Evaluating Poultry Grazing Strategies for Parasite Reduction and Pasture Health in Goat and Sheep Rotational Grazing

Commodities

Practices

Internal parasites are one of
the most persistent challenges for small ruminant producers in the
North Central region. Goats and sheep are both highly susceptible
to gastrointestinal nematodes, particularly Haemonchus contortus.
Even with careful rotational grazing, farms commonly experience
seasonal spikes in parasite pressure during warm and wet periods
when larvae remain viable on pasture. ATTRA and Extension programs
consistently identify parasites as a leading barrier to profitable
and sustainable goat and sheep production in this region. Many
farmers report avoiding small ruminants altogether because of the
difficulty in managing parasite pressure.

PFF has grazed the same 22
acres for nearly 15 years. As an exurban farm, our land base cannot
expand, and managing parasites effectively is essential to
maintaining herd health and making the best possible use of a
limited and irreplaceable pasture resource. DuChick Ranch is newer
to small ruminants; their sheep have not yet grazed the same ground
over multiple years. Their goal is to prevent parasite loads from
building over time and to establish effective management strategies
early.

Both farms seek to evaluate whether
integrating poultry into rotational grazing can help disrupt
parasite cycles, reduce larval presence on pasture, and support
healthier, more resilient forage systems.

Solution

Our project evaluates whether
integrating poultry behind goats and sheep in rotational grazing
can reduce parasite exposure and improve pasture health across two
working farms. Although the farms differ in scale and species, both
use regenerative grazing practices and face similar seasonal
pressures from internal parasites. By conducting coordinated
trials, we can compare results across systems and provide more
broadly useful information for small ruminant producers.

At PFF, our 22 acre pasture is
divided into eight paddocks of similar size and forage composition.
For this project, four paddocks will receive poultry following
goats, and four will serve as control paddocks with no poultry.
This even split allows for direct comparison within the same
grazing system. At the beginning of each grazing season, we will
collect baseline fecal egg counts from a consistent group of goats
before any poultry have moved through the system. Goats will graze
each paddock in their normal rotation. Within 24 hours of goats
leaving a treatment paddock, a flock of approximately one hundred
eighty laying hens will move in using a mobile coop, portable
netting, feeders, and waterers. Hens will remain for three to seven
days depending on forage height, weather, and manure breakdown. The
flock size reflects the density needed to meaningfully disturb
manure pellets, forage for larvae and insects, and contribute
manure without overgrazing. As goats return to graze paddocks
previously visited by hens, we will collect additional fecal
samples to compare parasite loads between hen-treated and control
paddocks. Pasture measurements will include forage height, ground
cover, manure distribution, surface disturbance, and vegetation
vigor.

At DuChick Ranch, the sheep
and poultry system will follow the same research logic while
reflecting the farm's different layout. Sheep will graze
approximately 5.5 acres divided into adaptive paddocks. Four
paddocks will serve as controls and will not receive poultry.
Remaining paddocks will receive poultry after sheep grazing.
Depending on season, laying hens, broilers, or turkeys will follow
sheep, entering grazed paddocks within 24 hours and remaining long
enough to disturb manure and forage for larvae without damaging
forage regrowth. Baseline fecal egg counts will be collected early
in the season followed by repeated sampling after sheep graze
poultry-treated and control paddocks. Additional monitoring
includes FAMACHA scoring, body condition scoring, and overall
health assessments.

Both farms will document
pasture conditions through forage measurements, ground cover
estimates, and observations of manure disturbance and soil surface
activity. This data will help determine whether poultry influence
nutrient cycling, biological activity, and pasture resilience.

Throughout the project, both
farms will document the process with photos, videos, and written
notes. Outreach will include field days at both farms, producer
focused materials, and digital communication. Our goal is to
provide a realistic, replicable evaluation of poultry following
small ruminants in grazing for parasite management and pasture
improvement across two farms.

Objectives

1. Test whether poultry
   following goats and sheep in structured rotations reduces parasite
   exposure, measured through fecal egg counts at both farms.
2. Compare parasite levels and
   health indicators between poultry treated and control paddocks
   across two species and two farm systems.
3. Measure changes in pasture
   condition, including forage height, ground cover, manure
   distribution, and visible soil biological activity.
4. Document management steps,
   timing, stocking decisions, and paddock design at both sites.
5. Share results through field
   days at each farm, producer centered materials, and online
   communication so that small ruminant farmers can evaluate whether
   this practice is suitable for their operations.