mermill2
Well-known member
Does anyone out there have cattle and sheep grazing together? What are the benefits? Gary
Cattle and sheep grazing together
- Thread starter mermill2
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
You don't want to know what type of fence you have to have to keep sheep in. :lol: I have one sheep pasture and everything else is fenced for cows.
On the serious side, benefits would be that sheep eat weeds that cows don't and vica versa. Or so they say -- I note I still have the same weeds (and those thistles!) in the sheep pen as are in the cow pastures. And it's said it breaks up the worm cycles in the pastures to rotate between cows and horses and (I think) sheep too.
On the serious side, benefits would be that sheep eat weeds that cows don't and vica versa. Or so they say -- I note I still have the same weeds (and those thistles!) in the sheep pen as are in the cow pastures. And it's said it breaks up the worm cycles in the pastures to rotate between cows and horses and (I think) sheep too.
Milkmaid, I thought that was goats that did that. :? "They" also say that cattle will not graze where sheep have been recently - whether it's true or not I have no idea - just thought I'd throw that out there in case it is true. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Might be goats. Now I can't remember for sure. 
:lol: I am about 99.9% certain that rotating pastures between horses and cows will break up the parasites' life cycles as they're not compatible in the other species.
FWIW - sheep are hard on a pasture. About as bad as horses are. My cows will graze a pasture close to the ground, but not so low the grass is level with the dirt or the roots are pulled up!
:lol: I am about 99.9% certain that rotating pastures between horses and cows will break up the parasites' life cycles as they're not compatible in the other species.FWIW - sheep are hard on a pasture. About as bad as horses are. My cows will graze a pasture close to the ground, but not so low the grass is level with the dirt or the roots are pulled up!
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
mermill2":3sx17syv said:
1) More pounds of gain per acre due to different grazing preferences.
2) Less price risk with selling two different types of livestock.
3) Less worming of the sheep.
Now you may want to ask about the problems.
Proverbs 12:10
Well-known member
If I was rotational grazing I'd run cows first followed by the sheep behind them. The cows would selectively graze and the sheep would eat most of what the cows left.
mermill2
Well-known member
Thank you all for your info. Appreciate all your all's advice and opinions. Merry and Gary
LonghornRanch
Well-known member
It makes for good pasture management. After I run the cows out of a pasture, I run the goats in. Goats eat sticker bushes, poison ivy, poison oak...... cedar and mequite trees...ect..ect.. Sure beats running around with a sprayer.
But you have to have a good fence.
But you have to have a good fence.
Tod Dague
Well-known member
I started running some goats with cows this year. I run them together because the cows don't tolerate dogs in the pasture with them. I've been pleased so far.
distraction for the coyotes
