keeping two or more animal species simultaneously on the same farm, is an option that has received little attention to date. Multi-species rotational grazing (MSRG) has been suggested as a promising approach, since it allows high grazing intensity and stocking density without negatively impacting pasture quality or animal health. Rotational grazing is simply moving the animals from one paddock to another to allow the previously grazed paddock to recover. The idea is to influence livestock to consume forage in a limited area, and then move them on before that area is overgrazed or damaged. A mixture of annual and perennial plants is important in a healthy pasture. Planting a diversity of crops attracts and sustains a large variety of pollinators. For instance, fowl and swine are not susceptible to the same parasites as cattle, sheep, and goats. Multi-Species Rotational Grazing to Maximize Food and Income in a TEOTWAWKI World, by J.B. Multi-Species Rotational Grazing. Page 2 Multispecies Grazing: A Primer on Diversity the amount of dietary overlap between the spe-cies, which will be covered in more detail below. You may find that your sheep suffer from copper toxicity if they graze alongside cattle or goats. No paddock is grazed overly short and each paddock receives a long period of rest and regrowth between species. Sheep are also grazers, but they prefer shorter grass, and tend to clip the grass low to the ground. For instance, fowl and swine are not susceptible to the same parasites as cattle, sheep, and goats. The Wallaces currently run 40 cows, 230 ewes and 40 nannies on several hundred acres that are cross-fenced into small paddocks for rotational grazing. Rotationally grazing small 20-acre paddocks, the brothers’ sheep and cattle move in a cyclical pattern through the ranch. 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We are devoted to the global paradigm shift toward hope and abundance by valuing diversity, modeling nature, and redefining wealth. The use of cover crops provides shade and increases water retention in the soil. Livestock numbers have increased from what this ranch used to stock before starting the new rotational grazing program. Monocropping generally refers to only one crop, or one type of plant species, being grown at a time on a large parcel of land. Multi-species Grazing Introduction. That is the value in managing your pastures with excellence, and fully leveraging the benefits of rotational and management-intensive grazing techniques. Piggies eat anything, and with their snouts will turn over the soil in search of roots and grubs. They also have the helpful habit of eating the roots of invasive species, which eliminates the need for herbicides. Grazing Systems. That, in turn, attracts birds and pollinators and helps restore … The time for this rest varies greatly, depending on local climatic conditions, time of the year, and forage in question but is often anywhere from three weeks to two months. Multispecies grazing works best when a multitude of forage species comprise the pasture. We are a living laboratory that cultivates, educates, and empowers people of all ages. With an understanding of the different grazing behaviors of each species, various combinations of animals can be used to more efficiently utilize the forages in a pasture. Multi-Species & Rotational Crops Multi-species livestock farming, i.e. Diversification of farms helps reduce economic and environmental vulnerabilities by supporting local farm communities and food systems, providing protection and maintenance of open farmland, improved soil health which directly impacts the nutritional quality of our food and overall health costs associated with poor nutrition, and better working conditions for farmers in the form of increased wages and limited to no exposure to harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Multi species grazing Has anyone found any good resources on multi species grazing. The real benefits of multi-species grazing … A multi-species grazing scheme may offer ways to moderate the problem of parasites. Grazing pressure is therefore lower, and individual animal performance higher, at the same stocking rates under multi-species grazing management than single-species grazing. 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