Can You Raise Sheep and Cows Together?
Running a successful farming operation takes a lot of effort and planning, especially where livestock is concerned. When you have a sheep operation, you want to maximize your output, obtaining the best results possible. So, how do you do that?
Sheep and cows can be raised together, producing more meat per acre than with just one of the species alone. The relationship is highly symbiotic, with many excellent benefits, including decreased sheep parasites, reduced predator losses, and increased pasture use.
This article will explain the advantages of raising sheep and cows together and the disadvantages and benefits of multispecies grazing. It will also provide examples of other species that are well-suited to being raised with sheep.
Read on for all you need to know about multispecies grazing.
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Can You Raise Sheep and Cows Together?
Sheep and cows can be raised together. The following is a list of benefits for this combination of livestock:
More thoroughly use a pasture
Each acre produces more meat than with either animal on its own
Sheep parasites cannot live in cows, decreasing worming costs
Cows are easy to add to a sheep operation
Steer performance increases with the number of sheep
Reduction in predator losses
For more information on raising multiple species of livestock together, you can watch this video:
What Are the Benefits of Raising Sheep With Cows?
Cows and sheep can have an excellent symbiotic relationship in which they greatly benefit one another and the farming operation. One of the primary benefits is greater utilization of the pasture. These two species do not compete for the same food stores within the pasture.
Different Diet
Sheep rely on more of a mixed grass and forb diet, often eating weeds, while cows eat more grass and fewer forbs. The combination allows full use of the entire pasture before rotating to the next.
Some farming operations choose to rotate the sheep before the cows, moving them on to the next pasture shortly after they started in the current one. Other operations keep the two herds together at all times, creating a bond between them.
Fewer Predator Issues
When they form a bond, there are less likely to be predator losses, as the sheep will follow the cows wherever they go. It is important to note that this will only work when the two herds have bonded. When there is no bond, predators will generally not be affected by the presence of cows.
Different Grazing Habits
Cows and sheep eat their foods differently, with sheep getting closer to parasites with their grazing habits. This causes no end of problems with things like worms; however, cows and sheep do not share the same species of parasites.
Cows tend to consume the sheep worm larvae, which cannot survive in the cows’ stomachs, as they are inhospitable environments. This process reduces the number of larvae available to infect the sheep, keeping them healthier than if no cows were present.
Better Overall Results
Because cows and sheep utilize a pasture more fully together, this results in a well-managed rotational grazing operation. Any competition between the species will decrease as available forage decreases.
Cows will turn to lower-quality available forage, but sheep will continue eating their diet of choice. In the end, this boosts the amount of meat per acre, making it more productive to have both species than just one or the other.
Steer performance is also shown to increase proportionally to the number of sheep. At the same time, yearling yews also showed a more remarkable performance when grazed with cattle.
It is easy to add cows to a sheep operation. Sheep have more fencing requirements to keep them enclosed, so adding cows to an existing sheep operation is much easier than the reverse.
Tips for Multispecies Grazing with Cattle and Sheep
To graze cattle with sheep, there are several things you must do to make the operation a success. Start by ensuring you have the right fencing to satisfy the needs of both animals. While cows can get by with one or two strands, sheep need five.
Minerals for cows and sheep are not interchangeable to the extent that bovine mineral supplements can cause copper toxicity in sheep. They must be kept separate so that the animals do not consume one another’s supplements.
An alternative method to solve this problem is to graze the animals sequentially instead of directly together. Regardless of the method, the supplements must follow behind the cows and sheep to ensure they can access them.
The pasture must be able to accommodate both cows and sheep physically. While sheep can climb hills and be comfortable doing it, cows prefer flat, level land with little to no slope.
Multispecies Grazing Disadvantages
Unfortunately, it is not entirely straightforward to graze multiple species together. The primary problem farmers may face is the species not bonding. Because sheep are so much smaller than cows, this can result in them getting injured.
When they drink, they can be pushed into the watering trough or jostled away. There is also the chance for ewes and lambs to be trampled by cows. The size differential can be problematic, especially if both herds were not raised together from the start.
When sheep are added to a cattle operation, it will require costly fencing upgrades. Cows are used to being contained by only one or two wires, while sheep will require five for maximum security.
There is a distinct possibility that the sheep will eat the cows’ mineral supplements. This will result in copper toxicity, which can kill the sheep. Despite all attempts to separate their respective minerals, the animals may still eat the wrong ones.
Additionally, the species don't eat the same feed. When they are not foraging, they will need to be provided with feed appropriate to their species, if you don't plan on having a 100% grass-fed operation.
How Many Sheep Can You Run With Cows?
A healthy ratio of sheep to cows is somewhere between one to one and one to two. However, you can increase this to a maximum of four sheep to one cow. This will provide a proper mix between the two while adding diversity to the pastures.
However, sheep herds grow faster than cow herds, which must be considered when planning grazing. Otherwise, sheep will quickly overtake the pasture, with cows being pushed to the side.
How Many Cows and Sheep Per Acre?
There should be no more than four sheep and one cow per acre to prevent over foraging. The land will not sustain anything greater than this number of animals and be able to replenish itself.
Will Cows Protect Sheep?
When cows and sheep bond, they have a special relationship in which the sheep will tend to follow the cows. The two animals will always stick together, making them largely inseparable. This is true, especially when there is danger.
If a predator makes it into the pen, the sheep will follow the cows and hide among them. Cows are much larger and can be more aggressive, scaring off the predator.
This activity gives the appearance that the cows are protecting the sheep. In defending themselves, they are extending protection to their bonded sheep.
You will not see this kind of behavior in a situation where the two species have not bonded. Getting them to forge that bond is not always easy and may take a lot of time when it finally does happen.
Can Sheep and Cows Eat the Same Feed?
Cows and sheep will often feed on hay during winter if they cannot forage year-round. They will not eat the same types of hay.
Cattle eat different hays depending on certain factors. An average, healthy adult will get by on dry, dusty hay, while dairy cows need fine, palatable alfalfa. Young calves need hay cut early, so it’s not harsh on their delicate mouths.
On the other hand, sheep and lambs prefer fine, leafy hays. Immature grass hay and leafy alfalfa are the best options. They’re also picky about eating clean, dry hay, wasting a lot if fed on the muddy earth.
Sheep supplements do not have enough nutrients for cows, and cow supplements have too much copper for sheep. There are, however, ways around this.
Mineral feeding stations unique to each animal will need to be built. The one for the sheep will be designed such that a larger animal cannot gain access to it. Alternatively, offering a pen exclusive to these smaller animals and providing loose minerals may be the best.
For the cows, an elevated mineral feeding station that the sheep cannot access. However, if there are smaller cows that cannot access this feeder, another plan will have to be devised, including considering separating the animals.
Alternatively, cattle can be handfed minerals or fed in buckets. Whatever is not consumed must be immediately removed to prevent the sheep from gaining access. This is very time-consuming and will require maximum effort to be a success.
What Animals Do Sheep Get Along With?
Keeping sheep with other types of animals helps make them more social, frees up space, and calms them.
Donkeys
Donkeys make the best companion animals for sheep and offer protection from predators. When they sense danger is near, they begin braying, signaling danger, and alerting the farmer. All the noise also works to scare off the predator in most situations.
The donkey and sheep will need to be introduced early on for the best results. Delaying introductions can increase the time it takes for them to get acclimated. Intact males should not be considered for cohabitation as they have high aggression levels.
Horses
Horses are another excellent companion, especially when introduced at a young age. The sheep will generally be submissive around the horses. Both species will share the pasture well, as horses prefer the most nutritious grasses.
Goats have the most common care requirements compared to sheep, making it very easy to combine the two. Aggression is not typically an issue when the same number of both species is kept together.
However, the two may get along a little too well. It is essential to pay attention to how they are mingling as it is entirely possible to have cross-breeding happen.
Poultry
Poultry is another excellent option, whether ducks, chicken, or guinea. Depending on the bird you choose, you can have pest and parasite control or a loud predator alarm.
Guardian Animals
Llamas and alpacas make an interesting addition to a sheep operation. Depending on the individual animal, it can often be used as a guardian animal to protect sheep from predators. Only one can be introduced to the flock, as multiple will bond with each other instead.
Sheep guardian dogs can also be raised with sheep. As long as they are raised with the sheep from a young age and adequately trained, they will not attempt to harm them. They will do their best to protect their flock but will often be standoffish with humans.
Other Considerations
When planning multispecies grazing, you must consider the fencing. It must be able to contain all the animals you are placing together. For instance, traditional sheep fencing with a five-wire fence or even polywire will not always contain chickens.
You also need to consider the different feeding needs of each animal. Sheep and dogs, for example, will not be able to consume the same foods. Dogs need protein, while sheep are vegetarians.
Final Thoughts
Multispecies grazing can increase the output of your farming operation, producing more meat per acre than if you had just one species. Cows and sheep make an excellent pairing as they more fully utilize a pasture, ensuring that both animals get enough nutrients.
There are downsides to multispecies grazing, including injury to the smaller species. Not all animals can eat the same mineral supplements. For example, in sheep, consuming a cow’s mineral supplement will lead to copper toxicity, which can be fatal.
In addition to cows, several other species pair well with sheep. These include llamas, horses, donkeys, chickens, goats, and sheep guardian dogs. For the best results, many of these species require an early integration to get used to their new companions.
So what do you think? Are you ready to start raising your sheep and cows together? Get started today!
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