Multi-Species Grazing

     Multi-Species grazing has many benefits to a pasture management program. I will try and detail as many benefits as I can in this blog. We at Heaven On Earth have been integrating this program into our operation now for several years and are seeing excellent results.
     Cattle prefer grass over other types of plants, and are less selective when grazing than sheep or goats. Sheep and goats, on the other hand, are much more likely to eat weeds. Sheep prefer forbs (broad-leaved plants) to grass, and goats have a preference for browsing on brush and shrubs, and then broad-leaved weeds.
     Typically one would put the three species listed above in the same pasture at the same time. We have chosen to maintain seperate herds and through a management intensive grazing plan we run approximately 15 head of our Longhorn Cattle on the paddock which range from 1-2 1/2 acres followed by our herd of Nubian crossed milking goats. We follow these 2 herds with our chicken tractor. After the livestock has moved out of the paddock I will mow the pasture to a maximum height of 6 inches. Each group will be in the paddock for 1-2 days during the growing season.
     It has been shown that sheep and goats graze near cattle manure deposits, which cattle avoid; this results in more even use of the pasture. Another way that multi-species grazing can improve pasture and animal production is through the consumption of poisonous plants by a species that is not harmed by the toxins. Therefore, using sheep or goats to eliminate those plants will result in more useable and safer pasture for cattle.
     Parasites are a major concern with sheep and goats, under any system. Worm eggs are deposited on the pasture in the manure; the eggs hatch and larvae are consumed by grazing animals. If left untreated, concentrations of parasites will increase with time as this cycle is repeated. Higher concentrations of animals on a pasture may tend to magnify the infestation. Parasites are species-specific; that is, cattle parasites affect cattle, and not goats, while goat parasites affect goats but not cattle. The cattle act as "vacuum cleaners", ingesting the goa worm larvae, and preventing them from affecting the goat. This is most helpful when goats and cattle follow each other in a grazing system.
     In addition, running chickens after the cattle and goats helps control the fly population because they will scratch throgh the manure and consume the fly and parasite larvae. The chickens also help to spread the manure which speeds up the decay process which puts valuable nutrients back into the soil quicker speeding up the regrowth process.
       Mowing after removing livestock is also beneficial to the rejuvenation of the pasture. The partial removal of forage leaves is one of the most important practices in pasture management. Perhaps its most important function is to keep the grass plants in a vegetative stage by preventing seed formation. The routine partial removal of partial leaves also serves as a trigger for the plant to produce tillers and rhizomes, resulting in the establishment of dense pasture. Improper mowing can have negative effects on the health of the grass plants. It has been demonstrated that higher mowing heights promote the development of deeper root systems compared to the lower mowing heights, leading to greater drought tolerance in grass plants.
     In conclusion, while multispecies grazing requires more thought and management, it can have big payoffs for your pasture and your wallet. If you do decide to add one or more species to your operation, be sure to investigate your market options and your fencing options, and then start slowly. Select healthy stock, and be observant.          

I have been doing alot of intraspective thinking lately.
In doing so I have found some neat things that I would like to share with you all.

An Old Cowboy's Advice


* Keep your fences horse-high, pig-tight & bull-strong.

* Keep skunks & bankers & lawyers at a distance.

* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.



* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a International Harvestor tractor.

* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.



* Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.

* Don't corner something that would normally run from you.

* It doesn't take a very big person to carry a grudge.



* You cannot unsay a cruel word.

* Every path has a few puddles.

* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.



* The best sermons are lived, not preached.

* Most of the stuff people worry about is never gonna happen anyway.

* Don't judge folks by their relatives.



* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.



* Sometimes you get, & sometimes you get got.

* Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

* Always drink upstream from the herd.



* Good judgment comes from experience, & a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.