Some years ago research carried out by the then Agricultural Institute demonstrated very significant benefits to sheep performance when they were mixed grazed along with cattle.

The benefits included faster growth, earlier finish and a saving on dosing materials.

Some trials also showed the cattle also getting a boost from mixed grazing. Subsequent trials in Belclare, Co Galway found that sheep did a great job cleaning up dairy paddocks when used as followers for the dairy herd. The need for topping was eliminated and lambs were grown on grass that otherwise would have been wasted.

Yet few enough farmers practice mixed sheep and cattle grazing.

Why?

For a start most cattle farmers do not have adequate fencing for sheep, especially when it comes to paddock grazing. Another point is that a lot of cattlemen cannot stand the sight of sheep. They have been described as “ground lice”.

For those of us who still have a weakness for sheep, grazing the two species together can give rise to a few obstacles.

An issue can arise when you want to remove either the sheep or the cattle from a paddock while the other species behind. A standard height electric fence allows you to hold back cattle whilst removing the sheep. Taking out cattle while leaving sheep behind, can be a bigger challenge.

Using creep feeders either for cattle or sheep, becomes awkward if you have the two species grazing together.

Yet I reckon that the benefits of keeping sheep on a cattle farm outweigh the drawbacks.

Cattle enterprises in general, and suckling in particular, are disastrous for cash flow. Having lambs for sale in early summer is a very useful boost to cash flow.

During periods of excess rainfall, and again at the start and finish of the grazing season, cattle can do a lot of poaching damage. Sheep can come in very useful for clearing off grass in such situations.

PS

At this time of year I look at the sheep twice daily in an effort to save ewes that roll onto their back. In spite of this I lost a ewe over the weekend. This will encourage me to get shearing at the first opportunity.