Late Grazing Strategies and Setting Up for Winter Feeding

LATE GRAZING SEASON STRATEGIES AND SETTING UP FOR WINTER FEEDING

bY KEVIN MAHALKO

One of the goals of any grazier is to maximize forage production and livestock harvest of that forage throughout the year. The late growing season can set up the amount of forage available to graze in the fall and grazing management will influence growth of the pasture the next spring. The amount of stockpile pasture produced depends on species growth in August and September as well as the frost survival of the pasture species. Stemmy grasses can last longer as fall and winter stockpile than clovers or finer grasses that wither and desiccate after a frost or after growth stops.

I am writing this from North-Central Wisconsin in mid-August where we have had a relatively dry growing season with 3.4 inches of rain from the beginning of May to late July. We have had several 1 inch rains recently and are seeing a rebound of pasture growth, breaking dormancy and growing rapidly. There has been a lot of strategizing and changing plans to deal with the dry period. We did not harvest as much pasture for hay as typical and we utilized spring stockpile to carry youngstock on 100 percent pasture this grazing season. We fed some hay strategically in early May to allow the pasture to grow rapidly and to full volume on a high percentage of acres, all while setting up a grazing wedge for the dairy cows and heifers. The concept of rest and recovery is always the most important factor in maximizing production; plant leaf and cover following grazing determines how quickly pasture can regrow depending on root energy reserves, soil cover, moisture, and soil temperature.

Fall management is critical in extending the grazing season. In mid-August it is good to assess the maturity of pastures and consider a balance of grazing, stockpiling, and making hay. Some cool season perennial pasture species can grow after frost, when warmth and sunshine allow. If any seeding for fall grazing is done August would be a good time for oats as a cover, planted with a wide range of perennial grasses and clovers (e.g., legumes). There will typically be enough time for the oats and new diverse seeding to produce some quality fall forage. It will be critical to harvest oats at proper maturity and in good weather and field conditions.

Triticale, winter wheat, and winter rye need to be planted early enough to overwinter and provide the potential for early spring grazing. Brassicas hold quality and can grow in cooler weather. Legumes can help provide pasture nitrogen to promote grass growth. It’s advisable to use caution when feeding livestock legumes, as they need to adjust the feeding routine for wet or frozen conditions to avoid potential bloat. Stockpiling of perennial species usually requires around 60 days of deferred harvest to allow the stockpile to grow and mature. Annuals and perennials which have enough stem to survive freezing and weathering can provide some valuable feed into the winter. According to Jason Cavadini, UW Extension Grazing Outreach Specialist, “Stockpile grazing trials were conducted for consecutive years at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station. Pastures were rotationally grazed from May - August and then allowed to accumulate forage for 2 months. Liquid dairy manure was applied at the beginning of the rest period to supply 40 lbs per acre of nitrogen. Tall fescue and orchard grass accumulated more late-season forage than meadow fescue, with yields ranging from 1.4 - 2.0 tons per acre. A separate fertility trial indicated that higher nitrogen rates can increase yield an additional 35 - 50 percent in the absence of legumes. These trials suggest that the season can be extended up to 60-80 days with expected average daily gains of 1.9 - 2.2 lbs over that time with stockpile grazing.”

Fencing and the ability to move livestock are critical in fall and winter. Heavy rain can cause mud and the need to move livestock more often. Snow and ice cause their own management challenges. Forage can withstand some snow events and possibly grow late into fall. Typically, it is best to graze forage before heavy snow and have a hay reserve on hand as needed. There are some graziers who can graze year-round or through snow in certain climates, but the livestock and pasture must be adapted to this. Adapted pastures will contain grasses like tall fescue and cocktail mixes that can carry stockpile through winter. NRCS has resources for this practice and can make recommendations about the appropriate species for your area.

Leaving some residual grass after fall grazing will help the swards survive winter. Therefore, it is critical to maintain movement, rotation, and back-fencing to keep livestock from overgrazing and continuous grazing, even in fall and winter. Feeding a combination of remaining pasture and hay also provides flexibility in movement. Bales can be fed by preplacing or matching forage moves. This is done more easily with portable feeder wagons or bale feeders. When it gets to the end of forage available to graze, it is probably best to pick some sacrifice fields that need fertility to choose as outwintering spots. This can also be done by simply rotating feeding areas from paddock to paddock through the years. These spots can be reseeded in spring and provide an opportunity to grow and graze new pasture species!

Kevin Mahalko is a Marbleseed Organic Specialist and has an organic dairy herd in Gilman, Wisconsin, producing milk for the Organic Valley Grassmilk program. Kevin is president of Grassworks, a grazing educator for River Country RC&D, and an educator for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program.