It should be a priority for sheep farmers that are aiming to lamb in the spring to ensure that they will have sufficient grass cover by then for grazing ewes.
This means that closing plans should be in place now, as March-lambing flocks would have been aiming to have 80% of the sheep’s grazing area already closed by mid-December.
This leaves the final 20% of the grazing block available, i.e., the areas that will be grazed last next spring.
Grazing management for the remaining 20% will depend on every individual system. Higher-stocked farms may be aiming to have 100% closed.
According to Teagasc, every week ground is grazed in December, it will reduce grass availability next April by 150kg dry matter (DM)/ha.
At that point of the year, grass is more valuable. With that in mind, if underfoot conditions are poor, and grass supplies are tight at present, it may be best moving ewes off farm if possible where grass can be taken or housing them.
Over the coming weeks, it’s important that farmers don’t undo preparations for the 2024 season by regrazing closed paddocks.
Impact of grazing on body condition
One of the consequences of a difficult grazing season was the negative impact it has had on ewe body condition during the autumn and approaching this winter.
Where the flock average may only be slightly back, there is likely a cohort of thinner ewes, e.g., with a body condition score (BCS) of 2.5 or less, that will require attention.
Check and address the causes – lameness, health issues, mouths, etc.
These ewes should be considered for separate management and where ewes are being housed, consider penning separately and managing accordingly.
Consider introducing supplementation early at a low rate, to reduce further BCS loss and potential problems around lambing.
Arrange getting your forage tested this winter to determine its true feed value. This will allow you to tailor your winter feed plan to avoid under/overfeeding.
With high concentrate prices, you may be able to reduce the amount used where high feed value silage is available.
Where multiple cuts were made then more samples will be required to get a representative picture of forage quality.