Diversity is a key principle of farming with nature, which is increasingly recognised as a regenerative approach to land management.

The focus often begins with introducing multiple forage species through practices such as cover cropping, direct drilling additional species into existing pastures, and adjusting grazing regimes to create conditions that support a wider variety of plants.

However, diversity should be present at every level of the farming system:

• In the soil, with a wide range of life forms.
• In functional plant groups, including grasses, forbs, legumes, shrubs, trees and others.
• In species within each functional group.

However, one aspect often overlooked is the diversity of animal species and the advantages of integrating multiple animal types to improve both animal and land performance.

Why livestock is crucial to farm health

Historically, livestock has been at the heart of farming, even on properties where the main output was crops. It’s only in recent decades that agriculture has shifted towards monocultures, focusing on a single type of crop or animal.

Ruminant animals, such as cows and sheep, have co-evolved with grass lands and work in harmony with the natural cycles of land and soil. Their specialised digestive systems ferment pasture through microbial action before digestion, unlocking nutrients that plants alone can’t access.

Through their manure and hoof action, livestock:

• Fertilise the soil naturally.
• Break up compaction layers.
• Improve water infiltration.
• Support thriving microbial and macro-organism populations.

When livestock are removed from the land—as is common in modern monoculture cropping systems—this natural cycle is broken. Over time, the absence of grazing animals can lead to a decline in soil organic matter, increased erosion, harmful runoff, poor water infiltration, carbon loss, and reduced biodiversity.

Monocultures also lead to a heavy reliance on inputs both synthetic and biological both with the risk of unintended consequences.  Chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, other synthetic inputs, and GMO seeds are known to cause damage to soil life.

Even monocultures with livestock can suffer similar issues if grazing is poorly managed. However, when Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG) is practiced, the soil and ecosystem can actively improve, building resilience and productivity over time.

Why integrating livestock species works

In farming systems, combinations of multiple livestock species including cattle, sheep, deer, goats, pigs, or poultry have been shown to significantly improve animal performance and enhance land health.

This practice, known as multi-species grazing, mimics natural herbivore communities, diversifies income streams, and builds ecological resilience.

For New Zealand farmers navigating fluctuating markets, rising input costs, and increasing sustainability expectations, multi-species integration offers a practical and profitable path toward regenerative land management.

How multi-species grazing benefits the farm

Each livestock species uniquely interacts with pastures and landscapes. By strategically combining them, farmers can:

• Utilise Pastures More Efficiently – Cattle are predominantly grazers, sheep consume a mix of grasses and legumes, while deer and goats browse woody weeds and rough vegetation. Grazing them together or in rotation reduces selective grazing, promotes more even forage use, and boosts regrowth potential.
• Break Internal Parasite Cycles – Parasites are often host-specific. Alternating sheep and cattle, for example, naturally reduces parasite burdens, minimises the need for chemical drenches, and helps prevent resistance.  The longer residual pastures often associated with HPG reduce exposure of stock to parasite larvae.
• Improve Soil Biology and Fertility – Different manures support varied microbial communities. Poultry provide nitrogen-rich manure, while pigs can aerate soils and incorporate residues when rotated through cropping blocks.
• Increase System Resilience – A diverse system is more resistant to climatic shocks and market volatility. If wool prices drop, meat or dairy can provide a buffer. Integration also spreads labour demands and supports better risk management.

Real-world examples from New Zealand

• Goats – On North Island hill country, some sheep and beef farmers are adding Kiko or Boer goats alongside traditional stock. Goats control gorse and blackberry, while sheep and cattle maintain pasture species. This increases carrying capacity, improves weed suppression, and boosts biodiversity. Some dairy farms are trialing goats to help manage undesirable species in pasture.
• Deer – At a Beef + Lamb field day, farmers shared how running sheep and cattle with deer improved returns and land health due to different grazing behaviours.
• Hens – In my own farming operation, hens followed the cattle rotation. They fed on fly larvae in dung, reducing pests, while spreading nutrient-rich manure that boosted pasture growth and diversity, while providing a diversified revenue stream through beautiful eggs. .
• Pigs – In mixed tree–pasture systems, pigs manage grass competition under nut and fruit trees, recycle fallen fruit, and break pest cycles—while producing a high-value meat product.

Opportunities for NZ farmers

• Hill and High Country – Adding goats or deer to sheep and cattle operations can restore degraded slopes, target unpalatable and undesirable plants, and make better use of marginal land.
• Dairy Support Blocks or Lifestyle Farms – Poultry, pigs, or sheep can be integrated to use surplus pasture or weed-infested corners, adding manure and income diversity.
• Mixed-Cropping Farms – Rotating pigs, ducks, or chickens through cover crops or fallow blocks helps cycle nutrients, lightly disturbs soil, and improves carbon retention.
• Market Access – New Zealand consumers are seeking diverse, ethical, and regeneratively produced proteins. This is a global trend and direct marketing of produce that is verified as sourced from land verified as regenerating (EOV and regentomarket.com) and mixed-species meat boxes or wool/meat bundles is a growing area of opportunity to bring better returns and strengthen brand resilience.

Key design considerations

To succeed with integrated livestock systems:

• Select species that complement each other in behaviour and nutrition.
• Apply regenerative and adaptive grazing principles to manage timing, rest, and recovery.
• Ensure fencing, water, and handling systems suit multiple species.
• Start small, observe results, and adjust based on pasture and animal health.

Final thoughts

For New Zealand farmers wanting to improve profitability, animal health, and land performance, integrating livestock species is a powerful tool. It is not about doing more for the sake of complexity; it’s about working smarter with what the land provides, leveraging natural synergies, and building resilient, regenerative systems that benefit both animals and ecology.

As climate, market, and consumer expectations evolve, embracing livestock diversity offers not just regeneration, but renewed opportunity for the future of New Zealand farming.

For more information on integrating multi-species farming systems and how we can help, please contact us.