# sheep and trees



## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

i was thinking about getting some sheep for my orchard (saving time mowing  )
will they kill the trees? eating the bark? i could never put my goats in there because they will eat the trees first.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

My sheep love leaves. They totally deleafed some newly planted fruit trees last year. They will also nip off tender new growth. Don't do it unless your trees are large enough so the leaves are out of reach. They will probably not initially bark your trees but will if left too long. Geese would be a better option.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Your tree's would be safer if you got some Geese to graze around your fruit trees. I drive by a couple of places when I go to town, that do this.
Even took a photo of one. This was taken in winter.
http://www.imagekind.com/Goose-Barn_art?IMID=a8960c25-a4e8-4567-91bd-e4d80a05bb67

Sheep will eat the bark off your fruit trees. Even the Babydoll sheep, which are advertised not to eat bark of Orchard tree's, I know first hand they do.
Unless you have a really old mature orchard, it might work but I won't count on it. 
Or you are willing to put tall 1/2" by 1/2" woven wire around each tree.

Good luck!!


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

i have geese (emden) and they killed newly planted fruit trees


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

I JUST put my sheep in the orchard this spring, I have Katahdin and Dorper. They will eat the leaves they can reach but not dance on their hind legs to get higher. I figure the leaves they could reach should have been pruned off anyway. I do not plan on leaving them there this winter because when the snow comes I am affraid they might eat the bark. So far, so good..now my goats on the other hand, NO way!


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## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

You can rotate the sheep in and out of the orchard like many have said if you don't have small unprotected trees and if you don't mind a brouse line at about 4 feet high or so. The trick on the bark is to make short rotation times so that they get what they want before they start on the bark. Also there are individual sheep that will eat bark more than the rest of the flock. I've been doing this in an apple orchard for 3 or more years with St Croix sheep.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Geese will eat bark off apple trees too. Mine did. You could wrap the trunks with hardware cloth to protect them.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Mine escaped and made a B-line right to the orchard. I am minus 1/2 of a peach tree and most of the cherry tree. Don't do it unless those trees are older!


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

I kept my Barbs in a pen with a mature oak tree, and they ate the leaves up to the four-foot level, even stood on hind feet to get them! Didn't seem to cause health problems, despite the tannins.


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## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

Oak leaves will not hurt but an overload of acorns will do some damage.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> not *dance on their hind legs to get higher*.


Mine do that all the time.
Yours will too if you watch them long enough


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