Multi-Species Grazing for the Management of Woody Species

Introduction

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Robinette Farms is a locally owned family farm located in Southeast Nebraska. Alex McKiernan and Chloe Diegel, owners of Robinette Farms, have been a driving force in local food sourcing and support for more than 20 years, with their mission being “Great Food that Transforms People and the Land”. When you visit their website, you find healthy recipes, “Food Transforms” podcast episodes, and additional local food information. Local food subscriptions and an online farm store are also available on the website.

Alex and Chloe have spent years building relationships with over 30 local farmers and food artisans from across Nebraska and the region to offer an online, locally sourced store. Each week customers can purchase fresh, local vegetables, meat, cheese, bakery items and more, and pick them up at one of the many pick-up locations or even have them delivered.

Grass finished beef and customed grazing programs with fellow ranchers’ cattle is another part of their business model. Each summer, approximately 200-300 cattle are custom grazed at Robinette’s 840-acre ranch north of Steinauer, Nebraska. Matt Pirog, ranch manager, wanted to explore alternative approaches to land management. Using his experience in farming, biological systems engineering, and thinking outside of the box, he has transformed the property into a multi-species grazing system that works simultaneously to help conserve native grasslands and manage the woody species that have encroached on them.

Problem Being Addressed

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The primary issue at the Steinauer ranch is woody plant encroachment into the grasslands. As carbon dioxide is elevated in the atmosphere, woody species outperform grassland species. Traditional management often relies on chemical treatments to control trees and brush, but chemical treatments are ongoing and costly, Problem Being Addressed (cont.)not only for the farmer, but also for taxpayers. With this approach, no tax dollars are needed to help control the woody species, rather and the following positive outcomes occur:

• Reduce reliance on herbicides
• Make productive use of existing woody vegetation
• Increase plant and livestock diversity
• Improve profitability
• Maintain a healthy, biologically diverse landscape

Rather than trying to eliminate every woody plant, the project takes the approach of working with the vegetation already present and turning it into a forage resource. Using cattle and goats as complementary grazers eliminates the need for chemical usage as goats eat the woody plants and other vegetation that cattle general do not consume. Elk Creek runs through the property, providing riparian areas where wood plants are particularly prevalent while also offering water resources at the ranch.

Approach

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Matt knew that chemical control was one of the most common strategies to control woody species on ranches, but he wanted to develop a system that could reduce or eliminate the need for chemicals. He started researching other options for woody species management and found himself participating in a Goat Management School session, where he learned from other producers and found a management practice that could do what he was hoping could be done.

Networking with other producers and consulting with Greg Christiansen with Grandview Livestock & Grain helped Matt obtain the knowledge needed to move the project forward. The ranch introduced Kiko and Spanish goats as part of a multi-species grazing system. The initial herd consisted of approximately 400 nanny (female) goats, with the herd eventually growing to around 800 goats. The goats are managed alongside cattle, with the different species utilizing different portions of the available forage. This creates a more diverse grazing system and allows the ranch to utilize vegetation that would otherwise have little economic value.

Implementation

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The management strategy required changes to the ranch's infrastructure and management system. Existing cattle fencing provided a foundation, but additional electric fencing and goat-specific handling facilities were needed. The ranch invested in eight livestock guardian dogs, Problem Being Addressed (cont.)including breeds such as Akbash, Anatolian Shepherd, Komondor, and Maremma Sheepdog to protect the goat herd.

The ranch invested approximately:

• $120,000 in breeding stock
• $10,000 in fencing upgrades
• $40,000 in handling infrastructure and equipment

Ongoing costs include:

• $4000 – 5000 per year for guardian dogs care and food
• Fence maintenance
• Hay for the goats in the winter
• Immunizations and other veterinary care
• Maintenance on handling facilities

The project took roughly six months from attending goat school to bringing goats onto the property, although planning occurred over approximately 6–12 months prior. They were fortunate that they had a good foundation and the capitol to invest in the additional infrastructure needed.

Learning Curve

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One of the biggest challenges was learning how to manage a new livestock species. Moving from primarily managing cattle to managing cattle and goats represented a change in the ranch's management system.

Learning included:

• Goat nutrition and behavior
• Building appropriate goat specific handling facilities
• Maintaining electric fencing and energizers
• Training and managing livestock guardian dogs
• Managing kidding and breeding seasons

Results and impacts

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The project is still relatively young, so the long-term ecological effects on woody vegetation are still being evaluated. However, Matt and Alex have already seen important economic and management benefits.

The system allows them to:

• Generate income from vegetation that previously had limited economic value
• Reduce dependence on chemical woody-plant control
• Increase livestock and plant diversity
• Utilize more of the available forage base
• Build a profitable livestock operation

They view the goats as part of a broader carbon and climate-management strategy, particularly by maintaining vegetation diversity and making productive use of existing plant growth. Having a biologically diverse landscape that welcomes native grasslands is essential for the future of the landscape's health.

Success is being evaluated through measures such as livestock productivity, animal losses, sales, inventory, profitability and changes in woody versus grassland vegetation. They hope to use remote sensing to monitor vegetation changes in the near future.

Lessons learned

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Several important lessons emerged from implementing this management strategy.

• Herd size matters. Starting with a sufficiently large herd can make management more effective.
• Good infrastructure is important. Proper pens, corrals, handling equipment and fencing make goat management much easier.
• Invest in good guardian dogs. Reliable dogs are considered an important part of protecting the goat herd.
• Electric fencing needs to be properly designed and maintained.
• Goats can be easier to manage than commonly assumed. With adequate food, training and appropriate fencing, they can be responsive and manageable.
• Networking is valuable. Visiting other producers and attending grazing schools helped build knowledge and a supportive goat-management community.
• Management changes require an adjustment in mindset. Moving from a cattle-centered system to multi-species grazing significantly changes how the ranch is managed.

Future plans

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Alex and Matt plan to scale up the number of goats and continue developing the multi-species grazing system. They also plan to continue evaluating the relationship between woody vegetation, grass production, livestock performance and profitability. The long-term vision is a landscape that is biologically diverse while also supporting a profitable agricultural business. “You can make more money from woody plants than you can by trying to kill them," McKiernan said.

Main takeaways

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The central idea behind the project is that woody plants do not need to be viewed only as a problem to be eliminated. They can also be treated as a forage resource and incorporated into a profitable, diverse grazing system. Trying something different and unconventional is hard and integrating goats into the management system was a big change; luckily for Robinette Farms, it was worth it.

Contact Information

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https://www.robinettefarms.com/

Alex McKiernan, Robinette Farms and NGLC
Martell, NE - Steinauer, NE
farmers@robinettefarms.com