Pasture rotation interruption; urgent

[NachoFarm]

We move our sheep in pasture every three days, we've been doing this for two months now and had just reached the point where they were going to go back where they started. Well due to a miscommunication with the farmer next door who cuts our hay, he cut that area down. What's on the ground can be used as hay obviously but we're trying to figure out the best route to go from here.

In order to keep worms in check we can't leave them where they are now but since now there's no pasture where we were going to move them to, we can't move them there either.

Or do we move them there and feed hay and then just continue to move them like we would usually while feeding hay?

We don't want to damage the new growth as it comes up but we can't leave them where they are. Do we dry lot them until the pasture comes back? We're just very upset and frustrated right now because we had a really great routine going that's now basically ruined.

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I say it's urgent because we were supposed to rotate them today.

 

[DonnaBelle]

I think you have answered your own question. I'd go ahead and move them and just feed them the hay.

It's about your only solution unless you put them in another dry lot and feed them the hay there. You wouldn't have to worry about worms that way,.


Darn bad luck, but S++t happens, you know.

DonnaBelle

 

[NachoFarm]

I think you have answered your own question. I'd go ahead and move them and just feed them the hay.

It's about your only solution unless you put them in another dry lot and feed them the hay there. You wouldn't have to worry about worms that way,.


Darn bad luck, but S++t happens, you know.

DonnaBelle

Lol, yes it does!!

So do you mean I should move them and let them eat the mowed hay where it lies?

Or would it be better to bale what's there and feed on the dry lot? We don't really have a "dry lot" per se but an area in front of the barn that is trampled. Then we would start the rotation again when the pasture recovers from the cutting?

 

[Southern by choice]

I think this is more of a concern if you have parasite problems. If you do not have parasite issues it is not going to harm them.

We have no parasite issues here and our sheep and goats were not able to be moved for nearly 6 months. I just ran fecals on all of the sheep and goats.... using the McMasters method. Sheep 1 egg Each. My goats... 0-2 eggs.. except 2 does that had recently kidded with the highest 14 eggs- translates EPG- 350 which is extremely low still. All had a FAMACHA score of A-1.
They also were on the smallest area with short grass high humidity and rain for the past 8 months. All prime conditions for the potential for high worm loads.

I wouldn't stress too much about. It will be ok. Not sure how many sheep you have, but the grass growing back could be more of a problem then the parasites.

This also may give you an opportunity to see their parasite resistance. Rotational grazing is great and works very well, however, you never really get to see their resistance either. I have seen animals that are pretty much always dry-lotted... and yep they may have low worm counts but then they go out on land and end up having NO resistance.

Through unfortunate circumstances you really have been provided an opportunity.

 

[NachoFarm]

Ok so it's supposed to rain tonight and all day tomorrow and I have no where to bring in a 1/4 acre of hay to dry it.

Since it was just cut yesterday, is it better to let it get rained on while it's in windrows and then rake it and dry it after? The farmer next door says that hay that hasn't dried completely tolerates rain better than completely dry hay.

Or should I rake it out now and then let it get rained on so then it'll dry faster after the rain stops because it's spread out?

Is there any way to bring hay inside to dry it? I know putting it in the loft wouldn't work because it's too humid.