Acre per sheep?

[wannabfarmgirl]

Does anyone know how many acres per sheep head I would need, if I'm trying to have them self-sustain. I would pr SCobably need to supplement in the mid summer and the winter though.

I live in SC.

Thanks!

 

[griffin45]

I can't tell you what is recommended, but I can tell you we have 40+ goats and sheep on 5 acres. You set up paddocks and rotate! We are trying to expand right now and add 20 to 30 acres, but until that happens we are setting up paddocks to rotate everyone through the grasses and browse.

Chris

 

[wannabfarmgirl]

Thanks! (Wow - ya'll have your hands full!)

Do you supplement, o do they just graze?

 

[griffin45]

We grain, we mineral and we buy hay in the winter. That is the only draw back to the way we have the farm set up. We can't cut our hay 'cause the animals eat it. I think that 5 sheep per acre would be good, or maybe 4.

Chris

 

[geepster]

I think the book recommends no more than 6-8 sheep per acre of good pasture.

 

[LiLBoPeep]

I think that if you have very good pasture you could get a way with 5 or 6. You would of course need hay for winter.

 

[hensdeliverthegoods]

You're from So. Carolina, so don't forget that sheep looooove kudzu!