With spring weather starting to stick around, it is important to avoid some grazing issues as we are moving livestock between different pastures. Avoid livestock from grazing a pasture too early. Wait until the current year’s growth comprises at least one-third to one-half of the total standing forage for that area. Avoid keeping livestock in one pasture for too long. A good rule of thumb to leave three to four inches of stubble at the end of the growing season which is sustainable for most grasses. Make sure to give pastures an adequate amount of rest time and avoid makputting
livestock back into a pasture too often. If livestock graze an area in early spring, allow 20 days to a full month of rest time. If livestock graze an area in late spring, allow at least a month of rest time.
Even though there are several types of grazing systems, continuous and rotational grazing can be used to understand the importance of providing a rest/recovery period for your pastures. A continuous grazing system is an extended grazing season with a lower stocking rate. Keep in mind that just because livestock are in an area for longer does not mean they will utilize the entire pasture. For this to happen, the livestock would need to find all grass and forage to be palatable which would make things way to easy! Continuous grazing may result in poorer forage quality and quantity. A rotational grazing system is a short duration rotation with a higher stocking rate. One of the main differences with a rotational grazing system is providing that period of rest and the opportunity for regrowth of the forage. There is a highly beneficial root response from a recovery period. Whether the recovery is long or short, it is far better than no recovery period.
When considering making any changes to your grazing system, there a few keys to success – soil fertility, forages and intake, monitoring, & pastures. It is a great time to get some soil testing done to be more aware as to any fertilizing that may be needed. Get a better idea as to what is growing in your area. Understand that livestock may be consuming different amounts of forage. Cattle consume 2-3% of their body weight, sheep & goats consume 2-4% their body weight, and horses consume 2-3 % their body weight. Continuously monitor your livestock and places which they may not be fully utilizing or grazing. Depending on the size of your operation, evaluate the number of pastures that are in place for livestock that use them. Our livestock are, in a sense, the best forage harvesters on the operation. Their head acts as a GPS guidance system since they go where they want to eat and gives them an idea as to what plants they prefer. Large and small ruminants have a silage pit to pull as much nutrients out of the forage. A handy ‘fertilizer spread’ is being used to distribute manure across the pasture. Their feet and hooves acting as planters if they are grazing more mature forage. Lastly, their mouth acting as a brush hog or lawnmower physically harvesting forage and preparing for new regrowth.
Where should you start with evaluating your grazing system? First, review more specific goals that you may have for your operation – does it have to do with feeding less hay, using the land for efficiently? How many acres do you have to work with? Are the water systems easy or hard to access? Do you need to be concerned about the topography or different land features? Lastly, how much time are you willing to commit to these changes? Figure out one or two easier changes that you can make which will make the progress that much sweeter & less daunting. Pasture layout, water, and fencing are the main aspects of a grazing system, yet they can all be changed to create a more efficient system. Pasture layout includes types of forages, different topography, soil properties, water access, and any available shade for livestock. Water intake drives food intake, as well as, the water temperature. Water above 80˚ F and below 40˚ F will affect water intake, mostly due to the shock to their system and needing more time to adjust to that temperature. A study conducted through the University of Missouri found that cattle having less than 800 feet of walking distance led to increased pasture utilization. Fencing comes with quite a few options, as well. Should you try some temporary fencing or electric fencing? Again, these decisions are dependent upon the operation and situation. Also realizing how fencing differs for livestock species. What keeps a cow in will not keep a goat in! Please contact Jennifer Fosjord, Musselshell-Golden Valley Extension Agent, with additional questions at (406) 366-6475.
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