Multiple Species Grazing

In Oklahoma

Dave Sparks DVM

Oklahoma State University

Extension Food Animal Quality

and Health Specialist

Why Multiple Species Grazing?

• Two income stream from one set of fixed

assets (land and equipment).

• Helps in controlling internal parasites of

both species, but especially goats.

• Overlap of species grazed/browsed is

variable, but increases overall stock rate.

• Diversification of livestock program

• Multiple income times aids cash flow.

Famacha

•Used to select goats that actually

need worming

•Based on the fact that Barber Pole

Worm kills by sucking blood

•Evaluates the degree of anemia if

present

•80% of the parasites are in 20% of

the goats

•Slows the development of

dewormer resistant

•Saves money on drug purchase

Washington County 2007 - 2008

• Project set up with two cooperators who

currently grazed both cattle and goats, but

not together.

• County extension educators from Osage,

Washington, and Nowata counties.

• Area and State specialists in herd health,

range agronomy, entomology, and pest

management.

• Utilized 200 acres of open native range.

Washington County 2007 - 2008 • Divided into 3 sections, similar in forage

quantity and forage type.

• Stocked one pasture with goats only, one

with cattle only, and one with cattle and

goats combined.

• Bob Woods, area agronomist, set stocking

rates in total lbs. of livestock, based on

forage availability. Cooperators and

county educators then translated stocking

weights into cattle and goat numbers.

0

10

20

30

40

50

6/4/

2007

6/18

/200

7

7/2/

2007

7/16

/200

7

7/30

/200

7

8/13

/200

7

8/27

/200

7

9/10

/200

7

Goats Only Goats & Cattle

2007 Average Group Dewormings Washington County

% of Goats

Dewormed

by Group

6/4/07 6/22/07 7/6/07 7/20/07 8/13/07 8/31/07 9/17/07

Goats Only 3 44 45 13 22 25 13

Goats & Cattle 2 12 15 11 5 7 6

2008 Deworming Rates Washington County

29.25%

55.77%

40.95%

20.39%

34.69%

26.67%

45.56% 44.94%

13.95%

19.77%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

5/23

/200

8

5/30

/200

8

6/6/

2008

6/13

/200

8

6/20

/200

8

6/27

/200

8

7/4/

2008

7/11

/200

8

7/18

/200

8

7/25

/200

8

8/1/

2008

8/8/

2008

Goat Only Mixed Goats

EYE SCORE 5

Goats Only: 10% of all eye checks

Mixed Goats: 6% of all eye checks

GOATS ONLY MIXED GOATS & CATTLE

Never Wormed 24% Never Wormed 31%

Wormed Once 31% Wormed Once 36%

Wormed 2-3 Times 30% Wormed 2-3 Times 19%

Wormed 4-5 Times 15% Wormed 4-5 Times 14%

Wormed Every Time 8% Wormed Every Time 6%

2008 Eye Score 5’s Washington County

The biggest change is in the goats wormed 2 – 3

times. These goats are neither real strong or real

weak on parasite control immunity. This is the

group most influenced by pasture contamination.

Muskogee County 2008

• The How and Why of the Project

• Multiple Species Grazing Project Started

in Washington County in 2007

• Utilized tall grass native range

• Led to questions for smaller acreage,

intensive grazing of introduced grasses

• History of the property

• Joint Venture – OSU Extension and Kerr

Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Obstacles to Overcome

• partitions for rotational grazing

• fences

• water availability

• soil testing and amendment

• what kind of cattle? what kind of goats?

• setting stocking rate for sustainability

• herd health program

• predator control

• parasite control program

• marketing cattle and goats

80 acres total

56 acres reasonably open

websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov

Expense Amount

Fencing Materials $8,376.26

Fencing Labor and Bulldozing $4,070.00

Total fencing costs $12,446.26

Minus NRCS Share $7,277.94

NET FENCING COSTS $5,168.32

Annual fence cost per year 7 year depreciation $738.33

Litter & Spreading $3,711.37

Annual Litter cost per year (2 year life) $1,855.69

Annual production cost-fencing plus annual fertilizer cost $2,594.02

Net Income from cattle (after other operating expenses $3,000.00

Net Income from goats (after other operating expenses) $3,375.00

Total Net Income $6,375.00

ANNUAL RETURN TO LAND LABOR AND MANAGEMENT $3,781.00

Muskogee County 2008

% Wormed by Date 2008 Muskogee County

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

4/27

/08

5/17

/08

6/7/

08

6/29

/08

7/12

/08

7/29

/08

Composite

NZ Kiko

PB Kiko

Commercial

Pasture Evaluation

• Bob Woods used step point transect method to determine pasture composition at beginning and end of the growing season.

• All paddocks increased in grass, decreased in legumes and brushy species, while staying about the same for forbs.

• In both trials Bob used Web Soil Survey to suggest stocking rates and at the end of the season to recommend adjustments. In both trials he recommended stocking rate of cattle go up.

Production of 56 Acres 2008 Muskogee County

• 120 mixed does and their kids year

around. Kidding rate 1.85%

• 50 yearling heifers from early April 15 until

August 31, 2008.

– In weight 438 lbs.

– Out weight 641 lbs.

– Gain 203 lbs.

– Average Daily Gain = 1.9 lbs

Times Dewormed

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Never 1 2 3 4 5 6

Per

Cen

t Compsite

NZ Kikos

PB Kikos

Commercial

NZ Kikos PB Kikos Commercial Composite

Never

Wormed

46 (90%) 27 (75%) 8 (32%) 81 (72%)

Wormed

1

4 (8%) 8 (22%) 5 (20%) 17 (15%)

2 1 (2%) 1 (3%) 6 (24%) 8 (7%)

3 0 0 3 (12%) 3 (3%)

4 0 0 2 (8%) 2 (2%)

5 0 0 0 0

6 0 0 1 (4%) 1 (1%)

Kikos vs. Boer X

Spanish Com.

Does Deworming

Summer 2008

Questions?