The sheep and goats finished off the first acre - it took them about 50 hours. They did a great job with the annual grasses and forbs (broad-leaf plants). They also defoliated most of the poison oak. We'll come back and hit some of the poison oak they missed before we haul them out in a week or so.
In my experience, sheep have nearly as varied a diet as goats. They are not quite as aggressive with brush - they don't climb like goats do - but they will consume most of the vegetation they can reach. As our ewes mature and gain more experience, their diet becomes even more varied.
The new paddock I moved them into today is about 1.75 acres, and I anticipate that it will take them about 2-3 days to complete. My estimate for the total project of 10-14 days seems fairly accurate at this point. We'll see how the coming wet weather affects their consumption - it shouldn't make any difference. The new paddock has some soaproot in it - a native plant that grows from a bulb. The Native Americans used the root to make soap. I'm not sure whether the livestock will eat it - we'll see!
Thoughts about sustainable agriculture and forestry from the Sierra Nevada foothills.
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