WOOLY whipper snippers are fast becoming a common sight in Tasmanian vineyards, saving producers thousands of dollars in maintenance costs.
Glenora sheep farmer Gerald Ellis has been using sheep on his vines for a number of years, which he believes has saved him more than $150,000 per year.
Mr Ellis estimated input costs on his 40-hectare vineyard were $952/ha per 'pass' – a maintenance program that happened four times a year.
"It's saving us having to do underground weed control and inter-row mowing," he said.
While the practice of running sheep through vines post-vintage is commonplace among sheep producers with vines, it's gradually creeping into boutique vineyards.
For Monique Lubiana, co-owner of Stefano Lubiana wines, Granton, Tas, the path to a biodynamic vineyard had to involve sheep.
"More and more people are looking at the opportunity to manage vineyards in a sustainable manner," said Mrs Lubiana, who has run sheep for about five years.
Lubiana wines vineyard manager Mark Hoey said the obvious benefits were reducing the use of tractors, slashers and herbicides.
"With less herbicides used, the vines become a better reflection of the soil, which results in a fuller flavour in the wine," he said.
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture ecologist Kerry Bridle, who proposed a study into the benefits of using sheep in vineyards, said improved soil condition was a help to Tasmania's 'clean, green' image.
Mr Hoey oversees 45 Olde English Southdown sheep – affectionately know as Baby Doll Southdowns – munching through about 25ha of vines at specific times of the year in the Derwent Valley.
Due to their lower stature and inability to stand on their hind legs, Baby Doll Southdowns can be left among the vines at more sensitive times, for example before the buds break in spring, he said.
Grazing vines throughout the winter becomes more of a problem with traditional sheep, like smaller-framed Saxon Merinos.
Swansea woolgrower Jack Cotton has a mob of about 200 September-2013 drop weaners cleaning up his vines between vintage (late April) and bud break (early September).
"We let them go in once the vines are big and strong enough for them not to do any structural damage," said Mr Cotton, who runs about 9000 superfine Merino sheep on the State's east coast.
Mr Cotton, whose arrangement is a marriage of convenience between his two income streams, believes it may take a while for larger commercial vineyards to bring in sheep.
"It wouldn't be worth it for the big corporate farms if there wasn't a sheep farm next door because they would spend a lot trucking them in and out," he said.
Another issue facing boutique vineyards is lack of supply.
Mrs Lubiana uses miniature sheep bred by Linda and Rob Power, Cootamundra, NSW, but "can't get enough of them".
The Powers have been breeding the sheep since 2006, when Linda wanted a low maintenance sheep to "keep the grass down" on her small block.
With the old English breed on it's last legs in Australia, the pair sourced genetics from unregistered breeders in NSW and Victoria with the plan of breeding sheep out as pets.
"We got approached by Peter Yearlands (owner of Yearlands Estate, Marlborough, New Zealand) to export some sheep to him and since then we've had enquiry after enquiry," Mrs Power said.
Due to the precariously placed Old English Southdown genetics, the Powers have been unable to rush their breeding program, which currently sits at about 100 flock ewes.
Smaller-bodied Saxon Merinos have been crossed with the genetics, but it's been a case of trial and error for the pair.
"The first-cross was okay, the second's improved and the thirds are closer towards a pure baby doll, but the fourth cross will be considered pure," she said.
"We've had a great response for something that just started out as a idea ... it's helped us keep the breed alive."
Miniature sheep have also emerged as a marketing tool for many boutique vineyards, according to Mrs Power.
"A lot of people visit these vineyards to hand feed the sheep," she said.
Wine Tasmania chief executive Sheralee Davies said while only a small percentage of vineyards in Tasmania were using sheep, it showed producers were "finding ways to manage their vineyards in a sustainable and integrated manner".
