

Rotational Grazing
Images courtesy of Jodey Fulcher




These spaces are where the three-species rotation occurs. They’re separated by about 14,000 feet of goat fencing and 23 gates that make moving animals from section to section easier. The rest of the acreage is dedicated solely to cattle.
“With the 12-pasture rotation system, no one species returns to the same pasture for a period of six weeks,” Jodey says. “As a result, overgrazing and erosion are prevented because each species consumes different types [of] plants. There is also a rest and recovery period for every pasture since some pastures are not occupied during the rotation.”


The result is a more uniform pasture, because more plants are involved in the grazing. And with undesirable plants being eaten up regularly, there’s no need to spray pastures with herbicide.
The kiko goats, which are also native to New Zealand, do a particularly good job in managing invasive plants, as they help control what grows in difficult areas, like steep hills or banks, Mark says.

The cattle-goat-pig rotation also promotes parasite control. Once the eggs of most harmful parasites get into the ground, a host must be found within a week.
“That’s the key,” Mark says. “If you constantly move the animals, the parasites are never going to be able to reinvest.”
Many parasites are species-specific. “A goat parasite will not affect a pig and vice versa,” Mark says. “Same with the cattle. Basically, once the goats are done in a field and we bring in the pigs, any parasites left behind by the goats will be vacuumed up by the pigs.”
A low level of parasites means the animals’ immune systems can work properly, and that BF Farm doesn’t have to use parasite medicines or supplements.


“By allowing the animals to do what they do, there is a much lower impact on the environment,” Jodey says. “They do the trimming, weeding, cleanup, and natural fertilizing.”
Mark says that because of the unconventional approach at BF Farm, he and Jodey enjoy a much lower total overhead than other livestock farmers and breeders. They also enjoy spreading the word about rotational grazing.
“We have no intention of keeping anything we do to ourselves,” Mark says. “[We’d love to] see lots more people doing the same thing.”



Doug Davison is a writer based in Missouri.
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