Sheep

[CrazyfurAnimals]

Okay, this is kind of out of the 'horsey' kind of section, but I was just curious about something. I've heard that sheep make a good companion for a horse in a field, because they keep the grass clipped down, and the horse isn't always alone and doesn't have a chance of cribbing (or something worse) as much. Anyways, to get to the point. My brother said that sheep eat the grass to the roots, and that you have to keep replanting grass because of it. Is that right? Just curious.

[ruby]

Hello

We've got four sheep (all have names like flossie and baaarbara etc) and they're great for sharing grazing with horses. The main advantage is that where horses have specific toilet areas around the fields they won't eat there and the grass tends to get a bit patchy round the field - well, the sheep are quite happy to eat these patches so the grass stays pretty even in the field.

Hope that helps
ruby

ps we've found our sheep pretty low maintenance aswell but they are pretty good at escaping!!!!

[floppy]

hehe ruby my nickname is flossie wlel its what most people call em insetad of my rael name..
as for sheep..i think the main thing you got to be aware of is them munching your horses tails! my friends horse has sheep as companion and i guess the hrose really annoyed them because the turned around one day and munched her tail off!

[Wally]

All our animals share the grazing at some time or another. Sheep, cattle and horses, geese too, hens and ducks.

Sheep will eat the bits horses won't, cattle and sheep will eat the worm eggs and larvea that affect horses but don't affect them, thus making the worm burden on the pasture less. Horses eat the cattle and sheep larvae. There is one type of worm that affects sheep, cattle and horses but it is killed by most wormers.

Mixed graxing is a good idea, but don't stock sheep too highly or the poor horse won't get a look in at the grass! Sheep are good at grazing young ragwort down, they can tollerate young leaves and will eat it and it won't get a chance to go to seed.

As for re planting sheep grazed grass, now way, otherwise the whole of Shetland would have to be re planted every year!