Keeping Our Sheep Cool
Two years ago we had a heat wave and drought here that made it a huge challenge for us to keep the sheep cool. When temperatures get above 90 degrees sheep need to be in shade or you risk serious harm to them. Having lambs and lactating ewes on pasture, not to forget carrying the typical summer parasite burden, an even bigger problem results well before temperatures reach the high 80s.
The shade in the wooded areas is about 5 degrees cooler, and if there is a mild breeze at least 7 degrees. This makes a huge difference and removes the kind of stress that effects growth in lambs and the lactation in ewes.
So what we ended up doing during the heat wave was to put up big tarps tied to six-foot T-posts for shade shelters. For the most part this did the trick, but the temperature under the tarp still remained pretty much same. Also, as our flock grew so does the need for bigger tops. After that season we began to put a new plan in place to make use of the wooded areas we have.
We began to cut small trails inside the woods using a chainsaw, a weed-wacker with a blade, and a scythe, where we can put up our poly-nets and set up a small area under the trees along a pasture; or in one area we fenced-in the entire wooded area with poly-wire. We are not totally there yet, meaning having a wooded area within a short move from any given pasture on the farm; but we are slowly getting them set up. Maybe by next summer we'll be there.
With the areas created and fenced in, here's how a typical move goes: on the day we know the temperature will be close to 90 degrees, we move the sheep to the wooded area just before temperature hits that mark or say between around 11 or 12 in the afternoon. This way the paddock they are currently grazing gets eaten down and doesn't go to waste. We then leave them in the wooded area until say between 4 to 6 PM, depending upon how fast the temperature drops. However, prior to moving them out we set up a new grazing paddock so they can graze fresh grass for the evening. With the coolness of the evening sheep will graze all through the night, and then rest a bit in the morning and then start again. If the temperature is fine the next day then we move them once they have eaten down half of the vegetation, if not, back to the wooded area. Also, if they eat the vegetation down to the point that there is only an overhead canopy in the wooded area we'll feed a little hay while they're in there lounging.
Here are a few pictures taken today showing our practice.
There is another added benefit to having the sheep lay up in the wooded areas, and that is keeping it cleaned up. Our sheep eat all the poison ivy, sumac, mountain flora rose, and the various saplings that make it hard for us to maintain our wood areas using good forestry practices. Once it’s cleared we can get in there and cut away the wild grape vines that destroy trees and cut down the trees that don’t have any value. Also, when they eat down the growth along the creek beds it helps the grass establish and grow, which is far better for the preventing erosion than with just trees alone.
If you have any questions about this, ask us here and we'll get back with you.
The shade in the wooded areas is about 5 degrees cooler, and if there is a mild breeze at least 7 degrees. This makes a huge difference and removes the kind of stress that effects growth in lambs and the lactation in ewes.
So what we ended up doing during the heat wave was to put up big tarps tied to six-foot T-posts for shade shelters. For the most part this did the trick, but the temperature under the tarp still remained pretty much same. Also, as our flock grew so does the need for bigger tops. After that season we began to put a new plan in place to make use of the wooded areas we have.
We began to cut small trails inside the woods using a chainsaw, a weed-wacker with a blade, and a scythe, where we can put up our poly-nets and set up a small area under the trees along a pasture; or in one area we fenced-in the entire wooded area with poly-wire. We are not totally there yet, meaning having a wooded area within a short move from any given pasture on the farm; but we are slowly getting them set up. Maybe by next summer we'll be there.
With the areas created and fenced in, here's how a typical move goes: on the day we know the temperature will be close to 90 degrees, we move the sheep to the wooded area just before temperature hits that mark or say between around 11 or 12 in the afternoon. This way the paddock they are currently grazing gets eaten down and doesn't go to waste. We then leave them in the wooded area until say between 4 to 6 PM, depending upon how fast the temperature drops. However, prior to moving them out we set up a new grazing paddock so they can graze fresh grass for the evening. With the coolness of the evening sheep will graze all through the night, and then rest a bit in the morning and then start again. If the temperature is fine the next day then we move them once they have eaten down half of the vegetation, if not, back to the wooded area. Also, if they eat the vegetation down to the point that there is only an overhead canopy in the wooded area we'll feed a little hay while they're in there lounging.
Here are a few pictures taken today showing our practice.
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| Yearlings shading along Dexter Creek. |
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| Our rams grazing in the shade along Dexter Creek |
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| Ewes and lambs grazing in 2 acre wooded lot surrounded with poly-wire. |
There is another added benefit to having the sheep lay up in the wooded areas, and that is keeping it cleaned up. Our sheep eat all the poison ivy, sumac, mountain flora rose, and the various saplings that make it hard for us to maintain our wood areas using good forestry practices. Once it’s cleared we can get in there and cut away the wild grape vines that destroy trees and cut down the trees that don’t have any value. Also, when they eat down the growth along the creek beds it helps the grass establish and grow, which is far better for the preventing erosion than with just trees alone.
If you have any questions about this, ask us here and we'll get back with you.
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