Several years ago we worked with Linda Hardesty of WSU's Department of
Natural Resource Sciences on a LISA grant to study the potential of using
sheep to control under story growth in a mature cherry orchard. The pasture
treatments were - 1. what existed naturally, 2. a planted mixture of orchard
I recall years ago reading of what's called a Spanish halter used for
sheep grazing in orchards. What the halter did was to keep the sheep
from being able to look up. When they can't look up the only orchard
foliage they are able to eat is the very lowest hanging.
Bill Fleming
Montana State
Hi Bill:
Well, here you are from some of the best sheep and wool production
country in North America. Nice to have your comments. Certainly range
production and character of range flocks is quite different from the
production in the farm environment. I'd like to see the Spanish
Hello Bill,
Thanks for the direction to Linda and your comments.
Regarding turf species:
Orchard grass, though a great forage producer, and probably excellent
habitat for predatory insect species, is pretty rank for an underfoot
turf in a U-pick orchard. I'd like to find something more
I raise sheep and apples for part of my living. I live in Colorado where we
have drought, sandy soil and cold winters. I graze my sheep through the
orchard on a rotational basis and use my Border Collie to control them.
However the halter is the next best thing with a shepard to run them
I raise both apples and sheep in an amateur capacity. They are not
an impossible mix, but there are difficulties. Somethings I would
advise anyone trying this consider:
1. Breed of sheep: A small, hardy breed like Shetlands will be much
easier to manage than a large meat breed (although
