Together
Livestock, farmers, landowners, community & consumers in a flexible network of cooperation in a values-based supply chain
A very natural model
Silvasheep agroforestry development and grazing improves the land and the environment. This natural capital now realises its potential to provide ecosystem services in the form of carbon offset, clean air, improved soil health, biodiversity gain and reduced drought and flooding. The demand for ecosystem services is expected to grow considerably, therefore, the Silvasheep model offers an attractive commercially viable alternative to grazing rent arrangements.
The opportunities for farmers and landowners range from joint-venture diversification of existing operations, to new entrants.
Silvasheep sets out an easy to enter set of protocols for sheep farming in silvopastural and silvoarable systems that maximise all of the productive elements, from meat to wool to dairy, as well as tree-based products through a defined route to market for these products under a unified brand that champions local provenance and regenerative agricultural methods.
The flock
The central breeding objective of all Silvasheep flocks is the development of an enhanced UK multi-purpose sheep breed designed for climate resilience and optimum efficiency in agroforestry systems (nutrition/environment virtuous circle).
Main characteristics are good health, premium meat, milk and wool quality and low greenhouse gas emissions. Sheep are selected to be hardy to suit natural all year outdoor silvopasture and silvoarable grazing.
Central to the health and wellbeing of the sheep is the agroforestry environment which provides shade and shelter and more natural nutrition in browse and forage. Lambs are born outdoors and kept with mothers for longer as research indicates this ensures the best possible start for strength and resilience which benefits the individual animal and future generations.
The golden hoof
In medieval England most farms were mixed systems with both crops and livestock, often with sheep grazed on fallow fields after harvest or during rest periods in crop rotations, their manure and urine returning nutrients to the soil. Modern interest in soil health has seen the rise of sowing multi-species cover crops after harvest on which sheep are grazed to convert plant biomass, cycle nutrients and reduce fertiliser needs.
