Excerpt
from the research paper “The Advantages and Challenges of Multi-Species
Grazing” by Margaret B. Ross
Looking
for a better way to manage parasites on your farm? Have you ever considered
multi-species grazing? Below you will find an except from a research paper I
wrote on the topic. But, first, what is multi-species grazing? Multi-species
grazing is just that – allowing more than one species (for example beef cattle
with goats or sheep) to graze together. There are many benefits to this type of
grazing. One main advantage is reduced parasite loads. For example, cattle and
goats (if grazed together) will both eat parasites that affect the other
species. This helps reduce parasite loads in pasture because some of the
parasites that affect cattle do not affect goats and vice versa. On the other
hand, there are disadvantages, or challenges, when grazing multiple species
together. One major challenge is fencing. Usually fencing is somewhat put up
based on which species will be in the pasture. When you put more than one
species together, you must consider if your fencing is adequate (do you have
enough strands? is it hot enough if it’s an electric fence? is it sturdy
enough?) Read on to learn more about multi-species grazing.
Multi-species grazing has numerous
benefits environmentally and economically. By incorporating multi-species
grazing into your pasture management routine, you can achieve a better pasture
management routine. Although there are many advantages, there are challenges
such as fencing and providing trace minerals. In this paper, we will discuss
both the many advantages as well as disadvantages to this type of intensive
grazing management. Multi-species grazing has many benefits including parasite
control, increased carrying capacity of land, and increased manure distribution
in pastures.
One point to consider when discussing
reducing parasite loads is the height of the plant the animal will be grazing.
Once parasite eggs are deposited in the manure, larvae travel only a short
distance up the grass blade. Animals that graze well above ground level are not
ingesting these parasite larvae; however, animals that do graze lower to the
ground will be ingesting a much greater amount of these larvae. This is why it
is so important to graze the correct species together as well as provide a
sufficient amount of browse for goats and grass for cattle.
In summary, it has been noted time and
time again that there are many benefits to multi-species grazing. Individual
animal performance will increase as well as the carrying capacity of the land.
Furthermore, the parasite load of the species grazing will decrease, making for
a healthier herd. This is not to say there are not challenges with
multi-species grazing. Those challenges include increased fencing and predator
control, as well as a common lack of husbandry knowledge. Many of these
challenges can be overcome to ensure you are utilizing your pastures and your
livestock efficiently. By preparing, planning, and doing your research, you can
successfully multi-species graze your land.
