Apple Trees Thrive Alongside Babydoll Sheep

2016 - Volume #40, Issue #4, Page #07

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Sheep grazing in orchards is an old idea that Mark Sudbrink would like to see revived. He’s been using Babydoll sheep to keep the grass short and prevent diseases in his Wisconsin apple orchard since 1992 with great success.
  “The Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep were bred centuries ago for orchards and vineyards, by eliminating the browsers and breeding the grazers,” he explains. That changed with the introduction of herbicides, and sheep breeders weren’t as concerned with breeding out browsers that chew on trees and brush.
  Sudbrink has proactively bred his flock of 100 for grazing traits, and has sheep in his orchards with 2,000 trees year round.
  “I keep some sheep in there all the time to keep the grass as short as I can to prevent diseases in the apple trees,” he says. “We only pick apples off the trees, never off the ground.” The sheep keep them cleaned up.
  Because of their breeding and small size, Babydoll sheep are ideal, but Sudbrink takes precautions for those that might browse on the trees. Most trees are protected with tree wrap. Newly planted trees are surrounded by blue 55-gal. barrels that Sudbrink cuts the bottom out of.
  “It’s win/win,” he says. “The sheep keep the orchard clean, plus we have wool in the springtime. They also fertilize and we sell the meat.”
  The meat is excellent, and Sudbrink thinks apples may be part of the good flavor. He’s also been told that apple seeds have a natural wormer. That makes sense because he uses very little commercial wormer on his flock.
  Thanks to the sheep he only sprays a dormant oil spray when the fruit is very small and spot sprays when necessary.
  “People who buy apples from us like to see the Babydolls because they’re short and cute with a Teddy bear face,” Sudbrink says. He notes he sells ewes for $250 to $300 and buck lambs if anyone is interested in starting a flock for their orchard.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Sudbrink, E19252 Scenic Dr., Fall Creek, Wis. 54742 (ph 715 877-3222).

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Apple Trees Thrive Alongside Babydoll Sheep FARM HOME Food Sheep grazing in orchards is an old idea that Mark Sudbrink would like to see revived He’s been using Babydoll sheep to keep the grass short and prevent diseases in his Wisconsin apple orchard since 1992 with great success “The Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep were bred centuries ago for orchards and vineyards by eliminating the browsers and breeding the grazers ” he explains That changed with the introduction of herbicides and sheep breeders weren’t as concerned with breeding out browsers that chew on trees and brush Sudbrink has proactively bred his flock of 100 for grazing traits and has sheep in his orchards with 2 000 trees year round “I keep some sheep in there all the time to keep the grass as short as I can to prevent diseases in the apple trees ” he says “We only pick apples off the trees never off the ground ” The sheep keep them cleaned up Because of their breeding and small size Babydoll sheep are ideal but Sudbrink takes precautions for those that might browse on the trees Most trees are protected with tree wrap Newly planted trees are surrounded by blue 55-gal barrels that Sudbrink cuts the bottom out of “It’s win/win ” he says “The sheep keep the orchard clean plus we have wool in the springtime They also fertilize and we sell the meat ” The meat is excellent and Sudbrink thinks apples may be part of the good flavor He’s also been told that apple seeds have a natural wormer That makes sense because he uses very little commercial wormer on his flock Thanks to the sheep he only sprays a dormant oil spray when the fruit is very small and spot sprays when necessary “People who buy apples from us like to see the Babydolls because they’re short and cute with a Teddy bear face ” Sudbrink says He notes he sells ewes for $250 to $300 and buck lambs if anyone is interested in starting a flock for their orchard Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mark Sudbrink E19252 Scenic Dr Fall Creek Wis 54742 ph 715 877-3222

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