The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: mariegold on June 20, 2018, 05:55:59 pm
-
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping someone will be able to advise me.... I'm about to buy some land that is currently being grazed by cattle. I have goats and will need to keep them in this field once the sale goes through in few weeks time.
Is this safe to do? Would it be better to keep them on a smallish area and let the remaining land rest?
I know its not ideal but my landlady has decided she wants her fields back so I need to move asap.
Thanks for any suggestions :)
-
I'm not quite sure what your worried about? I don't think there are any parasites that cross species between cattle and goats, unless your meaning TB? Do you know the current status of the cattle moving from the fields, depending on their status they might have to be tested before they move?
Its hard to advise really as you don't say how big the field is, what the fencing is like or how many goats you have?
-
Could I suggest you might get more goat-knowledgeable answers if you posted this in Goats?
-
Hi,
I will try on goaty friends on facebook.
I believe cows and goats share many different diseases so I was just hoping for some advice on how best to minimize the risk given that I have to move the goats straight on to the land. I didn't explain that very clearly as I have to write everything with one hand whilst juggling my baby!
Thanks :)
-
I think your only issue may be Johne's, especially if you have young kids (goat ones). Worms are different between cattle and sheep/goats, fluke is probably not an issue at this time of year (and it has been dry). But I would still walk the boundary fences and check them. Cow pats may take a few weeks to disappear though.
-
I meant ask the question on our goat board. Linky (https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?board=23.0). You’ve posted in the Coffee Lounge; lots of people don’t read this board.
-
The only thing I'd wonder is if its hedging & not fencing is that the goats might cause a few escape routes or weak spots by eating the hedging, Saying that though if a cow wants to escape or just run through a hedge it will, & its rather difficult stopping 500kgs + of beast when it doesn't want to play ball. Although I can count the times on my hands where our cattle have escaped & theres normally a reason.
Also if it's a lot of grazing cattle & goats & sheep all graze differently, so cows like long grass & will graze that down but don't like short grass whereas sheep are short grass grazers - but if stuck in a field of long grass will devour it. This is why a lot of farmers combine sheep & cows, & also one sweetens the grass & land & 1 sours it. So it balances it out. This is often why you see a lot of farmers rotating the fields so: cows, then sheep or a mix then rest it then maybe hay-making, then repeat & again the same is involved with horses. But some grazing may be suitable for cows but poor for sheep & vice versa.
Now your goats probably won't eat huge amounts of grass as their browsers, but they will eat your hedges.
Also its fine in summer / spring but whats happening come winter? Are you buying in hay? or can you make your own based off the type & amount of land you'll own. As it's likely that at some point that both species would need to come indoors for a while or have access to a shed, although it also depends on the type of cattle you get as some native breeds like Galloways & Highlands you can winter outdoors, & remember you will at some point need to REST your ground & preferably rotate it, otherwise your going to be having to put more nutrients back into it & potentially find your stock with worm problems, because of over use. It's also a good idea to try & find out what was last used for.
Also with cattle before buying check if its a TB prevalent area & talk to locals & check the land for badger activity. Just because I'd hate for someone to start with cattle & 6-18months down the line find their stuck with a TB problem as I'd never wish that on anyone. Hope this helps & good luck.
-
I think the question is - is it OK to put goats onto a field that was currently grazed by cattle without any rest period between? I understand that the field will be cattle free when sold. I don't think [member=27170]mariegold[/member] wants to keep cattle and goats together.