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LIVESTOCK IN PERMACULTURE DESIGN

 

I.              Landscape design

A.     Intersecting environments—defining use/management

1.    Open Land

2.    Forestal

3.    Riparian

 

B.     Pasture layout—fencing

1.    Lanes—access and movement

2.    Homogeneity within paddocks—fencing on break points

a.    Aspect

b.   Agronomy

3.    Permanent vs. Portable—3-year rule

a.    Types of fence

1.    Physical barriers
2.    Psychological barriers (electric)

b.   Animal flow principles—corners, gates

 

C.     Water

1.    Sources and retention

2.    Transportation—delivery infrastructure

a.    Piping—water meters, in-line cut-offs

b.   Pumping

c.    Gravity

d.   Valves and troughs

1.    High pressure low volume
2.    Low pressure high volume

 

D.     Forages

1.    Establishment from different starting points

2.    Multi-species—which kinds

 

II.            Principles of grazing design

A.     NatureÕs herbivore template

1.    High density

2.    Short duration

3.    Fresh forages only—no fermented or grains

 

B.     Grass growth cycle

1.    S-curve—nutrient equilibrium

2.    Spring lush and summer slump

3.    Diversifying physiological expression

 

C.     Allocating constant and appropriate nutrition

1.    Utilization balance

a.    Utilization up, performance down

b.   Utilization down, performance up

2.    Dry cows vs. production stock

3.    Put and take

 

D.     Principles of herding—moving cattle

1.    Stay where they can see you

2.    Pressure points

3.    Watch the lead animal

4.    Lead animal—Doc

5.    Corral design

a.    Turn to the right

b.   Go out where they came in

c.    Go toward light but not into direct sun

 

E.     Monitoring—are they getting enough or too much to eat?

1.    Union members-only work 8 hours per day

2.    Watch cowpies

a.    Sheetcake—too rich

b.   Cookies—too poor

c.    Pumpkin pie—perfect

 

III.          Principles of perennial prairie polyculture design

A.     All animals eat salad

1.    Fresh—vegetative

2.    Poly-speciated—diversified

3.    Key to proper function

a.    Animal protein nutrition

1.    B vitamins
2.    CLA
3.    Polyunsaturated fats

b.   Pathogen elimination

1.    Fecal particulate inhalation
2.    Intestinal microflora/fauna balance

 

B.     Multi-species symbiosis

1.    Nutrient cycling and hygiene

2.    Palatability differences

3.    Complementary enterprises

 

C.     Nutrient cycling—fertility principles

1.    NatureÕs template

a.    Lignified carbon

b.   Nontillage

2.    Pasture pulsing

3.    Hay and compost—pigaerating

4.    Minerals

 

IV.         Poultry

A.     Broilers

1.    Brooding

2.    Diet/ration

3.    Pasture shelters

4.    Breeds

5.    Labor and economics

 

B.     Egg layers

1.    Brooding

2.    Diet/ration

3.    Egg production cycle

4.    Pasture models—different objectives

a.    Eggmobile

b.   Feathernet

5.    Winter hoophouses

a.    Deep bedding and design

b.   Summer use—vegetables

6.    Breeds

7.    Labor and economics

 

C.     Turkeys

1.    Brooding

2.    Diet/ration—lifecycle

3.    Pasture shelter and production model

4.    Labor and economics

 

D.     Predation

1.    Healthy edges

2.    Preventive environmental management

a.    Decoys

b.   Guard animals

c.    Electric fencing

3.    Taking out the troublemakers

 

V.           Hogs and Rabbits—production design

A.     Hogs

1.    Housing

a.    Winter—deep bedding

b.   Spring—pigaerating

c.    Summer---pig pastures

1.    Design
2.    Water
3.    Logistics—moving, loading

2.    Landscape succession

 

B.     Rabbits

1.    Does—Raken House

a.    Sanitation—natureÕs two systems

1.    Virulent decomposition
a.     Deep bedding—advantages
b.     Carbon/Nitrogen ratios
c.     Carbon sources—woodlot, crop residues
2.    Rest and sunshine

b.   Symbiosis—poultry or pigs underneath

c.    Cut and carry forage

d.   Breeding—reproduction cycle

2.    Weanlings—production stock

3.    Choosing replacement stock

4.    Labor and economics

 

VI.   Ancillary principles

A. Goats

1.    Browsers vs. grazers

2.    Recovery periods forages vs. Woody species

B.Horses

1.    Teeth upper and lower—extra short grazing pressure

2.    Toilet spot

3.    Exercise room

C.     Sheep

1.    Temperate vs. brittle environments

2.    Parasites

3.    Flight room

D.     Plant/animal symbiosis

1.    Debugging

2.    Mowing—fruit and poultry

3.    Fertility—side dressing

4.    Stacking of complementary enterprises for higher income per area

5.    Shade/shelter

 

VI.         Marketing

A.     Processing

1.    Regulations

a.    Preserving embryonic market entry

b.   Food safety

2.    Infrastructure

3.    Labor and economics

B.     Patrons

1.    Farmgate sales

a.    Communication

b.   Finding customers

c.    Infrastructure

2.    FarmersÕ Markets

a.    Infrastructure

b.   Publicity

C.  Logistics

3.    Restaurants

a.    Finding the right chef/establishment

b.   Delivery

c.    Infrastructure

d.   Assets and liabilities

4.    Metropolitan buying clubs

a.    Start-up

b.   Logistics-delivery and infrastructure

c.    Assets and liabilities

 

VII.       Summary

A.     Animals are part of nature—they fill important functions

B.     Animals protein comprises 50 percent of the consumer dollar

1.    Fruits, nuts and veggies—25 percent

2.    Dry goods—25 percent

C.     Price per pound is higher than produce-more money per volume

D.     Animals are magnetic on the farm—everybody loves them