Lease land over winter

farmernewbie

Hi lads,

I have no stock kept for the winter months. A neighbour wants to use a few fields for sheep. Kinda reluctant to do this. Seems like it might be more hassle than worth.

If I said yes would I need to inform department or what effects would it have on me? Feck all grass in them but if I was to rent them how much should I charge?

I want to get a few light weanlings in Feb so would want land back then.

delaval

If you want grass in Feb, believe me you do not want sheep now

Sharpshooter82

delaval wrote: »

If you want grass in Feb, believe me you do not want sheep now

you ll have a lovely carpet on your field as the grass wont be any higher than that

farmernewbie

Will they improve the land at all?

mallethead

no

Timmaay

The only way sheep would improve a paddock is if there was alot of matty dead material in the sward that the cattle had not grazed out properly, however you said there is feckall cover now, I assume that isn't the case.

Bizzum

Would it be a runner in the case of an Autumn reseed to allow a neighbour to graze it with sheep?
Would it be worth doing? Would a sheep farmer be interested in paying for the grazing or would it only be attractive (if at all?) If it was free?

farmernewbie

Bizzum wrote: »

Would it be a runner in the case of an Autumn reseed to allow a neighbour to graze it with sheep?
Would it be worth doing? Would a sheep farmer be interested in paying for the grazing or would it only be attractive (if at all?) If it was free?

I was thinking about this as I have some ground reseeded but I might just buy a few light weanlings in February at let them at it. 250 -300kg weanlings.

Do you need to inform the department if you let sheep on your land for winter grazing or what are the rules?

razor8

rules below

Temporary Movement for Short Term Grazing
Documentation for Temporary Movements of Sheep for short-term Grazing on a holding which is not registered to the flock-owner.
The movement notification requirements in relation to the temporary movement of sheep for short-term grazing on a holding not owned by the flock owner can differ depending on the circumstances as follows:

Temporary Movement to Tillage Land on a holding where there are no livestock.
In this instance the sheep can be moved to and from the temporary grazing without dispatch/movement documents and without notifying DAFM of the movements.

Temporary Movement to Mixed Farm on which there are livestock.
If there are any livestock on the temporary holding (even if housed separately) then the movement to and from the temporary holding must be notified to DAFM. However, as there is no change of ownership the responsibility for notifying these movements is with the owner of the sheep. Notification of the movement to the temporary holding is made by completing a dispatch/movement document and sending the pink copy to the local District Veterinary Office for recording. Notification of the movement back to the holding of origin can be made by the owner sending the white copy of the same dispatch/movement document set to the local office but the document must be clearly marked ‘Return Movement from Temporary Grazing’. In the event that the number of sheep being returned to the original holding is less than the number sent in the first instance then this should also be indicated.

Temporary Movement to Fragment of Mixed Farm on which there are no livestock.
Some holdings consist of different fragments of land which are separated but which are all registered under the one holding/flock number. For example, the main fragment may consist of the homestead, farm buildings and adjacent fields but there may also be another fragment either leased or owned which is separate to the main fragment but is under the same holding/flock number e.g. could be a kilometre distance between both fragments. In this instance sheep can be temporarily moved to one fragment without the need for dispatch/movement documents and movement notifications provided there are no livestock on any part of the fragment that the sheep are being moved to.
Movement from Temporary Grazing Land direct to Mart/ Factory/ Abattoir
The initial movement to the temporary grazing land is covered by the previous explanations and a dispatch/movement document and movement notification must be made where required. However in all cases where sheep are moved from the temporary holding directly to a mart/factory/abattoir (and not back to the holding of origin) then the normal National Sheep Identification System (NSIS) requirements apply. In this case, the owner of the sheep must complete a new dispatch/movement document to accompany the sheep and must also record this movement in the flock register. It is not necessary to notify DAFM of a movement to a mart/factory/abattoir as the movement will be notified to DAFM by those locations.

Tagging & Record Keeping in respect of Temporary Movements
In general, all sheep must be tagged in accordance with the National Sheep Identification System (NSIS) by either nine months of age (six months if intensively reared) or on leaving the holding of origin whichever is soonest. Accordingly, all sheep being moved to a temporary holding must be fully tagged in accordance with NSIS prior to being moved off the holding of origin regardless of the destination. In the case of any temporary movements that need to be notified to DAFM then the flock owner is required to keep a copy of the relevant dispatch/movement document used to notify the movement in their records for a period of at least three years.

Application for credit under the Nitrates Regulations for the organic fertiliser produced by sheep being temporarily moved to a different holding for grazing.
To request a Nitrates adjustment for sheep moved to a holding without livestock a farmer should submit a completed Record 4 (Notification Of Temporary Movement of Cattle or Sheep) to Nitrates Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown Castle, Wexford prior to movement. Adjustments will apply to both holdings. If sheep are moved to a holding where there are sheep or other livestock then the normal identification and movement notification rules apply, i.e. completion of dispatch/movement documents and forward to local DAFM office. Dispatch/movement documents can be produced as documentary evidence in response to notifications of exceeding the Nitrate limits. (170kgs or 250kgs if a derogation is applicable). Adjustments will apply to both holdings.

razor8

Grazing sheep can increase pasture carrying capacity and overall production, they help level a field that cattle have punctured and thicken the sole of the sward.