Mixing goats, sheep and steers in the barn?

ONG · #1 10/14/08, 02:43 PM

I wasn't sure which forum to put this in but thought I'd at least stop here. I have a fairly large barn. I need to keep 6 American black belly sheep, 1 steer and 4 goats over the winter. So far so good I have plenty of room. But the only hay that I have is big round bales.

Can I safely set out 1 big round bale and let all the animals get to it? I can feed grain seperately so crowding and copper is not a concern. The steer will be around 800 lbs and we are planning on finishing him out next spring. I can set things up so that the smaller animals can get to the hay on the back side and the steer on the front but there will eventually be some co-mingling.

The animals are in seperate pastures at this time and have not met.

Any thoughts or experiences doing what I want to do?

Thanks.

PlowGirl · #2 10/14/08, 09:37 PM

I keep a 2yo and 3yo colt with my goats in the barn. They get along fine, but I have to feed the horses their grain after I've let the goats out of the barn. They share the alfalfa pellets and the horses keep all of the hay that falls to the ground picked up. There's no wasting of hay at all. There's also the added benefit of all those hooves precomposting the manure before I haul it away and the horses are very calm with all the movement/commotion going on all around them, especially their legs.

ozark_jewels · #3 10/14/08, 10:15 PM

With plenty of room it *can* work out I guess......I wouldn't kid/lamb out the goats/sheep in the same area with the steer though, if they are bred. And I would really try to keep the smaller animals separated from the larger, at least at night. All it takes is a misplaced hoof or a playful kick from the steer and you'll have broken bones......
We pasture our goats and Jersey cows together but the cows are never allowed in the goat barn. Just too many things can happen in a smaller area.
If you decide to do this, be sure to put a bale feeder ring around the round bale. If you don't, you'll possibly find it fallen over on a goat/sheep one morning. Also the steer could push it over on them.

ozark_jewels · #4 10/14/08, 10:19 PM

Where are you located?? Is your weather extreme enough that your steer *needs* to be in the barn??

ONG · #5 10/15/08, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Where are you located?? Is your weather extreme enough that your steer *needs* to be in the barn??

We live in N. Ohio. The steer doesn't have to be in the barn I do have an overhang that he could stay under, but I am not sure that my fence would keep in 1 bovine. I could let him come and go but the sheep would get through the hay feeder and then out the door and my fence (on that pasture) for sure would not hold a goat.

ozark_jewels · #6 10/15/08, 07:37 AM

Ok, we had Jerseys in Ohio for many years. They didn't stay in the barn over the winter. So if there was any way to keep him outside the barn....or at least separate in the barn, I would do so. An animal that big doesn't know its own strength.