The addition of sheep and goats can benefit cattle producers
Most family farms today are becoming quite diversified, as consumer preferences change and people are returning to farming not just as a career, but a lifestyle. Many cattle operations are beginning to include small ruminants like sheep – both species compliment each other well if their grazing patterns and can help producers create not just a profitable system, but a regenerative one as well.
One of the biggest benefits to raising cattle and sheep together on the farm is how efficiently the two animals can utilize almost all forages, and fertilize pastures in the process. Sheep and cattle can both be moved easily within a rotational grazing program, or a management intensive grazing program (MIG). According to the University of California Cooperative Extension Small Farm Program, where a farmer already has beef cattle, there are economical and biological advantages to adding sheep to the operation. Sheep tend to prefer finer plants and cattle the coarser ones.
The best way to maximize pastures for multi-species grazing is to implement a rotational grazing system. Under rotational grazing, only one portion of the pasture is grazed at a time while the remainder of pasture “rests.” To accomplish this, pastures are sub-divided into smaller areas (referred to as paddocks) and livestock are moved from one paddock to another.
Resting grazed paddocks allows forage plants to renew energy reserves, rebuild vigor, deepen their root system, and give long term maximum production.
Better production from the forage translates to higher stocking densities while still being able to provide good quality, nutritious grass.
While cattle and sheep graze together at the same time with careful management sheep and cattle may not always bond well, and there can sometimes be issues with sheep being able to safely get to water without cattle pushing them around. Different mineral needs are also a problem with running animals together.
It’s recommended to have the cattle graze an area first with the sheep following because sheep tend to carry a heavier parasitic load – running them behind protects the cattle. In an ideal rotational grazing system, there will be three to four weeks of rest for each paddock, which kills most parasites as they are on a 27-day cycle. Cattle and sheep co-grazing can be more productive and provide the opportunity to capitalize on different feedstuffs that are in the pastures. Cattle, in general, prefer grasses and sheep will consume more broadleaf forbs and even weeds. Co-grazing will allow for consumption of a more diverse vegetative profile.
The combination of cattle and sheep can be productive and profitable, but producers should be prepared to potentially upgrade their fencing, purchase two different types of mineral (and possibly offer feed as well if a nutritional supplement is needed at any point) and evaluate water access. If these things can be done, a partnership between cattle and sheep can have benefits for everyone.
