Its been a LONG time since we posted on our web page. Guess the new additions have kept us super busy and on our toes. June 2022 Wayne added sheep to our farm. Pulled Dorset’s. They are a wool sheep, large fast growers, and decent milk production. We wanted / needed more clean up in the wooded areas in our Silvo pastures.
I had the management of the cows under control but adding sheep has been an even BIGGER learning curve. With sheep comes the need of flock protection, 2 guardian pups are in training also. Never a dull moment. The sheep are very personable, a lot like dogs. Grandboys have enjoyed time spent with sheep and even picking out sweet baby female guardian dog. Her sidekick a male Pyrenees
It has been even more challenging this year than last. Spring again never really gave us the spring flush of forage and we are in a severe drought, year number 2. Temperatures are high 90’s with heat index above 100, rain keeps missing us. As of the middle of June we had had less than 2″ of rain for the year! The pastures are burning up and the cost of hay doubled again this year from last year’s doubling. We are not doing our intensive rotational grazing this year for my safety and lack of forage. We have even dropped 1 bale of hay at each farm and added protein in their mineral to supplement what is lacking in forage. Protein is added in the winter when the animals are dry forage, generally not in the summer while out on pasture. Thankfully we started using cover crops and we had a nice spring/ summer crop for the cows to enjoy. I have even opened up the ponds for cooling stations for the cows. (It’s not good for their hooves for then to stand in water all the time.)
Look for another post soon from Wayne explaining his vision for the sheep.
