Horses work very well after sheep to clean up grass stems left by the sheep.
With teeth top and bottom horses have no trouble eating tall, stemmy grass
sheep won't touch. The sheep also keep the horses from getting too much
feed and foundering. Actually, I think the only good way to pasture horses
in the Northeast is as followers of sheep or cattle in intensive rotation.
Several people have told me their donkeys relish thistles and burdocks, but
I haven't seen it with my own eyes. No harder to fence than cattle either.
Sumner Roberts
Meadowsweet Farm
Swanville, Maine
> From: "Ann Tiplady & John Sease"
<ann.tiplady@worldnet.att.net>
> Reply-To: <graze-l@witt.ac.nz>
> Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 10:18:17 -0400
> To: <graze-l@witt.ac.nz>
> Subject: [Graze-l] slope management tools - after sheep grazing
>
> Cynthia,
>
> I mull this question too... My first thought is how about using some
> follower animals to clean up those pastures. Their job is to clean up poor
> quality growth, so they can't be asked to produce milk or meat. How about
> some pet cattle?
>
> I've also seriously wondered about equids for this job, as their ecology
> dictates a high-fiber diet. Either some old horses, or donkeys...
Although
> equids might not go after weeds the way a ruminant would, and cattle would
> be easier to fence...
>
> Might be less work and less expensive. With perhaps a little (and I mean
> just a little) time with a week-whacker to get the little bit of tall stuff
> that would be left.
>
> I have no actual experience with this yet... but I'm great for ideas!
>
> Ann
> Vermont
>
>
>
>
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