natural, holistic, sustainable
When we first came to McMinnville, we were inundated with questions about why we didn't spray our pastures for weeds each spring, why we moved the sheep daily, and why we had even chosen to raise sheep in the first place. From day one, Yellowbird Farms was planned to work with nature, not against it. As the Collins River runs through a mile of the farm, we are dedicated to limiting the use of herbicides and chemical fertilizers that could damage this natural waterway and valuable community asset. Our diverse pastures provide natural habitat for wildlife and pollinators and a buffer to keep waterways clean. Careful grazing management reduces the likelihood of silt or nutrient runoff. We utilize intensive pasture rotations to help achieve these goals while simultaneously improving the flock's nutrition.
Where the buffalo roam
To plan our grazing management strategy, we sought inspiration from the wild buffalo herds that grazed for centuries without human intervention. Pressure from predators would bunch the animals tightly together, which contributed to the health and productivity of the land. Closely grouped herds distributed urine & dung uniformly across the prairies as they slowly migrated, and their hooves trampled material into the soil so it could be recycled into usable organic matter. Their constant movement meant that the plants were not overgrazed, instead producing more growth in response to the pruning the animals provided. The herd would not return to the same spot to graze until weeks or months later, when the plants had fully recovered. The tight grouping of the animals also meant that they didn’t waste time looking around for the “best” bite – they’d just eat what was in front of their nose or risk another animal getting to it. We call this non-selective grazing, and it promotes even grazing of the forages, including "weeds."
herd management strategy
At Yellowbird Farms, we try to closely model the behaviors of natural grazing herds. In order to group our sheep tightly together and mimic predator pressure, we section off paddocks using step-in posts and electric poly-wire. The size of the daily allocation of space is influenced by the time of year, stage of plant growth, and certain management goals - like changing the balance of cool to warm season plants or releasing clovers to give them a stronger presence. We can even renovate a low fertility or "weedy" pasture using this strategy by adjusting the grazing density, grazing period, and recovery period.
Because of our deliberate grazing management, our animals consume a diverse and nutritious pasture-based diet, and they are correspondingly healthy and productive. Weather patterns, stages of breeding or pregnancy, and seasonal transitions are some of the variables that contribute to whether supplementation of this pasture diet is needed. And of course, the selection of strong, high-producing sheep is critical to the success of this management strategy.
Because of our deliberate grazing management, our animals consume a diverse and nutritious pasture-based diet, and they are correspondingly healthy and productive. Weather patterns, stages of breeding or pregnancy, and seasonal transitions are some of the variables that contribute to whether supplementation of this pasture diet is needed. And of course, the selection of strong, high-producing sheep is critical to the success of this management strategy.