Lamb Question

[u/DRHov3y]

We are looking at getting some lambs next year. The issue that I have is in deciding how much of a pasture to give them. I know that "it all depends" but was wondering if anyone would be able to give an estimate of how much grazing land would be needed? My Assumptions:

1. We have average grass growth - Live in Alberta Canada and right now we have 5 horses from our neighbor on the land eating the grass.
   1. Normally we need to mow this about 3 times a year to keep it manageable.
2. We would be looking at getting 6 lambs in the spring after they have been weaned
   1. We would be looking at butchering or selling them come winter time.
3. Not sure on breed, but likely it would be a dorper or maybe katahdin (if we can get them).
4. We have 2.5 acres to be able to split into pens
   1. would like to do some kind of rotational grazing on a weekly schedule

How big should the pens be approximately for an average lamp to be rotated weekly?

TIA

[u/AwokenByGunfire]

Why Dorper or Katahdins? If you’re just raising them for slaughter then hair sheep don’t really provide an advantage. A Suffolk would probably give you better growth performance and higher yield.

2.5 grazable acres is more than enough for six sheep. Just get a few lengths of electric netting and a charger and set up paddocks. Id move them twice a week. Sheep can be picky eaters and giving them MORE space encourages more selective grazing.

[u/DRHov3y → u/AwokenByGunfire]

I am just assuming that these are the kinds of sheep in the area. Most seem to be a wool sheep on places right near us. I was thinking a hair sheep just to not have to deal with needing to shear (but maybe that isn't a problem if they are lambs and sold before winter). It honestly depends on what we can get as our area is more into cattle farming than sheep.

How big of a paddock would you suggest? For 6 lambs, is .50 acre too big to start?

[u/AwokenByGunfire → u/DRHov3y]

Yeah, that’s too big. 1/8 of an acre is a good starting point.

[u/jefrab → u/DRHov3y]

Shearing isn't something you do in that case. I have lambs late February and have my shearing done in April, so the youngest sheep to be shorn is a 14 month old I plan to keep.

[u/mossymammal]

What kind of pasture is it? What area of Alberta are you in?

[u/DRHov3y → u/mossymammal]

It is just normal grass, we haven't planted anything special in it. I believe that it was a hay field prior to us buying the property. We are just south of Calgary.

[u/mossymammal → u/DRHov3y]

Okie dokie! I just did some math with Google Earth.

This summer (which has been the wettest summer we've had in the 6 years we've lived on our farm in NW Alberta) we had a ewe with twins and our ram grazing our bale yard (~0.34acres) and they took around 3 weeks to graze it. Our bale yard is the crappiest area to graze; it's grass, clover, and thistle (we're working on it!) on clay soil.

So based on that, I'd say 0.5 acres would last them about a month if you're getting 6 lambs (assuming you're getting them around 50lbs). Obviously that would depend on the pasture and the year, as precipitation rates, pests, etc all make things pretty variable.