How to Integrate Other Livestock with Horses
Having multiple species living together can have its benefits and downfalls. Depending on the owner wants will decide if it is growing to happen of not. Some advantages are, more efficient plant use, weed and brush control, improve parasite control naturally, get more used or income per acre. Some disadvantages are diseases can be spread easily, more time goes in to management, and the labor of more animals.
Each animal has their own grazing habits. For a horse, they prefer the grasses. They tend to be more selective of areas they eat from. While cows will pretty much eat any grass or weeds. With more animals you have to worry about over grazing a field. Controlling the population of these animals are key along with moving a pastures letting them grow back. If you want to compare, one horse or cow will equal six sheep or goats, keeping about two livestock units on each acre will help with not over grazing.
Since horses are selective with what they eat having cows follow the horses in the field rotation. Cows will clean up any uneaten grass the horse left. Cows are not as picky because of the way their digestive system is set up. With being part of the Ruminate family, they have the stomach to eat more of the stems and rougher grasses that horses will not eat.
If thinking about add goats to the pasture as well, it is important to know that goats are browsers. This means that they will eat basically anything too but also as high as they can reach, meaning goats will trim away brushes from growing and large plants that like to grow along fences.
Another animal that is normally consider is chickens. Chickens are good at spreading manure, picking up grain that was not digested, and eating the insects that are in the manure and soil helping with parasite control. Chicken though may cause problems with a bacteria named Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum can be deadly for animals that eat hay that has been kept in a very moist place (airtight sealed bales). Fortunately, if baled the proper way the hay and kept in a dry area the bacteria will not grow.
Another consideration is the problem with biosecurity. When bringing new animals to a new place, you are never sure of want they might be carrying. For example, you got sheep and did not know that your sheep was carrying ringworm that can easily be transmitted to any of the other animals. By doing a through exam before purchasing new animals to introduce to your own farm, it can limit the amount of parasites
Overall, integration new species with horse takes a lot of work and land. For some, the advantages might outweigh the disadvantages but for other it does not. It is about the amount of labor that is put in to manage them and the land.
Each animal has their own grazing habits. For a horse, they prefer the grasses. They tend to be more selective of areas they eat from. While cows will pretty much eat any grass or weeds. With more animals you have to worry about over grazing a field. Controlling the population of these animals are key along with moving a pastures letting them grow back. If you want to compare, one horse or cow will equal six sheep or goats, keeping about two livestock units on each acre will help with not over grazing.
Since horses are selective with what they eat having cows follow the horses in the field rotation. Cows will clean up any uneaten grass the horse left. Cows are not as picky because of the way their digestive system is set up. With being part of the Ruminate family, they have the stomach to eat more of the stems and rougher grasses that horses will not eat.
If thinking about add goats to the pasture as well, it is important to know that goats are browsers. This means that they will eat basically anything too but also as high as they can reach, meaning goats will trim away brushes from growing and large plants that like to grow along fences.
Another animal that is normally consider is chickens. Chickens are good at spreading manure, picking up grain that was not digested, and eating the insects that are in the manure and soil helping with parasite control. Chicken though may cause problems with a bacteria named Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum can be deadly for animals that eat hay that has been kept in a very moist place (airtight sealed bales). Fortunately, if baled the proper way the hay and kept in a dry area the bacteria will not grow.
Another consideration is the problem with biosecurity. When bringing new animals to a new place, you are never sure of want they might be carrying. For example, you got sheep and did not know that your sheep was carrying ringworm that can easily be transmitted to any of the other animals. By doing a through exam before purchasing new animals to introduce to your own farm, it can limit the amount of parasites
Overall, integration new species with horse takes a lot of work and land. For some, the advantages might outweigh the disadvantages but for other it does not. It is about the amount of labor that is put in to manage them and the land.