Organic Sheep

Production
 Introduction

Organic farming

To produce organic sheep, the farm must be registered with

an approved organic control body. These control bodies each

require a detailed set of standards to be followed. The system

adopted should comply with those of your chosen control

body since individual control body standards may differ

slightly from each other, and from the EU Organic Standard.

Some of the key aspects of production are given below.

Starting conversion

Conversion planning is a very important aspect of

progressing from conventional to organic
production. In some cases the whole farm will be
converted in one block. In others the conversion
may be phased over a number of years, which
requires close attention to detail to ensure that
lambs sold will achieve organic status at the
earliest possible date.
 Time scale for conversion

It takes a minimum of two years to convert the

land to organic status. The breeding stock must
then be managed organically from topping time for
their lambs to be classified as organic. Lambs sold
as organic must have come from fully converted
land at the time of sale.
However, simultaneous conversion, where possible,
can speed up the process.
Simultaneous conversion

With simultaneous conversion, the complete farm

must be converted in a single phase, together
with the stock, and the stock must be fed mainly
with products from the farm.
Lambs born from existing ewes mated on the
farm, and which have been managed to organic
standards from the start of conversion, can be
sold as organic after the completion of the two
year simultaneous conversion period.
 Selling and buying stock

Farm to farm trading is a necessary part of

purchasing and marketing livestock.
Finished stock should be sold through an outlet
approved by an organic control body to allow the
meat to be sold as organic and to avail of
premium prices. Marketing should always be
considered before starting production.
 Sources of stock

Existing stock
When a farm is converted to organic production,
the existing livestock can be retained but can
never be sold as organic. However, the progeny of
ewes can be sold as organic following the required
conversion periods. Ewes must be mated under
full organic management to enable the lambs to
be sold as organic. Breeds must be suitable for
local conditions.
Replacements

Although producers are encouraged to rear their own

replacements or to buy from other organic farms, a
derogation allows up to 20percent (10percent with some
control bodies) of the breeding flock to be replaced each
year with ewe lambs or unsucked hoggets from
conventional flocks, which satisfy a number of criteria.
Care should be taken to source healthy stock kept on
farms that have high health and welfare standards and
where proper records of all veterinary treatments have
been maintained.
 Store lambs
Store lambs can be purchased from other organic farms.
As it is difficult to finish lambs in some parts of the country,
especially in hill areas, lambs can be sold from rearing to
finishing farms, for example from organic hill to organic
lowland farms.

Rams
Stock rams can be purchased from conventional farms
provided they are subsequently managed to organic
standards. Hired and borrowed rams can be used provided
they are managed organically while they are on the farm.
Non-organic stock

Conventional store lambs may not be brought in

and finished as organic stock. Also, organic and
non-organic stock of the same species may not be
present on the same holding.
Conventional stock of another species may use
organic pasture for up to 120 days each year
subject to a number of specific requirements being
met. This requires prior permission from the
control body.
 Feeding

From the start of conversion, all feeds used on the holding must
be free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Organic sheep must be fed on organically produced feedstuffs.
Maximum use should be made of grazing, and all of the feed
required should ideally be produced on the farm.
At least 60percent of the feed should be obtained from the farm
or from linked organic farms.

Up to 30percent of the feed may come from in-conversion

sources. Where it is produced on the holding on which it will be
used up to 60percent of the feed may be in-conversion.
The balance of the ration should meet full organic standards.
 Forage
Both the pasture grazed and the forage conserved for winter feed will
normally be produced on the organic farm itself. At least 60percent of
the diet should come from organic forage.

Concentrates
Where home produced organic cereals are available, these will form
the basis of the concentrate ration. Organic concentrates can be
purchased, though they can be scarce and expensive. Protein sources
may be difficult to produce on the farm. Purchased feed must meet a
number of criteria, including freedom from:
GMOs
ingredients that have been exposed to solvent extraction
fish meal
 Minerals
Mineral supplementation is only permitted where trace element
requirements cannot be met by the practices of organic
husbandry.

Grassland
Establishment and management of clover based swards are crucial
to the success of organic sheep farms. Clover is required to sustain
high levels of productivity, especially on improved grassland as it
is the main source of nitrogen.
Red clover, sown with Italian or hybrid ryegrass, can be used to
produce bulky silage crops. Molasses, bacterial inoculants and
enzyme additives may be used as silage additives.
Note that molasses used as a silage additive (or fed) must be
organic itself.
 Common land

It may be possible to graze organic sheep on common land

which has not received prohibited inputs for at least three
years.
The organic sheep must be clearly identified and adequately
segregated from non-organic animals. There must be no risk
that they can access prohibited materials eg non-organic
feed blocks.
Meeting the standards for use of common land must be
proved to your control body before the animals can be
regarded as organic.
Breeding ewes should not be grazed on red clover, or fed red
clover silage for at least four weeks before and after mating,
to avoid any adverse effect of red clover estrogens on
lambing percentage.
Maintaining soil fertility depends on appropriate rotations
and the careful allocation of recycled manures and slurry.
Artificial fertilizers are not permitted, but lime and some
‘natural’ sources of nutrients can be used.
More information is available in the organic series leaflets
‘White clover-based swards on organic farms' and ‘Red clover-
based swards on organic farms’.
Some land will not be suitable for sloughing or sward
improvement. Permanent pasture and rough grazing will be
important in these situations.
 Livestock manures

Manure may be brought in from other organic farms. The total

quantity of nitrogen applied on the farm may not exceed
170KGN/ha/year (including that produced by the stock on the
farm). This is equivalent to a stocking rate of almost 2 LU/ha. The
maximum applied to any one area should not exceed
250KGN/ha/yr.
Permission may be sought to use manure produced on
conventional farms. However, the animals from which it is
produced must be kept in husbandry systems that satisfy the
organic control body, and the rations fed to the stock must be free
from GMO.
 Housing
Note that housing space requirements can differ between control
bodies.
Stock must be provided with a comfortable, dry bedded laying area.
Loose housing that is well bedded is preferred. 1.5 m2 should be
allowed for each ewe with an additional 0.35 m2 for each lamb.
Although slats or wire mesh floors can be used they must not
exceed one half of the floor area available to each group of stock.

Animal health
A detailed animal health plan must be drawn up, preferably in
conjunction with a veterinary surgeon, to show how the
production system will be developed to promote good health, and
become less dependent on veterinary medicines.
Prepared by: BTLEd-AF2
Rico Tome
Nicole Ann De la Cruz
Retchell P. Lacuarin

Prepared to;
Organic Agriculture Instructor
Mrs. Emmalinda S. Bernaldez