Before building containment areas.

10 Dec

When deciding to build containment pens there are many factors to consider. These include:

Good Drainage - Sloped but stable soil for water runoff.
Shelter - Not essential but sheep will use if there.
Proximity to facilities - How far away is the fodder storage and sheep yards to minimise distance travelled.
Reliable access to high quality drinking water - Preferred supply from reticulated system rather than dams to avoid dry-ups or contamination. A minimum of 1.5cm/head for water trough space.
Distance from water storage/water course - At least 500m from water source to avoid contamination.

There are many advantages to confinement feeding but you also need to be aware of the risks involved:

Short-term cost of increased compensation of pasture intake. Although you may think your paddocks are bare, confined sheep may cost 1kg/head/week in feed more than when they are grazing in the paddock.

Grain being fed in confinement cannot be distributed over a long distance, as can be done in a paddock, leading to more competition for feed.

Once infrastructure is in place, advantages of confinement feeding includes:

Livestock can save 10-15% of daily metabolizable energy required from being less active.
Wool quality will increase from less vegetable matter and dust.
15-20% less grain wastage.
Minimises pasture and soil degradation.
If feeding off the ground there is less soil in the gut and pink eye from dust etc.
Pastures responds better and faster after rainfall.
Increased groundcover in paddocks allows for less loss of topsoil and nutrients.
Reduces pasture re-establishment costs.
Confines the spread of introduced weeds from bought in feed.
Reduced labour cost, due to close proximity to fodder storage infrastructure.
Improved monitoring of livestock.
Increased mental health from not driving through dry paddocks.

Why a 5 week joining period is recommended