Many beef producers are now looking to diversify, and sheep is a good option. The image of the farm is slowly starting to look once more like pictures from the `40s or `50s- with a milk cow around the barn, some chickens, a few hogs, as well as sheep and cattle in the pastures. Lately, this image has become dominated by cattle, but the children of the baby boomers who grew up with a sheep-cattle grazing combination are ready to take over and get back into sheep. The sheep market news is more and more important if you’re growing cattle.
It was found that sheep diets can complement the grazing needs of cattle. In general, the biological needs of sheep and cattle are compatible because they have different diets. As such, they do not compete directly. One ewe can be added for every cow on the operation, with no cutting in stocking rates.
There are production advantages to grassland management resulting from adding sheep. Specialists estimate that if you run 200 cows on about 5,000 acres, you can graze up to 300 ewes on the same range- this will increase your cash flow.
