Rotational grazing/stockpiled forage question

[Sonlifefarm]

I have 10 acres of pasture which I stockpiled. I did this with the thinking I would be able to use it in the spring earlier and give some roughage with the new pasture growth. However we just had a flash freeze and I am tempted to rotationally graze it now instead of waiting to save on some hay expense.
Will the pasture start up later in the spring because the leaves are gone or is the only energy the grass uses in the spring found in the root zone.
Any help in making this decision would be appreciated.
Scott

[Bret]

You can use it up now with the freeze. No more energy will be stored. Leaving a little will help to prevent erosion from heavy rains if you have some slopes. Hope this helps.

[Sonlifefarm]

Thanks Bret, I understand that no more energy will be stored now, however with the stockpile there still in the spring will the stockpile help jumpstart the spring growth. Or will the stockpile only contribute to roughage intake in the spring?

[Sonlifefarm]

As I think through this decision I find its hard to put down my thinking/question down on type. I guess another way to ask the question would be, should I graze the stockpile now or early in spring. What would you guys do? That 10 acres provided me about 25 days of grazing during the growing season.

[Bret]

I put down my thoughts and still second guess myself.

Today, I would graze the stockpile. I am doing this now while feeding hay also, on firm high ground, where I want seed and fertilize naturally deposited.

If you choose to enhance the pasture by frost seeding some new things that you want as forage and soil developers late this winter, it will be easier for the seed to get through the thatch.

When spring happens, it can be hard for livestock to keep up for a while. It is fun moving animals through, like playing with toy trucks and trains, only people don't notice your playing.

Maybe they do and I'm the uniformed.

[ycanchu2]

Originally Posted by Sonlifefarm

As I think through this decision I find its hard to put down my thinking/question down on type. I guess another way to ask the question would be, should I graze the stockpile now or early in spring. What would you guys do? That 10 acres provided me about 25 days of grazing during the growing season.

there are a lot of variables to consider. First of all, I don't have a clue where you are located.
What kind of livestock and how many do you have.
When should you graze it? you can now or later. It should be grazed before new growth starts in the spring to get rid of all the old growth.

[Sonlifefarm]

I am located in southwestern Ontario. We have 10 dexters (4 cows 3 hiefers 2calves and bull) and 25 sheep. Interesting ycanchu2 you suggest i graze before spring to get rid of it before spring growth. The reason I stockpiled it was so i could blend it with the new growth to add fiber with the new growth. This is my first time doing this so I don't know if I am right or not. If I am wrong and it should be grazed I will then graze it now while the ground is frozen with not much snow cover.

[ksfarmer]

I'm sure things are much different in Ontario, but here in the Flint Hills area of Kansas we even burn the old growth off every spring. This allows quicker and thicker new growth. Once our native grasses go dormant for winter the nutrients have withdrawn to the crown and root of the plant. Any old growth is not that nutritious for cattle by next spring and tends to retard new growth. We do like to leave some for the winter months to protect against erosion.

[ycanchu2]

Originally Posted by Sonlifefarm

I am located in southwestern Ontario. We have 10 dexters (4 cows 3 hiefers 2calves and bull) and 25 sheep. Interesting ycanchu2 you suggest i graze before spring to get rid of it before spring growth. The reason I stockpiled it was so i could blend it with the new growth to add fiber with the new growth. This is my first time doing this so I don't know if I am right or not. If I am wrong and it should be grazed I will then graze it now while the ground is frozen with not much snow cover.

The whole idea of stockpiling forage is to reduce feeding hay. Your idea of blending it in with the newgrass is fine, but I don't think I would wait until newgrass completely comes in, for the purpose of fiber, a bale of hay will do that.
The new growth of grass in spring does make for loose manure, but here the biggest concern is with grass tetany from the young tender grass so its best to put out some hi mag mineral a month of so before grass gets growing good, to prevent that condition.

[Awnry Abe]

My experience has been that leftover stockpiled forage, mixed with spring lush, is ignored by cattle and they will graze large bare spots to the ground and leave large untouched clumps of the mix, effectively cutting the acreage in half. Dunno about the sheep. My best spring and summer pastures have been those that I overgrazed in the winter.

[tommyanunnaki]

Originally Posted by Awnry Abe

My experience has been that leftover stockpiled forage, mixed with spring lush, is ignored by cattle and they will graze large bare spots to the ground and leave large untouched clumps of the mix, effectively cutting the acreage in half. Dunno about the sheep. My best spring and summer pastures have been those that I overgrazed in the winter.

If you want your cattle to eat stockpiled grass (we use NE fescue) you have to pack them in. Use polywire to give them enough grass to eat on a daily basis. When you only give them what they can eat in one day you would be surprised at what they will eat. The herd mentality will strike them around day three or four. When you turn them onto a new paddock they will start eating like they are trying to erase all traces of existence.

Remember, its winter. Its normal for your animals to lose a little conditioning. That is why summer and fall are so good to them. The bounty is highest before the winter.

Put faith in God and let your cattle do what they were meant to do.

Good luck!

[Sonlifefarm]

Thanks everyone, it was good to get feed back. As my wife said last night, it sure is great that you can ask questions and then get feed back. Especially since I have no one around here that I have seen that rotaionally grazes to talk with. So I will have to stop lurking so much and start posting more.
Well I have decided to start grazing it or most of it, even with the now 6 inches of snow on it. I will leave one strip for the spring to experiment and see how the grass comes up through it and how the cows seem to like it.
Well its off to fix my fence that is shorting out with all this snow and blowing.
Thanks for the help.

[sassafras manor]

From my experience this week, my cattle would rather brush aside the snow and eat the stockpiled grass vs eat from their round bales. In mid-December after deer season is over I will move mine to the last pasture of stockpiled grass before bringing them back up to the barn for the coldest part of winter. I think they maintain condition better longer into winter on stockpiled grass than switching to hay right away. As the saying goes "use it or lose it"!

[agmantoo]

Sonlifefarm

It is common for very productive paddocks that are not grazed prior cold weather setting in to build up a mass of thatch at the base. This thatch will hinder new growth in the Spring and the cattle will not want to graze the dead matter. You can minimize this occurrence by grazing the new growth of late Summer /early Fall and then growing/regrowing the forage that you will consume in Winter. These winter forages need to be cool season grasses. Here I grow fescue and rye grass.

[Sonlifefarm]

Sassafrass manor I noticed that this week that the cattle and sheep like the short grass around the hay better than the hay. That grass was not even stockpiled. Thats what got me thinking about grazing it now instead of the spring.
Agmantoo that makes sense too especially if i want to frost seed it in the spring.
Also as i think through it the nutritional value of the stockpile will deminish as the winter moves on as well.

[Sonlifefarm]

Well I did it. It snow all day yesterday and today about 6-8 inches in the non drift areas. The posts went in the ground perfectly. I just got a bucket of grain the sheep followed right behind with the cattle trailing behind. I poured the little grain on the snow and they just started eating the grass like crazy. Most of the sheep wandered around and ate the seed bods of the sweet clover that were sticking through the snow and then started grazing under the snow. It worked great.
I think that they may miss some of the grass but if it thaw comes next week and I will not be using a back fence the flerd can go back and get what they missed.
Just wondering does the snow cover help the grass keep the nutrients in?

[ycanchu2]

I have always heard that a blanket of snow was good for the grass, protecting it. We don't get a whole lot of snow here, but when we do the grass seems nice and green when it melts.
I don't know if the snow captures any nitrogen out of the air of not. It had been said though that lightening storms release about 60 lb. of N per year.

[Sonlifefarm]

I agree the grass seems greener than during the growing season. I'm not sure if it is or just appears that way because of fresh white snow beside it. I noticed that the sheep and cows work well together. The sheep paw the snow more and clear it better than the cows. The cows just nose it away. Well we are suppose to get lots of freezing rain tonight I shall see how they graze through that. I will say my stockpile is only about 40 days regrowth. Next year I am going to make sure to have at least 60 days regrowth so it will be a little longer. Also there was alot of red clover and alfalfa in the mix next year the orchard grass and other grasses should take over more. Also this is the first season that field has been turned into pasture after being row cropped, so the pasture is not as thick as it should be. After watching this morning the grass stands taller and is easier for the cattle to grab hold of. The sheep love the clover and alfalfa that is laying down it seems to tear very easy.
Just some of my observations. I don't no why I am posting just that I liked writing down my thoughts. It helped me think through things.

[spruceglen]

the other question is how much snow you get here in northern new York I dont care how much grass you take in to winter in spring it is flat and decays under 3 foot snow. you can graze later in the year than your neighbors but in Ontario? could depend on snow fall.

[Gravytrain]

Originally Posted by spruceglen

the other question is how much snow you get here in northern new York I dont care how much grass you take in to winter in spring it is flat and decays under 3 foot snow. you can graze later in the year than your neighbors but in Ontario? could depend on snow fall.

Yes, by the end of winter the forage will be flattened out...but they will graze it under several feet of snow. A very deep snow, all at once will retard their ability to graze, but a foot or so at a time they can keep up with.

Right now my cows are grazing under 2 feet of wet snow and are ignoring their hay to get to the sweet grass and clover. In a normal winter we get between 300-400 inches of snow total. Usually by mid January the snow pac has enough of a crust to it that it makes it hard to graze, but they still try. Usually we get a late Jan or early Feb temporary thaw that my cows take full advantage of.