08/21/13, 03:01 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 757
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Mow after the cows are out of the field. You don't have cows running around the machinery, they won't eat the stuff the brush hog throws out.
Mowing after cows have grazed field means cattle got the benefit of grass available in that field. Mowing after will cut down the inedible weeds, even off the grazed plants so they will return evenly while "resting" before being grazed again in the rotation. Lets the tender sprouting leaves get going, which cattle prefer to eat in a field.
Unless field had not been grazed or mowed before this season, so plants and weeds are tall, dried out, there is no benefit to mowing ahead of grazing the cattle on the field.
Great pastures are kept productive with regular mowing, to prevent plants setting seed and going dormant for the season. Keeping grass length shorter (5-6 inches) when mowed, but not scalped, produces excellent roots on the plant, so it will easily withstand some drought times, hoof traffic of the herd, heat of sun and shades the dirt to prevent root burn and erosion of the dirt in hard rains.
Mowing regularly if you have the rain, is the BEST way to have excellent pasture, producing edible plants constantly, for your herd to graze on.
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