Using Sheep to Weed Hop Yards
The recent explosion in craft breweries across the United States has led to more than just increased beer choices at your local pub.An entire craft industry is developing to support these breweries including hop yards and hop processing facilities.The current state of hops in New York is very promising and the perennial plant can now be seen hanging along road sides and off of private residencies.Hops, like most other plants, are susceptible to weed pressure and benefits from pruning at certain times of the year.Growers have historically relied on industrial chemical controls to achieve the weeding and cleanup of the yards but there are other viable alternatives.One of the most interesting is the use of sheep to help weed around the hop vines and to prune the bottom leaves off of the plants to increase air flow and prevent the development of competitive weeds.
As with any ruminant, timing is everything, and the seasons require varying approaches to sheep management in the yard.Once spring has arrived you can leave the sheep in the yard right up until the time that you are ready to string up the bines.At this time, you will need to move the sheep out of the yard as they will nibble the bines and stop the growth of the plants.The sheep will still need forage and this is why you will also need to utilize some of the other areas on the farm to graze the sheep and/or feed hay until the bines have grown to about 7 feet.At this time, the plants are robust and unpalatable to the sheep and they will prefer the tender weed plants and the lower leaves growing on the hop plants to the bines themselves.
As the yard transitions into the summer the sheep should be rotational grazed around the yard to consume weeds and the lower leaves of the plants.This helps with pest control and allows the crown of the hop plant to receive sunlight.Once the leaves are eaten back enough, it is time to move onto the next part of the yard and start the cycle all over.If there is enough forage available you can continue this rotation for the entire growing season.After the hops are harvested in the fall it is a good idea to remove the sheep from the yard and give the plants time to develop more leaves and restore their root stores prior to winter.
Sheep are gregarious animals that stick together and are gentle by nature.It is not enough to just let them loose in the hop yard for the season, it is vitally important to monitor your animals daily.Once you decided on a climate appropriate breed and can stock 10-15 animals per acre, they will require the same things that most animals require.They are going to need appropriate forage, they are going to need water, shade from the sun and rain, minerals to keep them healthy, protection from predators, and the occasional TLC.You must decide to erect permanent or temporary fencing and what type to employ.The temporary plastic netting offers the most advantages in this situation because it is electrified.This will keep the sheep in where you want them and keep the predators out.Another important consideration with sheep is that copper is poisonous to them so you cannot utilize copper sulfate as a fungicide in the yard.
It is also important to plan out your year with the sheep.There may be the possibility of renting the sheep or hiring a shepherd to care for them during the off season, but if not, you are going to need to take care of them during the winter and that will require additional resources.If you do decide to keep a flock of your own there is the possibility of additional enterprises such as meat and fiber.It is clear that sheep can be an integral addition to your hop enterprise and If you are interested in utilizing sheep in your hop yard or have any further questions please feel free to contact me.
Jason Detzel, Livestock Educator, CCE Ulster County
Last updated July 26, 2019