Multi-Species Grazing and Fencing By Russ Wilson

TIONESTA, Pennsylvania: Multi-species can be grazed in a variety of ways.

 Grazed in one group. Cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, and any other farm animals can be grazed all together. I have found that in grazing this way you will need to graze at a lower stock density. It may take some training to get the livestock bonded to each other.

For example, cattle need to bond to the sheep and goats not the other way around. This is normally achieved by confining a few smaller heifers with the sheep and or goats for a period up to 60 days. After this period, those heif- ers that are bonded to the sheep will intermingle. The advantages of grazing all the livestock together is that the cattle protect the smaller animals from predation and there will be less time setting fence and moving livestock. We have not had a lot of success in grazing the animals together mainly because we prefer higher stock densities as we graze.

  Follow the leader. This type of grazing is when you would graze finishers, then cow calf, and then sheep and goats rotated through one area. This helps with parasite loads. However, planning ahead is a must for this type of grazing. The different animals’ needs must be considered. Will everyone nutritionally get what they need by the time all the groups graze over that area?

This method works if you can get the livestock across the grazed areas before regrowth of the plants starts. In the past few years as the soil has improved, we have seen up to an inch of growth in 24 hours, so planning can be tricky.

Sheep and goats prefer forbs and bushy plants. They have a philtrum (a split in the upper
lips). This allows them to be very selective in what they graze. Also, grasses that have any kind of regrowth will be preferred because of the higher nutrition content.

 Have the livestock in their own paddock. Using this method has distinct advantages over the others. The most important advantage for us is that you can put the livestock where they are needed the most to improve the soil. 

Another advantage is that the livestock can be moved more or less often depending upon their needs.

For example, cattle and chickens are moved twice per day and the sheep and equine are moved once per day. Hogs are left a little longer to do their rooting. A third advantage of this method of grazing allows for high stock densities and gets better manure distribution across the farm.

We try to minimize soil disturbance. By grazing this way, it allows us to rest the soil longer for better parasite control. We only use wormers in our equine because of Botflies. The cattle have not been wormed since 2012 and this flock of sheep since 2020. If we must worm an animal other than equine, it goes to the sales barn. Most of the time the sheep graze on pastures that have rested 60 days or more.

The fencing needs for all species are different. To graze animals together, the different fencing needs must be considered. I have used our farm as an example to one possibility that has been successful for us.

I like a strong exterior fence. We have 6 and 7 wire high tensile wire fencing. We only had some 7-wire fence because of a mess up on wire spacing and had to go back though and add a wire to keep sheep from escaping. The six-wire spacing is from the soil up 7”, 14”, 21”, 30”, 39”, and 48”. Starting at bottom wire, the first is insulated but not hot, the second is grounded, the third is insulated and hot, the fourth is insulated and hot, the fifth is grounded, and the sixth is insulated and hot.

We use a jumper to make the bottom wire hot if we have sheep or hogs in these paddocks. Most of the time if sheep are going to get out it is under the bottom wire. Woven wire can be an option but can increase the total cost of the fencing.

Semi-permanent interior fencing is used to make the larger pastures that are surrounded
by the high tensile fences into smaller paddocks. This is also an option for exterior fencing
and can be less expensive than high-tensile fencing. We simply put in the high-tensile fencing when we began. To break the pastures in half, we use a three-wire fence consisting of 3/8” steel round bar you can get at your local farm supply store. Then we hand tie 6” fintube insulators, cut in half, to the steel posts using stainless lashing wire. The insulators don’t get knocked off the posts as easy as screw on insulators. The corners and ends are steel tee posts secured with an earth anchor about 30” from the post to the top of the post.

The key to a good fence is a strong end and corners. The wire is 180,000 psi, 12.5-gauge high tensile wire. Use whatever is the least expensive. Wire spacing from soil up is 12”, 21”, and 30”; this spacing seems to keep calves, sheep, and goats in well. Calves and lambs seem to be the hardest to keep in. Only the top wire is hot for cattle and equine and all three for sheep and goats. 

Finally, we split the pastures between the middle and outside down further using polybraid wire and step-in posts. They are all hot from the exterior fence. A good fence energizer is a must for the smaller animals since they are the hardest to keep in a fence. Our fencer has the option to run full power or half power and is set at 36 joules when we run at half power. If the weed load is not heavy, as soon as voltage drops below 4,500 volts we go to full power.

Temporary fencing is what has made my fencing successful. I recommend buying quality sup- plies that are going to last. We use polybraid 9 wire 6 stainless steel with 3 tinned copper wire woven into it. We like mini reels as they are easier to handle. Most folks prefer gear reels. I suggest trying both. On the end of the polybraid, we use a plastic gate hook and make it hot with a jumper to the exterior fencing. 

Happy Grazing!

Russ Wilson owns and manages a 220-acre adaptive grazing system, where livestock are pastured over 300 days yearly. With over 40 years experience, he has learned how proper forage management and species diversity can pay dividends for livestock production and soil health, using a low-input and skillful management approach to make sure the farm delivers prof- itability. Visit Russ at www.russwilson.net, Facebook, YouTube.