Cows and Sheep

[CESpeed]

Bad idea? Or will they be good together? When I purchase cows, I'm thinking a bred cow and a heifer (possibly bred) and I haven't decided if I'll simply get 2 ewes or a ewe and a ram. Any information will be helpful.

Thank you

 

[neener92]

Bad idea? Or will they be good together? When I purchase cows, I'm thinking a bred cow and a heifer (possibly bred) and I haven't decided if I'll simply get 2 ewes or a ewe and a ram. Any information will be helpful.

Thank you

We have our sheep and cattle together in the same pasture. They get along fine, if anything the sheep boss our cattle around. We haven't had any trouble with young lambs and cows either. I say go for it!

 

[goodhors]

Make a corner or area, that sheep can enter but cattle can not. We kept our calves and sheep together
but sometimes the heifer or large steer calf would take a notion to chase the market lambs. Usually there
wasn't much ambition in the chase, but things would be different with baby lambs, pregnant ewes around
mother cows and new calves.

You could plan to just keep the species apart when babies were due, not put them together until babies
were larger, following their moms pretty well. Mother cows can be VERY defensive for a while, so sheep
could easily get damaged when she went after them. Sheep would not be wary of the cow until TOO LATE
because MOST of the time cows are nice.

With only 2 of each species, our sheep and cattle got along pretty well in a large field. Not the same as
a quantity of each species kept together. They all could run pretty well to stay out of the heifer's way!
She was definately the Herd Boss.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Bad idea? Or will they be good together? When I purchase cows, I'm thinking a bred cow and a heifer (possibly bred) and I haven't decided if I'll simply get 2 ewes or a ewe and a ram. Any information will be helpful.

Thank you

Long-time no see CES, welcome back.

Cows and sheep can be grazed together for sure, it's a good system to use for mixed grazing and to battle against parasites in either animals. But since this is the winter season....that's something that isn't applicable now.

It isn't a bad idea, just remember that you will need to have separate areas for mineral for either species. Sheep can't have the kind of mineral that cows do because it contains too much copper for the sheep's body systems.

Cows also, at first, may not accept the sheep right away, so keeping them together right at the get-go may be a bad idea. Having them see/smell/touch each other through the fence at first may be best for the first while, until they get used to each other.

Other than that, all the rest have good info for you.

 

[CESpeed]

Hi Karin --

Thank you. I had to put farm plans on hold for a minute but I'm back in the planning stages. I dont know why sheep never crossed my mind before as much as I love lamb.

It's great to be back and get some awesome information

Chenyn