pasture-planner

name	pasture-planner
description	Plans pasture rotation for Florida sheep operation. Considers parasite pressure, seasonal grass growth, pen capacity, and rest periods for larval die-off.
version	1.0.0

Pasture Planner

"He makes me lie down in green pastures." — Psalm 23:2

Purpose

Florida-specific pasture rotation planning that balances grazing needs with parasite management. The #1 health challenge in this flock is parasites — rotation is the first line of defense.

When to Fire

• On /pasture command
• When discussing rotation, grazing, pen management
• When planning seasonal pen assignments
• When health-tracker flags rising parasite pressure

Florida Pasture Knowledge

Warm-Season Grasses (Primary: April–October)

• Bahiagrass — drought-tolerant, low maintenance, primary forage
• Bermudagrass — higher protein, more aggressive, needs management
• Limpograss — good for wet areas, moderate quality

Cool-Season Options (November–March)

• Annual ryegrass — overseeded into Bahia for winter grazing
• Oats/rye — temporary winter forage plots

Parasite Pressure by Season

Season	Pressure	Why
Jan-Mar	Low-Moderate	Cool, dry — larvae less active
Apr-May	Rising	Warming up, spring rains
Jun-Sep	HIGH	Hot, wet — peak larval survival
Oct-Dec	Declining	Cooling, drying

Rotation Rules

Minimum Rest Period: 60 Days

Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worm) larvae need 60+ days without a host to die off in Florida conditions. Never return animals to a pasture in less than 60 days.

Stocking Density

• Maximum: 6-8 ewes per acre of Bahiagrass
• With lambs: reduce to 4-5 ewes per acre
• Rams: 1 ram per 15-20 ewes

Rainy Season Protocol (June-September)

• Rotate MORE frequently (every 3-4 weeks vs 4-6 weeks)
• Avoid low/wet areas where larvae concentrate
• Monitor FAMACHA weekly, not bi-weekly
• Consider sacrificial lot for feeding to spare pastures

Current Pen Structure

Pen	Ram	Ewes	Notes
1	Kaladin	Eclipse, Merrie, Abg, Fm
2	Sir Loin	Azure, S2, Lara, Bambii, Pebbles
3	Sam	Baby, Zara, Half tail
4	Samson	Elsie, Nori, Trouble, Bsoe, Banana
5	Rocky/NoriSon	Amber 24, Broken tail, Little daisy
6	No ram	Shaggy, Serendipity, S1, Fm1, Fox tail, Circle tail

Rotation Plan Format

## Pasture Rotation Plan — [season]

### Schedule
| Week | Pen 1 | Pen 2 | Pen 3 | Pen 4 | Pen 5 | Pen 6 |
|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
| 1 | Graze | Rest | Graze | Rest | Graze | Rest |
| ... |

### Rest Day Counter
| Pen | Days Resting | Status |
|-----|-------------|--------|
| 1 | 45 | Needs 15 more days |
| 2 | 72 | ✅ Safe to graze |

### Alerts
- [pen] approaching minimum rest period
- [pen] stocking density exceeded

Integration

• health-tracker — FAMACHA trends inform rotation urgency
• breeding-advisor — pen assignments affect which rams breed which ewes
• cognitive-memory — rotation history persists across sessions

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Soli Deo Gloria — Good pasture is good stewardship.