Mixed grazing like this has its advantages: one is that the ‘cleaning up’ that the cows and sheep do with regards to picking up each others’ worms and eggs, is a continual process. As each species will keep shedding (in theory), it can be difficult to say you have a completely clean pasture but through mixed grazing, the parasitic burden will be very diluted Another advantage is that you can rest and rotate more often which is good for the land and the animals do love new grass and going into fields they have not been in for a while. Due to the slightly different grazing behaviours of each animal (cows like longer grass, sheep graze close to the ground, alpacas can favour the more fibrous grass), grass under a mixed grazing system can do very well, as if the stocking rates are right it should all be grazed farirly evenly and as such, when rested the re-growth should be good.
A crucial factor is looking at stocking rates alongside the length of time the animals stay in each field. What we don’t want to happen is for some areas to be less well grazed than others as that will encourage weed growth and less productive sward in the under grazed bits. It must always be remembered that grass does best when cut back and kept short so continually assessing pasture in the growing season is crucial. And of course grass is not just ‘grass’ – there are many different types and if pasture is grazed well, ALL these different types should thrive - and this diversity is again, good for the animals!