Managing Cattle and Horses Together
By Caitlin Richards
For some producers, if they have cattle, they must have a horse to care for their cattle. Other producers may enjoy roping and cutting as a pastime and have a couple dozen head of cattle on the side as well. Whatever the reason may be for a producer to have horses and cattle, there are some important things to remember when caring for both species within one operation.
Rocker b Ranch in Barnhart is a diversified livestock operation that spans 173,000 acres over Reagan and Irion counties. The ranch runs a sizable commercial cow-calf herd and raises American Quarter Horses as an American Quarter Horse Association ranching heritage breeder as the predominate businesses. However, it is also home to a small registered Hereford operation and seasonal commercial hunting experiences.
Cody and Sarah Webb have been with Rocker b Ranch for over 10 years, serving in various roles within the operation owned by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas.
Cody is the registered cattle manager and wildlife coordinator and Sarah is the equine breeding manager. Together, they share some concerns to be aware of when running both cattle and horses within one operation, along with some tips to doing so successfully.
The species are both grazing animals and that is where the similarities basically end. Even though they are grazing animals, they do not do it the same way, or much of anything else for that matter.
For example, cattle are ruminants and horses are not. The Webbs also point out that the species are reproductively very different. Horses have a longer gestation period than do cattle and their reproductive cycle is triggered by sunlight, whereas cattle are reproductively active year-round.
“We, of course, manage for both, but we do it somewhat separately,” Cody says. “While you certainly can run both in the same pasture at the same time, there are certain things to be cognizant of when doing that.”
The ranch has a large, commercial cow-calf herd and American Quarter Horse breeding program. They agree it might make more sense for a producer with smaller numbers to run cattle and horses together. However, there are still some concerns to be aware of.
Grazing differences
The first concern to be aware of is overgrazing. It is important for producers to remember that cattle and horses have different consumption rates. Cody explains that not only do they consume different amounts, they also take in the grass differently.
“The main difference between horses and cattle starts at the mouth,” Cody says. “They have upper incisors to trim grass closer to the ground than cattle can, so they can be a little harder on pastures.”
Cody explains that to determine a good stocking rate, a producer should think about the equivalents. A 1,000-pound cow and her calf will be one animal unit equivalent and a mature horse is going to be one and a quarter animal unit equivalent. Therefore, horses consume more.
Horses also require a different type of forage than do cattle. Cody says that horses require higher-quality hay, in general, whereas cattle can use a much lower quality hay. He also mentions that the same goes for water sources. Cattle can make use of dirtier water, whereas horses need cleaner water. Horses also need more water.
Supplemental feeding differences
The second concern is feeding. Producers should be very aware of what they are feeding if they are feeding cattle and horses in the same pasture, Cody warns. Most producers feed cattle with some type of cubes in a line. However, both the cubes and the line can cause problems for both species.
“If you have a horse that comes in and starts eating fairly rapidly,” Cody says, “it presents a choking hazard to that horse long before it will a cow, because of how large the cubes are.”
Both Cody and Sarah note that there are several feed additives, such as the ionophores used in cattle products, that can be toxic and even lethal to horses. Sugar-based feeds like a molasses tub for cattle can also cause health concerns, such as colic, for horses. They caution producers to read the labels thoroughly to understand everything that is in a product.
“Horses are also just funny creatures,” Sarah says. “They will colic on anything. The product itself may not kill your horse and be safe, but it still may cause them to colic. I think feed and feeding are probably the biggest things to be cognizant of when running the 2 species together.”
Additionally, when it comes to feeding in a line, a safety hazard is present for both species. It runs the risk of some interspecies aggression, Cody explains.
A bossy cow with horns can do some damage to a horse if it tries to run it off the feed line. On the flip side, a bossy horse could come in and, if calves are present, kick or bite at a calf in the feed line, resulting in an injury or possibly even death.
For these reasons, the Rocker b Ranch chooses to run cattle and horses in different pastures. This way, they are able to ensure the best care for all the animals.
“I feel that by managing them separately, we are not forced to treat with a roller paint brush,” Cody says. “We are actually able to care for them with a fine brush by paying attention to the details in the management. If I can manage cattle like cattle and horses like horses, I don’t have to meet in the middle with it. It saves me time, effort and money. For me, running them separately is the more efficient way to go.”
Tips for 2 species, 1 pasture
The benefits of running both species together are more viable with a smaller operation or if a producer is just starting out. Cody suggests that if a producer is just getting started and needs to reduce costs on fencing for a piece of property, running the 2 species together might be the best option. However, it is still important to keep these concerns in mind.
The Webbs also share a few tips to run both species together successfully and safely in one pasture. The top one is developing a relationship with a local veterinarian. Any concerns or questions a producer might have can easily be answered by a veterinarian.
“Your local veterinarian is going to be a wealth of knowledge and the first line of defense against any infectious diseases or any health concerns in general,” Cody says.
A second tip the Webbs share is that while you may manage the species together, it is important to have a different nutrition plan, health plan and drought plan in place for each.
As previously mentioned, each species has different requirements. It is important to have an idea of those requirements as a producer makes decisions and a plan for their specific operation.
No matter the circumstances of the operations, running cattle and horses together can be done but it may not necessarily be the best method across the board. However, one thing is for sure — having both species can make things a little sweeter.
“It is extremely rewarding and fulfilling to have both,” Cody says. “I would recommend it to anybody. With the correct management, you can achieve healthy cows and healthy horses and be profitable.” ❚
“Cattle & Horses Together” is excerpted from the November 2017 issue of The Cattleman magazine.