In India, many places especially in dryland, we see farmers are keeping sheep and goats together. There are contradictory opinions regarding this issue, one school of thought suggests that they can be kept together synergistically, but another school of thought opposes this. I want the opinion of scientists and researchers to give some light and their opinion on this issue.
It depends what do you want. If you just want put together, they have no concerns, but if you are going to produce meat or milk, managements of goats or sheeps are diferents and that may interfere in the production
Goats and sheep are keeping together also in Brazil, in extensive system, mainly in dryland where they have an important economic and social role. If we want a sustainable extensive system production, we take care of animal density . In general, goats are not responsible for the start of desertification, it's getting heavy after anthropic actions.
Scientifically speaking: They share worms. So goats shedding eggs become a burden to grazing sheep, and the cycle continues. This is one issue. Also, in West Africa, I noticed that many Fula would graze their sheep with cattle, and leave the goats elsewhere in the village. There was a social difference in the species, the herders replied. Sheep are more like cattle, not goats. The goats will wander off for no good reason, while sheep tend to wander only if the male lacks a harem. I would say this is another important point of consideration: The herders' labor. The sheep and goats can and do flock together, but, then again, one could also run turtles with donkeys if he had the time and patience.
Yes. Management goals and environment will influence how one raises the two species. As pointed above, sheep and goats stocked together may result in more efficient forage utilization. Goats will also reduce bush encroachment while sheep will utilize herbaceous material, usually not prefered by goats. Even when not stocke together, they can still be grazed sequentially in a rotation, with sheep as followers.
I think it will be a good combination considering that it will be browsers VS grazers. This could be a way to increase the stocking rate but not necessarily degrading the veld. Good management should be in place.
In many regions of Argentina, not only goats and sheep are reared together, also are raised Camelids. Therefore, from the academic point of view, is a study and teaching of all species together. From both ecologically and economically, is positive interaction between species, especially if the production target is for example the fiber, is a field breeding (grazing) and extensive management.
Studies on animal species in terms of grazing behaviour have shown that goats are different in terms of nutrition, feeding levels, diet selection, taste discrimination and grazing behaviours based on the anatomy and physiology from sheep and cattle. In a study on plant preferences of sheep and goats, it has been determined that sheep prefer plants containing high N concentration and preference of goats is tended to low NDF. Also sheep can be called as grazers, goats are more browser.
A grazing experiment was carried out with single or mixed animal species formed cattle, cattle and sheep or goat in a shrubland area consisting of a mixture Lolilum perenne and Trifolium repens. The results showed that animals in mixed herds had more grazing time in pasture compared to herds with single species. In addition, goats (68 %) spent more time than cattles (19%) and sheep (35%) in bushland. While consumed plants of cattle and sheep were herbaceous (85-95%), consumed shrubs by goats were 28%. Therefore, it can be said that cattle and sheep prefer herbaceous legumes and grasses in approximately 60-70% and this ratio is 20 % for goats. The highest reachable points of cattle, sheep and goats are 1.90, 1.17 and 2.10 meters, respectively .
So lets think about the sustainabilty of the dryland rangelands and decide is that possible to rear sheep and goats together?
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Dosing