Homestead mailing list

[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

SISU! wrote:

> Bill Jones wrote:
>
>  
>
> > I would estimate my maximum carrying capacity at around 1.5, or better, 
> > once the new pasture is planted.  So on 2.5 acres I can keep about 10 
> > sheep (6 sheep = 1 steer for this purpose).
> >    
>
> Does that take rotational grazing into effect?
>
> Bev
>  
I don't suppose so, since so many properties seem to have the same 
steers on them year after year (well, not the exact same animals of 
course).  Somehow when you go to buy a ranch property, and you ask the 
old fart, "so how many head of cattle you reckon this'll keep," they 
have to be able to give you some answer.  The details for how it's 
calculated are well-defined by the USDA.  It assumes that everybody's 
land is snowbound for six months, so that properties from radically 
different climates can be compared on the same scale.  But on my land, 
without snow, there's actually a "winter carrying capacity".  I imagine 
it's about a third of fourth of the summer carrying capacity, so I hope 
to keep a ram and three ewes over the winter, also with no feed.  I 
don't intend to push it to the limit, because they start gnawing tree 
bark.  At this point I keep animals only seasonally, since I'm a 
snowbird, but within 5 years we'll both be able to move here full time.  
Just in time, eh?  I hope so.

Bill
S. Oregon coast