Publication Date
1993
Description
Oroups of ewes (10) and their twin lambs were grazed on sown ryegrass• white clover (Lolium perenne L.-Trifollum repens L.) pastures maintained at a sward surface height of 4 or 8 cm and a further group grazed with yearling goats (in a proportion of 1/3 ewe plus lamb live weight) also at fi cm. A second concurrent experiment consisted of 3 similar treatments using young cattle with sward surface heights of 8 and 12 cm. Results over the 140-day grazing period showed that allhough the diet selected by sheep and cattle grazed with goats contained more green grass leaf (5-11 percentage units) and less seedhead (2-7 percentage units) than when they grazed alone at the higher sward height, the diet quality was not as high as at the lower sward height. Live-weight gain per head of sheep and cattle was greater on the higher sward height but was not affected by the presence of goats. Live-weight gain/ha was greatest at the high sward height for sheep or cattle grazed alone. It was concluded that although the changes in diet composition of sheep and cattle cograzed with goats were not large enough to affect animal production, goats could be substituted at a ratio of 5.5:1 for ewes with twin lambs and 7 .6: 1 for young cattle.
Citation
Nicol, A M.; Russel, A.J F.; and Wright, I A., "Integrated Grazing of Goats with Sheep or Cattle on Continuously Grazed Pasture" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 4.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session37/4
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Integrated Grazing of Goats with Sheep or Cattle on Continuously Grazed Pasture
Oroups of ewes (10) and their twin lambs were grazed on sown ryegrass• white clover (Lolium perenne L.-Trifollum repens L.) pastures maintained at a sward surface height of 4 or 8 cm and a further group grazed with yearling goats (in a proportion of 1/3 ewe plus lamb live weight) also at fi cm. A second concurrent experiment consisted of 3 similar treatments using young cattle with sward surface heights of 8 and 12 cm. Results over the 140-day grazing period showed that allhough the diet selected by sheep and cattle grazed with goats contained more green grass leaf (5-11 percentage units) and less seedhead (2-7 percentage units) than when they grazed alone at the higher sward height, the diet quality was not as high as at the lower sward height. Live-weight gain per head of sheep and cattle was greater on the higher sward height but was not affected by the presence of goats. Live-weight gain/ha was greatest at the high sward height for sheep or cattle grazed alone. It was concluded that although the changes in diet composition of sheep and cattle cograzed with goats were not large enough to affect animal production, goats could be substituted at a ratio of 5.5:1 for ewes with twin lambs and 7 .6: 1 for young cattle.
