Dave Sparks, D.V.M. Oklahoma Beginning Farmer & Rancher Program 2013 Livestock #2: April 13 co-grazing of cattle and goats; parasite management

1. Multiple Species Grazing
In Oklahoma
Dave Sparks DVM
Oklahoma State University
Extension Food Animal Quality
and Health Specialist

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 2007 Average Group Dewormings
Washington County
Goats Only Goats & Cattle
50
40
30
20
10
0
07
07
7
7
7
7
7
7
00
00
00
00
00
00
20
20
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
4/
2/
18
16
30
13
27
10
6/
7/
6/
7/
7/
8/
8/
9/
% of Goats
6/4/07 6/22/07 7/6/07 7/20/07 8/13/07 8/31/07 9/17/07
Dewormed Goats Only 3 44 45 13 22 25 13
by Group
Goats & Cattle 2 12 15 11 5 7 6

8. 2008 Deworming Rates
Washington County
60.00%
55.77%
50.00%
45.56% 44.94%
40.00% 40.95%
34.69%
30.00% 29.25%
26.67%
20.00% 20.39% 19.77%
13.95%
10.00%
0.00%
08
08
08
08
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
20
20
20
20
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
/2
6/
4/
1/
8/
23
30
13
20
27
11
18
25
6/
7/
8/
8/
5/
5/
6/
6/
6/
7/
7/
7/
Goat Only Mixed Goats

9. 2008 Eye Score 5’s
Washington County
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%
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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 80 acres total
56 acres reasonably open

13. websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov

14. Muskogee County 2008
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

15. % Wormed by Date 2008
Muskogee County
40
35
30
Composite
25
NZ Kiko
20
PB Kiko
15
Commercial
10
5
0
8
8
8
8
8
08
/0
/0
/0
/0
/0
7/
27
17
29
12
29
6/
4/
5/
6/
7/
7/

16. 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.

17. 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

18. NZ Kikos PB Kikos Commercial Composite
Never 46 (90%) 27 (75%) 8 (32%) 81 (72%)
Wormed
Wormed 4 (8%) 8 (22%) 5 (20%) 17 (15%)
1
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%)
Times Dewormed
100
Kikos vs. Boer X 90
80
Spanish Com. 70
60 Compsite
Per Cent
Does Deworming 50
NZ Kikos
PB Kikos
Commercial
Summer 2008 40
30
20
10
0
Never 1 2 3 4 5 6

20. Questions?