Multispecies Grazing: Benefits of Sheep Integration on Rangelands

Apr 27, 2022

By Jaelyn Quintana

Diversifying your operation can benefit both your rangeland and your pocketbook! Raising sheep and cattle on the same pastures can improve cash flow and increase revenue per acre. Producing livestock on rangeland is the most economical way to provide feed as grazing costs 1/3 of the price of purchased feed. With adequate forage availability and proper stocking rates, grazing both sheep and cattle can increase biodiversity and pasture utilization. When initially getting into multispecies grazing, a stocking rate of one ewe per cow is recommended to help avoid overgrazing. Sheep can also be used to target unwanted weeds such as leafy spurge and spotted knapweed as they tend to prefer more forb species than cattle. Before expanding an operation with another livestock species, available grazing forage inventories and plant species composition should be accounted for throughout the year to ensure adequate forage will be able for both species. To learn more about the benefits of multispecies grazing, check out the publication below or contact Jaelyn Quintana, SDSU Extension Sheep Field Specialist.

Source : sdstate.edu

Video: Turning Data into Better Decisions: BioCV's Intelligent Monitoring System for Modern Pork Producers

In this exclusive interview, Jens Kjaer, CEO of BioCV Inc., discusses the North American launch of the BioCV Intelligent Sow Monitoring System and how advanced sensor technology and machine learning are changing the way producers manage sow herds. Using smart ear tags that continuously monitor temperature, behavior, and movement, the system provides real-time alerts for heat detection, farrowing, fever, lameness, and other critical health events—often before they become visible to barn staff.

Kjaer explains how the technology helps producers improve breeding efficiency, reduce non-productive days, identify health challenges earlier, and better support sows during farrowing. He also shares how BioCV's predictive analytics can help operations optimize labor, improve piglet survival, reduce sow losses, and enhance overall productivity in today's increasingly data-driven swine industry.

Learn how this innovative technology is giving producers actionable insights on every sow, every day, helping teams move from reactive management to proactive decision-making while improving both animal welfare and profitability. www.biocv.info/lisa-sow