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Author Topic: Goat grazing rotation  (Read 1488 times)

Spook

  • Joined Jun 2019
Goat grazing rotation
« on: June 19, 2019, 04:49:27 pm »
I have recently got 4 pygmy goats and have 2 good sized grazing areas, where they will be kept outside all year round with shelters. I am wanting some advice on how I could rotate the the area to try and keep worm problems down.

How long do the areas need to be left for the parasites to die? Or would i need to split the areas more for better rotation?

I am new to this and any help would be appreciated.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goat grazing rotation
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2019, 11:40:00 am »
My goat areas are not rotated - and I haven't wormed my goats in at least two years.... once your ground is clean (and it will be if it didn't have goats or sheep on it in the last years or so) and you make sure that any new animal that comes into the  holding has zero worm burden, then there is no need to rotate. Depending on the size of your grazing, goats will not eat it down in the way sheep do - they are much more interested in branches, shrubs and weeds (like thistles or docks).

Also my goats stay inside over the winter - there is no valuable grazing out there (as in grass no good anyway), it does rest the pasture and I am on heavy clay, even the sheep can poach certain areas - where the hay racks are for example. Goats will go through significant amounts of hay in winter.

Goats are miserable in wet and cold weather - so an airy inside area is much better for them, and let them out for a run around on nice days (when there is no frost on the grass as it can lead to sore stomachs...)

Rushy

  • Joined Aug 2019
Re: Goat grazing rotation
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2019, 01:54:17 am »
I have recently got 4 pygmy goats and have 2 good sized grazing areas, where they will be kept outside all year round with shelters. I am wanting some advice on how I could rotate the the area to try and keep worm problems down.

How long do the areas need to be left for the parasites to die? Or would i need to split the areas more for better rotation?

I am new to this and any help would be appreciated.

Consider growing some fodder trees/bushes. Goats love diverse foods and foods found above ground (helps avoid worms and some others). Look up silvopasture if your interested. just make sure if you grow the trees in the yards to let them grow big enough to handle the pressure from the goats, otherwise you can grow trees outside the yard and prune/pollard/coppice them for feed.

roddycm

  • Joined Jul 2013
Re: Goat grazing rotation
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2019, 02:12:34 pm »
My goat areas are not rotated - and I haven't wormed my goats in at least two years.... once your ground is clean (and it will be if it didn't have goats or sheep on it in the last years or so) and you make sure that any new animal that comes into the  holding has zero worm burden, then there is no need to rotate. Depending on the size of your grazing, goats will not eat it down in the way sheep do - they are much more interested in branches, shrubs and weeds (like thistles or docks).


I just posted but then saw this! This looks great, might I ask how you get the ground clean? whats the secret to success here?


 

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