? or would i need a number for them too ??

smashey

The problem with goats is that they would eat more than the grass. They eat absolutely everything. You should contact your local dept. of agriculture office regarding a flock no.

the hunter

smashey wrote:

The problem with goats is that they would eat more than the grass. They eat absolutely everything.

yeah that wouldnt bother me ill have it fenced off .....
would i need a herd/flock number for goats ???

The_Conductor

Yes, you do need a herd number for goats- and good luck with the fencing- the fences you'll need for goats are something else. The simple electric fence jobbie won't be sufficient, and you cannot use barbed wire under any circumstances.

nollaig

remeber, you will have to look after the sheep as well. Believe me, sheep are more trouble than they are worth.

and you cannot use barbed wire under any circumstances.

Whys that? Never had anything to do with goats.

The_Conductor

nollaig wrote:

Whys that? Never had anything to do with goats.

Goats love to jump over things- and are forever tearing themselves on barbed wire. The number of times I had to stitch goats and insert temporary drains in udders that had gotten torn- I don't know....... Nanny goats seem to forget totally about their udders when jumping over things, or dragging themselves under tractors etc.

Why not just get a local farmer to put a few sheep on it for you? so you don't have to worry about it.
They will need access to water,though they dont drink a whole lot.

You could also just get one of the locals to top the acre for you or just let it grow and then wrap a few bales on it-you might get 6 or 7 assuming it's not fertilised.

Oldtree

I have it on a good authority that two sheep per acre per year will do the job.

To get a herd no you need to have the area well fenced, watered (troughs out away from the hedgerows to avoid tb from the badgers they swim in it, so the man from the ministry says), a covered shed to cater for a sick animal, a pen of some description to hold the animals while the vet visits and a crush.

Probably cheaper to bale it and sell the bales!

Why not consider planting broadleaves and make a path trough your wood for a walk.

Wishbone Ash

nollaig wrote:

Believe me, sheep are more trouble than they are worth

I'll second that.

Get a mower instead!

nollaig

Goats love to jump over things- and are forever tearing themselves on barbed wire. The number of times I had to stitch goats and insert temporary drains in udders that had gotten torn- I don't know....... Nanny goats seem to forget totally about their udders when jumping over things, or dragging themselves under tractors etc.

geez, didnt realise they were no much hassle.

(troughs out away from the hedgerows to avoid tb from the badgers they swim in it, so the man from the ministry says),

Never heard that one before.

Im learning loads of new stuff on this thread

Oldtree

also the troughs have to be over two feet off the ground, again to stop the badgers getting in. My one question was how are sheep suppost to have a drink then??? there was a scratching of the head and swiftly on to the next subject. Red Tape?!?!?! where would we be without it

fits

Get animals if you want to keep animals, not just to keep the grass down. Keeping horses or sheep is a lot of work, you'd be better off getting the grass mowed.
Also keeping either requires a good deal of specialist knowledge. Would you have any idea about how to manage worming, vaccinations, flystrike, footrot? Could you recognise the signs of colic or laminitis? Would you know the feeding requirements of either animal over the winter months when the grass is low?

The_Conductor

Oldtree wrote:

also the troughs have to be over two feet off the ground, again to stop the badgers getting in. My one question was how are sheep suppost to have a drink then??? there was a scratching of the head and swiftly on to the next subject. Red Tape?!?!?! where would we be without it

Troughs two feet off the ground?
Thats a new one for me. We have higher troughs for ponies/horses- but have small little troughs with ballcocks to keep them full for the sheep. No-one ever said anything to me about having to have the troughs off the ground..... If you can link to it I'd be grateful, think I have a little researching to do.......

nollaig

Troughs two feet off the ground?
Thats a new one for me. We have higher troughs for ponies/horses- but have small little troughs with ballcocks to keep them full for the sheep. No-one ever said anything to me about having to have the troughs off the ground..... If you can link to it I'd be grateful, think I have a little researching to do.......

Never heard that either.

Have one trough too that is right beside the hedge, never got into bother over it.

Oldtree

can't find on the web so have attached part of the department of agri and food leaflet. Ask the department man for one to get the rest of the info.

Tuberculosis, advice for keepers, keeping your herd free from TB.

Research has shown that 10-15% of badgers are infected with bovine tuberculosis. Infected badgers have been found in every county in Ireland. As these badgers share the same environment as cattle, the probability of spread from one species to another exists. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease. Keep cattle and infected wildlife apart by: .Fencing off common watercourses, stagnant ponds, badger setts and badger toilet areas.
.Raising drinking and feeding troughs to over 84 cm. (32 inches) in height and locating them away from walls / ditches to prevent access. .Keeping feed storage areas, cattle sheds and yards closed so that wildlife cannot gain entry- .Checking fields regularly for badger carcasses and especially before moving cattle onto newpasture. .Being aware of unusual sightings of badgers
e.g. in daytime. The badgers may be sick from TB -contact your DVO.
BADGERS AND DEER ARE PROTECTED SPECIES AND IT IS AN OFFENCE TO INTERFERE WITH SETTS, OR HUNT BADGERS OR DEER WITHOUT A
SPECIAL LICENCE

johngalway

A couple of rams from a nearby farm could also be an option, if kids won't be in the field as their temprament will differ from ewes. They would be left in a field longer than ewes as they're only taking care of themselves, no lambs in tow. That would enable your field to be grazed consistantly for most of the year rather than moving ewes in and out. You'd not need a herd number either. I know we value the fields we keep our rams in a LOT.

Ali CP

Why don't you just ask a local farmer to either top it for you or make a bit of hay from it - a lot less trouble than having to worry about having to care for sheep, goats or horses. They need a lot more minding than being put out on an acre of grass. Horses need vaccinated, regular farriery care, worming and an experienced person to care for them. Sheep are a pain in the axle and you would need all sorts of facilities to keep them right. Goats - well you would be scouring ebay for a machine gun to finish them off after a week!!! Seriously - mechanical grass management is the only way unless you are prepared to put up with a load of hassle and spend plenty money.