Start Date
10-10-2013 11:00 AM
Description
Pasture for sheep is not that different than that for cattle but pasture for goats is very different. Sheep are grazers like cattle whereas goats are browsers like deer. Even though grass and clover are not a goats preference if all of the forage present is grass and clover goats will eat it. Due to goats and sheep being more prey animals than cattle they don’t like to wade off into tall vegetation, also it takes more energy for them to move through tall growth. Many plants that we traditionally consider weeds become desirable forbs when goats or sheep are introduced to the pasture. Some weeds that neither goats nor sheep prefer are perilla mint, wingstem and cocklebur. Goat and sheep forage preference are quite different so I have separated them in the following narrative. Forage species that you would typically plant in a pasture are similar for goats and sheep. The following are cool season forages that you might plant for goats and sheep: tall fescue (Novel or Select low endophyte), orchardgrass, prairie bromegrass (persister), white and red clover, hairy vetch, alfalfa, winter annuals, brassicas and chicory. Warm season forages that you might plant include: native grasses other than switchgrass however these tall uprights would be better for goats than sheep due to their grazing habit. Bermudagrass is typically not planted for goats but improved bermudagrass could be planted for sheep but would be best with intermediate white clover (durana, patriot, or resolute) interseeded. Goats and sheep both perform excellent on warm season annuals like: crabgrass, sudangrass, pearl millet, smooth amaranths, cowpeas, and soybeans. Although regulations prevent the seeding of johnsongrass it is preferred forage of goats, sheep and cattle.
Included in
Pastures for Goats and Sheep
Pasture for sheep is not that different than that for cattle but pasture for goats is very different. Sheep are grazers like cattle whereas goats are browsers like deer. Even though grass and clover are not a goats preference if all of the forage present is grass and clover goats will eat it. Due to goats and sheep being more prey animals than cattle they don’t like to wade off into tall vegetation, also it takes more energy for them to move through tall growth. Many plants that we traditionally consider weeds become desirable forbs when goats or sheep are introduced to the pasture. Some weeds that neither goats nor sheep prefer are perilla mint, wingstem and cocklebur. Goat and sheep forage preference are quite different so I have separated them in the following narrative. Forage species that you would typically plant in a pasture are similar for goats and sheep. The following are cool season forages that you might plant for goats and sheep: tall fescue (Novel or Select low endophyte), orchardgrass, prairie bromegrass (persister), white and red clover, hairy vetch, alfalfa, winter annuals, brassicas and chicory. Warm season forages that you might plant include: native grasses other than switchgrass however these tall uprights would be better for goats than sheep due to their grazing habit. Bermudagrass is typically not planted for goats but improved bermudagrass could be planted for sheep but would be best with intermediate white clover (durana, patriot, or resolute) interseeded. Goats and sheep both perform excellent on warm season annuals like: crabgrass, sudangrass, pearl millet, smooth amaranths, cowpeas, and soybeans. Although regulations prevent the seeding of johnsongrass it is preferred forage of goats, sheep and cattle.