Sheep in trees

Shropshire Ewes amongst trees (click image for a larger version)

NEW GUIDE TO GRAZING SHROPSHIRE SHEEP IN TREE PLANTATIONS AND VINEYARDS
The second edition of a technical guide about grazing Shropshire sheep in tree plantations will be available at Sheep 2008 from the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association. The booklet has been significantly expanded since the first edition, published eight years ago, and now includes management advice from Christmas tree growers in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, as well as new sections about the use of Shropshires in apple orchards and vineyards.

Entitled “Two Crops From One Acre” the guide provides all the practical information tree growers will need to assess the suitability of Shropshires for their plantations. It covers the different grazing systems developed for utilising Shropshires as the ultimate environmentally-friendly method of weed control plus information about recommended cover-crops, stocking rates and sheep selection.     

The new section about the use of Shropshires in commercial fruit tree cultures is based on a formal trial conducted in semi-dwarf orchards at the Centre for Fruit Tree Research at Lake Constance, Bavendorf, Germany. An additional use for Shropshires has also recently come to light, and the booklet includes a short section about the experiences of a French farmer who has successfully extended the use of his sheep from conifer plantations into vineyards.

“Most sheep are unsuitable for controlling herbage in tree plantations because they eat a lot of the foliage and cause serious damage by stripping bark. For reasons that remain a mystery, pure-bred Shropshires behave differently and they have a well-proven track record for controlling herbage on Christmas tree farms,” says Pippa Geddes, publicity officer of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association.

“Thousands of Shropshires are used by tree growers in Denmark, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, allowing them to significantly reduce the use of herbicides whilst producing a valuable second ‘crop’ from their land.

“The use of Shropshires in conifers was first developed around 20 years ago. Since then, practical experience on many farms suggested that the sheep could also be grazed in deciduous tree plantations, such as orchards. In this scenario, just as in conifer plantations, their use brings the benefit of environmentally-friendly herbage and weed control.”

To purchase a copy of the new guide (£5 plus £1 for post and packing to addresses in the UK), please contact Jane Wilson, Secretary of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association on 01434 240435 (email: shropshire_sheep@hotmail.com), or visit the breed society’s stand at Sheep 2008.

For further information: Pippa Geddes - Publicity Officer of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association - 01743 741689 or psellwood@aol.com