Performance of sheep and cattle grazed separately and together

Abstract

Groups of two young steers and eight autumn lambing ewes, mated for prime lamb production and each rearing a single lamb, grazed together at three stocking rates and separately each at five stocking rates on annual pasture. Results were rejected for animals fed a supplement. In most instances when pasture conditions were fairly good throughout the year, mixed stocking increased production. In one year when pasture was very poor during winter, mixed stocking resulted in little or no increase in production. The weight changes of the animals suggest that most of the benefit from mixed stocking occurred during winter. The effect of mixed stocking on production varied with stocking rate only in the first pear. In general, the competition between sheep and cattle, as measured by annual production, did not vary with stocking rate. The sheep appeared to benefit more than the steers from mixed stocking, but this may have been a consequence of the stocking ratio selected.