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Transforming sheep farming practices

As part of its ongoing sustainability and animal wellbeing strategy, The Blenheim Estate is introducing mob grazing, a more sustainable way to manage its 1,000 strong flock of Scotch Mule and Cheviot sheep.

The practice emulates how animals flock and feed in the wild, grazing down the sward equally, and means they eat the most nutritious top third of the plants and trample the less nutritious stalks onto the ground, helping to enrich the soil quality.

This new practice will see mobile electric fencing replace the 2,000-acre estate wooden fencing via a partnership with Rappa Fencing. The new fencing system allows sheep to move to specific new grazing areas quicker and more easily.

A major upgrade of its sheep farming facilities, the transformation forms part of the Estate’s ambitious land strategy that looks at innovative ways to move towards more sustainable farming practices.