Lambs: My Intro To Management Intensive Grazing (MiG)

As I mentioned in the last issue I will be getting some lambs to pasture for the summer. Grazing animals is really where my heart lies. I want to continue to do pastured poultry along with large livestock when I can get access to the land that I need. I have been reading a lot about grazing and talking to many farmers whose entire operation is grass based. Many call themselves “grass farmers” because the way that they see it, their livelihood depends on the health of the soil and grass that feeds their animals. Management intensive grazing (MiG) revolves around constantly moving a mob of animals in tightly controlled paddocks so that they never completely destroy and area of pasture. This allows it to recover, and be grazed again. MiG turns pastures into highly efficient solar panels capturing the energy of the sun and converting it to energy that nourishes the animals and us in turn. It is truly amazing how an animal like a cow takes something like grass, that is completely inedible to humans, and turn it into a nutrient dense protein source for us.
Many of the farmers that I have been talking to have encouraged me to start with lambs, because they will be a lot more forgiving when I make those beginners mistakes I am likely to make. Yet, they are mostly like a small version of a cow. They are both ruminants which means that they have a digestive system that is designed to turn grass into energy. They will let me hone my grazing skills as I am introduced to the world of MiG.