Reply To: Animal systems

[Tom Kendall]

Hi Steve, A big topic.
We rotationally graze our cows in a flexible variation of Holistic Management with daily moves. They get a daily breakfast of a small portion of copra, which helps to give them a small amount of minerals.
The goats have 6 cells they rotate through with 8 days access giving 40 days rest. They only get three hours of grazing per day at this stage and then we give them a copra/meusli/garlic/kelp/“stocksaver” breakfast followed by a cut and carry forage that changes each day. In time hopefully a “silvo pasture” forage/grazing hopefully will be established to lessen the cut and carry.
The chickens we do a cut and carry clucker tucker and garden cleanup waste. We still purchase grains unfortunately however are endeavouring lessen this external input.
As our biomass growing capacity increases more animals are hoped to be included.
Maybe pigs, turkeys, ducks geese etc.
A valid question you have broached.
Self sufficient animal systems needing minimal external inputs and low labour needs.