Sheep Leasing & Sales

For your urban grazing project, you can lease ewes to return at the end of the growing season or purchase feeder lambs which you can then take to market. Either way, we can significantly cut your land managment costs.

We will assist you in making sure your property is zoned for ruminants. We will get you started in your venture with an urban shepherd kit of everything you will need for your flock, whether you start with three or a dozen. In addition, we will provide you with shepherd training. We can check in on sites on a weekly basis. We then remove the sheep when the grass stops growing and before they require hay and grain for the winter. And, if you want to start your own flock and keep them all year, we can provide you with shepherd consulting services to get you started with your own flock. For more information and an estimate, e-mail us at info@urbanshepherds.com.

Our lease program includes:

 ü  A flock of sheep

 ü  Shepherd training

 ü  Shepherd kits & fencing

 ü  Sheep consultation

 ü  Herding demonstrations

 ü  Educational programming

Our shepherd kits include:

 ü  Locker with flock management guide book, tools and medicine, crooks, and carrying case for field work tools

 ü  Troughs and movable shelter

 ü  Mineral feeders and wormer

 ü  Electric fencing & solar energizer if needed

 ü  A guardian llama if needed

You are responsible for:

üCounting sheep, notifying us of any shortage, and looking for signs of predators or parricides daily
üChecking to make sure the sheep have water and mineral daily.
ü  Moving the sheep, temporary fencing, shed, mineral, and water for rotational grazing every 2-3 days.    
üAssisting in any worming, trimming, and shearing needed.
üNot bringing in other sheep and/or diseases.
üTelephoning us in case of emergency
üReplacing any stolen or dead livestock as a result of negligence

We strongly recommend using permanent woven wire fencing instead of electric fencing for rotational grazing within. You can manage 4-5 sheep per acre. However, the more you move them, the more they mow.

In residential areas, you might need to team up with a few neighbors and shuttle the animals from lawn to lawn in 10-day shifts, splitting your maintenance costs. Sheep are quieter than a mower so do not disturb the neighborhood like a lawnmower does. Sheep also provide relaxation; there is nothing as relaxing as watching sheep, well almost nothing. Having livestock in your yard also provides a connection to nature.
 

Sheep and goats are also good for clearing land. They eat woody material, such as unwanted shrubs and bushes. They are great for clearing areas of scrub land or invasive weeds and they are more environmentally friendly than a bush hog.

The benefits of using natural lawn mowers go beyond saved time and money. An acre of lawn can provide 600 pounds of grass forage. This is enough forage to produce about 160 pounds of lamb meat and several pounds of wool. In addition, 200 animal days of grazing creates 600 pounds of manure containing 10 pounds of nitrogen and 8 pounds of phosphate that are readily available for plant growth. This would be similar to the amount of fertilizer recommended for a spring treatment for the average lawn care.