All-winter paddock grazing can improve profits

As feed prices reach record highs, a new study shows sheep producers could reduce costs by using all-winter paddock grazing.

Paddock grazing systems have been widely revered by dairy producers as a cost-effective way of maximising milk production.

But a new study suggests that sheep producers can also see similar benefits from all grass wintering sheep in paddocks.

Organic sheep producer Dave Sanders, of Norton Farm, near Bodmin, in Cornwall worked alongside the SAC to test the concept of all grass wintering for the first time last autumn.

The trial, which was funded by EBLEX, found that significant feed and labour savings could be made by taking advantage of paddock systems.

Previously, Mr Sanders was out-wintering his ewes on grass keep for three months between November and January, at a cost of approximately £4 a ewe.

“The Romney ewes were getting too fat, because they were eating too much grass through those months,” he explains.

Following a trip to New Zealand three years ago where he witnessed cell grazing and decided to adjust his system.

Mr Saunders began the process in October. After calculating the required size of the paddocks by measuring grass availability with a plate meter and assessing ewe demand, he divided 110ha into 1ha paddocks.

The sheep then started grazing the paddocks from 1 December – 24 days post-tupping.

Sheep were grazed in one group of 950 mixed-aged ewes for one day before being rotated into a fresh paddock.

The rotation ended around 10 days before lambing and the ewes were set stocked – according to the scanning results – ready for lambing on high-quality grass.

“The trebles are on an unlimited amount of grass, the doubles are given 1.2kg of DM and the singles are on 0.85 DM just for maintenance,” Mr Sanders explains.

Results

 The move towards all-grass winter grazing has paid dividends and Mr Sanders says he is now able to control the condition of the ewes much more effectively.

Better use of grass, coupled with 100-day recovery periods has resulted in improved regrowth and grass quality.

“They eat it down to 700-800kg/DM very quickly which results in a more even regrowth,” he explains.

Paddock grazing also reduced the need for supplementary feed and in total Mr Sanders only used 19 bales of silage during the trial, compared with 200 on average.

“We had a real bad frost for 14 days so the we gave them something to pick at until the grass thawed.”

On top of this, Mr Sanders says it has saved him £8,000 a year in grass keep costs, plus additional fuel savings.

Ewe health 

Despite the increased stocking density ewe health has remained robust.

“Ewes were shorn three weeks pre-tupping, which made it easier to assess the condition of ewes. Only 5% of the ewes didn’t cope with the system and had to be put into normal grazing pasture.”

Monitoring the health of the flock was “fit for purpose” during the trial was critical.

“Monitoring performance was very important, because if they are not up to the grazing pressure they will keep losing condition.”

In addition, rigorous breeding selection for worm resistance has ensured the flock has built up good levels of resistance.

“Aside from fluke drenching the ewes at tupping and scanning, no further treatment was required.”

Management 

Ease of management is key at Norton Farm and all winter grazing has enabled Mr Sanders to work smarter, not harder.

“Two of us fenced a week’s worth of paddocks in half a day and it would only take 10-15min to move the sheep daily.

Getting the correct feed intake through paddock grazing has also constituted in an easier lambing.

“We lambed outdoors in one hit. In total 85% of ewes lambed in the first 10 days and we handled less than 1% of lambs.”

In January, Mr Sanders will be switching to conventional production and as he extends the flock he plans to cell graze more animals.

Profit could be as much as £17.80 per ewe

Preliminary calculation by SAC economist Robert Logaon showed Mr Sanders could benefit from an increased profit of £17.80 a ewe.

Beef and sheep scientist Liz Genever, from EBLEX says all sheep systems could benefit from improved grass management.

“The concept of planning how much grass is relevant to all types of sheep systems. It is basically trying to ration grass more efficiently,” says Dr Genever.

This weather has resulted in increased grass yields on many farms this autumn, which means now is a good time to build up a wedge for winter feeding and reduce the cost of concentrates.

“Farmers considering using all winter grazing should start shutting off fields now, ready to start in December,” she advises.

Dr Genever recommends that early lambing flocks should start deferring fields earlier to ensure there’s adequate growth.

“Priority needs to go to those field that you are going to be lambing in, so they need to be grazed first.

“Choose fields that are sheltered and most appropriate for lambing,” she adds.

Dr Genever says producers should ensure they have enough good-quality grass for tupping too, as they don’t want to get caught short because they’d deferred too much at the start.

She recommends that fields should be south-facing and free-draining to maximise grass growth and limit sward damage.

“Producers need 5-10kg/DM per ha per day of growth to ensure they have enough cover,” she added.