Uses for pasture

[Will C]

4-6 plus their lambs would be a good start, be prepared to adjust numbers to find the sweet spot with your grass supply you will find some seasons will be short of grass and some good so fine tuning may take a little while

[Guest Gimlet]

If it's permitted, I really would like a horse. I know horses and sheep coexist well on the same pasture but is it really feasible to have both on four acres..? 

[MattyF]

Around 6-10 sheep per acre , I would split it in too three with electric fences and move them around... I’m not a fan of sheep , I’ve seen them over eat .. eat not enough .. if they are not bucket fed can be a pita to handle and they seem to have one aim in life and that’s to die, much prefer cattle but they do plunge up Feild’s and would need extra feeding with four acres in winter.. I quite enjoy feeding my 2 and they probably eat 1-3 big rounds of hay a month in winter depending on snow etc and a small bucket of feed a day... grass is growing again now so will stop that soon.

[Will C]

6-10 sheep to the acre won’t make it all year round with out winter feed. This takes away the low maintenance. Lower numbers that lamb every year gives higher numbers when the grass is growing and low numbers when it’s not is better as a hobby. It’s never going to be majorly profitable on 4 acre

[monkeybusiness]

I wouldn’t put more than 10 sheep on 4 acres and expect not to input additional feed in winter tbh - even that could be too many.

[daveatdave]

10 sheep per acre depending on the grass you can get up to 75p a head 

[Guest Gimlet]

I appreciate that 4 acres isn't really a commercial proposition. But I have to maintain the ground and as long as I at least break even and preferably with a small mark-up for my efforts I'd be happy.

With that in mind I'm interested in making the ground as healthy as I can. I'm very keen on conservation grazing and encouraging biodiversity. If I can achieve that at cost with amenity value to myself as a pay-off (such as being able to keep a horse),  I'd be happy. A small number of sheep a coexisting with a single horse and some beehives on the margins (really like that idea) would suit me well if the situation/location will support it.  

[Stubby]

8 hours ago, Gimlet said:

If it's permitted, I really would like a horse. I know horses and sheep coexist well on the same pasture but is it really feasible to have both on four acres..? 

There is nothing to stop you but I don't think its fair just having one horse .  They are heard animals and a horse being on its own can be quite stressful for it .

[Bob_z_l]

8 hours ago, Gimlet said:

If it's permitted, I really would like a horse. I know horses and sheep coexist well on the same pasture but is it really feasible to have both on four acres..? 

I think your only issue might be. If anyone has issue with you being their, horses don't count as agricultural. 
Pretty sure of this as stable blocks are not treated the same way as barns.

 

I'd go sheep and sub let the ground out to a shepherd.  Do a deal on a few lamb chops when the time comes maybe.
They'll generally have the pins, wire and energisers to secure an unsecure field too. 
 Leaves you free to carry on about your business.
 

[Stere]

Quote

I wouldn’t put more than 10 sheep on 4 acres and expect not to input additional feed in winter tbh - even that could be too many.

This sounds right used have some Jacobs on 2 acres about 6 sheep and had to buy quit alot of feed.

 

Can you still find butchers around who do home slaughter theese days  & were is the nearest slaughter house?