LAX

[Subdeacon Joe]

Sheep as lawn mowers at Los Angeles Municipal Airport (LAX), 1930. Source: USC Digital Library

[Utah Bob #35998]

Only been to LAX twice. Sheep would be an improvement.

[Pat Riot]

Hmmm...It’s a metaphor.
LAX was surrounded by sheep in the 30’s. 
It’s surrounded by sheeple in the 20’s. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Seems like I saw a photo similar to that only it was on the White House lawn.

[watab kid]

wasnt one of the biggest complaints of sheep by cattlemen that they pulled the forage roots - killing the land - rather than trimming [mowing if yo will] leaving the plants to regenerate ? its what i remember as a kid as well on relatives farms , cows and horses graze [mow] the sheep and goats clear to the dirt and below , erosion to follow , 

[Rye Miles #13621]

4 hours ago, watab kid said:

wasnt one of the biggest complaints of sheep by cattlemen that they pulled the forage roots - killing the land - rather than trimming [mowing if yo will] leaving the plants to regenerate ? its what i remember as a kid as well on relatives farms , cows and horses graze [mow] the sheep and goats clear to the dirt and below , erosion to follow , 

I seem to remember that too but from the movies so I’m not sure if it’s true. Hmmm....

[Alpo]

I've seen that in numerous westerns. That's the reason given by the cattlemen for their war on sheep. Sheep destroy the grasslands.

 

But people have been raising sheep for centuries. If sheep were really that destructive, it seems like there would not be any grass left anywhere in the world.

[Sedalia Dave]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

I've seen that in numerous westerns. That's the reason given by the cattlemen for their war on sheep. Sheep destroy the grasslands.

 

But people have been raising sheep for centuries. If sheep were really that destructive, it seems like there would not be any grass left anywhere in the world.

 

Because of how their mouths are shaped, Cows and Sheep graze a differently.

 

Cows generally leave 2 to 4 inches of grass remaining as the graze. Sheep generally leave 1 to 2 inches when they graze.

 

Grass that is cut really short is less drought tolerant that grass that is left longer. The extra length shades the ground and slows evaporation. 

 

[Matthew Duncan]

6 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Because of how their mouths are shaped, Cows and Sheep graze a differently.

 

Cows generally leave 2 to 4 inches of grass remaining as the graze. Sheep generally leave 1 to 2 inches when they graze.

 

Grass that is cut really short is less drought tolerant that grass that is left longer. The extra length shades the ground and slows evaporation. 

 

So you're saying cows are destructive to the range too.

[Chuck Steak]

Nothing has changed - the sheep are still at LAX.  The sheep are still eating the plant life around to area - the only difference now is that they are driving around in a Prius wearing ripped blue jeans, vintage sun glasses, and unwashed graphic tees'

 

 

but make no mistake - the sheep are still at LAX in force

[Utah Bob #35998]

It’s all about management of pasture. Too many grazers will denude an area. Doesn’t matter what species. Shep, cows, bewilderbeasts, etc.

[Rye Miles #13621]

2 hours ago, Matthew Duncan said:

So you're saying cows are destructive to the range too.

I took it as he’s saying since the cows leave grass longer it’s better for the grass. If I cut my lawn too short and it doesn’t rain for a month and it’s hot the grass can burn out. That’s what the sheep do they cut the grass too short. 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

There are still a couple of people around here, that will bring out a number of goats and clear your property of weeds, ect. for a fee.

One sits with her book, as her dog ushers the goats where they need to be!

 

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

They use that method of weed removal in Plymouth, CA. There are two properties on HWY 49 that are cleared by goats every year.

[Dirty Dog Doug]

In the SF bay area they had goats clearing grass in some steep hills next to the freeway

worked out great until till some goats rustler stole a few goat 

they where caught later with goat in the freezer 

[Matthew Duncan]

2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I took it as he’s saying since the cows leave grass longer it’s better for the grass. If I cut my lawn too short and it doesn’t rain for a month and it’s hot the grass can burn out. That’s what the sheep do they cut the grass too short. 

I understood. I forgot to add a  as I was trying to be funny.

 

 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

3 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

 That’s what the sheep do they cut the grass too short. 

 

What if you put the sheep in high heels?  That would raise them up a couple of inches = longer blades of grass  

[Alpo]

High heels wouldn't help. If anything it would hurt. It would tilt the sheep forward, which would put its mouth closer to the ground.

 

Now maybe if they used some 1980s platform shoes ---

[DeaconKC]

Sorry the sheep in high heels reminded me of this

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 hours ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

 

What if you put the sheep in high heels?  That would raise them up a couple of inches = longer blades of grass  

 

 

Funny, you don't look Scottish! 

[Michigan Slim]

4 hours ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

 

What if you put the sheep in high heels?  That would raise them up a couple of inches = longer blades of grass  

With some people I've met that would be a date......

[Cactus Jack Calder]

10 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

There are still a couple of people around here, that will bring out a number of goats and clear your property of weeds, ect. for a fee.

One sits with her book, as her dog ushers the goats where they need to be!

 

Years ago I saw a TV News show here in NC that claimed the goats even cleared the Poison Ivy with no ill effect to them.

I’m not sure of the accuracy of the report.

 

CJ

 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

43 minutes ago, Cactus Jack Calder said:

Years ago I saw a TV News show here in NC that claimed the goats even cleared the Poison Ivy with no ill effect to them.

I’m not sure of the accuracy of the report.

 

CJ

 

They are sturdy...and eat EVERYTHING!

[The Blarney Kid]

The biggest problem with the sheep was they didn't free range like cattle, so when they grazed they stayed in a smaller area which didn't give the grass a chance to recover.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 4/15/2021 at 12:50 PM, Alpo said:

High heels wouldn't help. If anything it would hurt. It would tilt the sheep forward, which would put its mouth closer to the ground.

 

Now maybe if they used some 1980s platform shoes ---

But the heels would also aerate the lawn.

[watab kid]

thanks for the education , i didn't know that - funny how childhood things stick in your head - but then it was cowboy TV and they couldn't lie on there , could they ? huh , who knew ????  it makes good sense that both cattle and sheep graze without destruction , there are a lotta sheep raised all over the world and it wouldn't make sense if they destroyed the natural ecology 

 

my uncles sheep got moved around to prevent 'overgrazing' but i was little/young what did i know ? 

[Trailrider #896]

Up Montana way, after the Big Die-up following the blizzards of 1885-1886, some of the local cattle ranchers turned to sheep and cows.  Must have helped them recover financially.  The one advantage to sheep is you get two products: lamb chops and wool.  Of course, the cattlemen in that period were guilty of overgrazing at the behest of their English owners. Regardless, it got Charlie Russell on the road to fame and fortune after he painted "The Last of the 5000" or "Waiting For a Chanook". 

[El CupAJoe]

Free Alias; Goat Rustler

 

I could go for a good goat roast right now...

[Pat Riot]

I have never liked the taste of mutton or goat. I won’t eat baby animals so I would not eat lamb. 
 

I’ll take cows any day over sheep for food. I do like wool in the winter though. 
 

EDIT: I also lost my taste for venison after I grew up. It tastes like mutton to me. I used to love hunting deer though.