Go to Page Two - Grazing and Maintenance (August through November)
This portion of our year of the sheep calendar takes us through our coldest winter months.
December
As long as the snow is not hindering the flock they will still be winter grazing. We can often graze to mid or late December.
Once the pasture grass is no longer feeding the animals we move them onto swath grazing. This way the flock is still outdoors on pasture yet we can limit the number of days we have to feed hay, which is our most expensive cost in raising sheep.
Breeding begins in December and the rams go out with the ewes right around Christmas time. This means lambing commences in late May when grass growth is strong. Throughout the year the rams have been grazing in paddocks furthest away from the ewes.
As the snow accumulates and the bitter cold of January sets in we are watchful of the ewes getting enough to eat and when we have to move to feeding hay if we haven't already.
January
Depending on the snow load the flock will be swath grazing or feeding hay has just started. The flock are managed as one group, the rams are with the ewes. It is breeding time but there is no special management or chores.
We manage our flock as one group during the winter to keep in line with our goal of easy management and the sheep working for us versus us working for the sheep. Other producers may opt for seperating thinner ewes from fatter or ewe lambs from adults etc. Neither is right or wrong so long as you are satisfied with your program.
If we are swath grazing chores consist of a walk through and visual check of the flock. Our winter feeding area is located one quarter to one half of a mile from home.
February
The flock is very likely onto hay feed now. Hay is fed via bale grazing. We feed this way because we do not own a tractor to enable us to move bales on a daily basis. Although we feel it is not the best way to feed sheep because the fleece becomes full of chaff, we do appreciate the simplistic nature and ad lib feeding that is bale grazing.
Chores now include checking the flock, cutting twines off of bales and forking hay away from base of bales and rolling any bale cores so sheep can finish eating off the ground.
We use portable fencing to allot so many bales at one time. This fence is moved every so often depending on how many bales are allotted - usually every 7 to 10 days. This is a two to three hour job.
The rams are pulled from the flock mid to late in the month. They go to a separate winter paddock where bale feeding has been set up as well.
March
Weather begins to warm, however nasty storms often blow in in March. The sheep begin to look fuller with lambs growing in the belly and a heavy winter fleece that is about ready to come off.
Routine and chores remain the same as for February, but now we are checking both the ewe flock and ram flock.
This ends breeding and winter feeding (December through March). Our next phase in our year of the sheep calendar brings us full circle back to gearing up for shearing and lambing.
Go to Page One - Shearing to Lambing (April though July)
Go to Page Two - Grazing and Maintenance (August through November)
The flock is very likely onto hay feed now. Hay is fed via 