Winter grass grazing in VA

[petaddict]

I'm very slowly learning about managing our pasture. We have about 20 fenced acres shared by 3 pigs, 2 donkeys, 3 goats, some chickens and soon a pregnant dexter cow (all separated at the moment, except the chickens go wherever). Our hay wasn't cut this fall because we couldn't find anyone to cut it so now it is long and brown with lots of shorter green mixed grasses, weeds, clovers, etc. I understand most of the protein is gone now but still isn't there some nutritional value to these grasses even though winter is approaching? Being in SW VA we usually have some green in our pasture most of the year but I'm wondering how much hay my cow will need and will she eat what is still growing? Last year I hardly ever gave my donkeys any hay and they were still plump at the end of our mild winter. They had the whole 20+ acres to graze then. Would cow be similar? I've never watched a cow eat but I guess I'll do that soon enough. I do plan to feed her some grain since I'll be milking her. So my question is, will she eat the grasses as long at there's some green in there or will she prefer hay? Next year I plan to do some more intensive rotational grazing but I need to get through this winter first and figure out what our pasture can handle. Thanks for any input.

[genebo]

Stockpiling grass for winter foraging is a technique that is praised by the VPI Agricultural Extension Program. It's not much different from cutting and storing your hay. It cures on the stem.

Your County Agent should have a program to help educate people about grass management. That's where I learned a lot. Here in Dinwiddie, we have a grazier's club just for people to learn about feeding grass to livestock. It's free and it's fun. We have pasture walks, where we visit someone's fields to see how they do things.

Then there are formal seminars, where renowned people in the field come talk to us about managing our pastures.

Rotational grazing is a hot topic. They can tell you how to get the most from your winter grass.

My own pastures don't have enough grass in them to carry me through the winter. I start feeding hay as soon as it gets cold. I put out a round bale today, to get started. This cuts down on the amount of grass they eat out of the fields, but still, my grass will only last until January. After that, I'm feeding hay.

I keep hay in the feeder 24/7. No rationing. As long as I have grass, the hay goes slowly. As the grass is eaten, the hay begins to go faster.

I planted my fields with crabgrass. During summer droughts, the usual grasses go dormant and the crabgrass takes over. The cattle don't care much for it while it is green and growing. It gets pretty tall. But once cold weather arrives and the crabgrass dies, it cures and suddenly the cattle love it. According to VPI, there is a lot of nutrition in it, even though it looks brown and dried up.

[G. Seddon]

What if SW VA gets 3 feet of snow? So much of keeping livestock depends on the whims of Mother Nature and she can be very unpredictable; that is why we try to prepare for any eventuality.

Cattle, donkeys, and goats will all graze and browse on what's in the pasture, but if I were you, I'd be looking for square bales of hay and be sure you have a barn to store them out of the weather. Your pregnant cow will certainly need it. Donkeys, being of desert origins, will probably do okay without it, but they sure like it. I don't have goats so I can't address the quantities they require.

Like genebo, we keep hay out for the cattle 24/7 in the winter. Digesting hay is how they generate heat. They have access to pasture but can be found at the hay ring most of the time.

Contact your county extension agent to locate a hay supplier. The extension agent can also guide you on your pasture maintenance. Next year, you might want to think about harvesting your hay in the May-June timeframe.

[petaddict]

Oh, I have hay. I've been raising dairy goats for years and always have hay I've just never had a cow and wondered about their grazing preferences compared to other animals. I DO need to get our extension agent out here though for advice. I really don't know the quality of our hay/grasses and what's what. I love the idea of folks doing a pasture walk and sharing what they know.
Thanks.