Consider these strategies when planning your regenerative spring grazing operation for improved pasture and animal health.
Can you ever have too much of a good thing? If you are a grazing specialist, you spend all year trying to figure out how to grow more grass. But here in the Pacific Northwest, particularly west of the Cascades, grass can get going all at once and it’s not uncommon to hear people say they have too much grass in April and May. Is it possible to manage that excess and promote growth later in the season?
Here are some tips:
Careful planning reaps rewards
Using Oregon Pasture Network’s grazing calculator can help you determine a paddock size that works under most conditions. However, the spring flush might be a time to modify those calculations.
To keep plants in their growth phase – which is more nutritious for your animals than the seed development phase – graze or mow before plants develop seed heads. Mowing takes lots of time and fuel – so why not let the animals do it?! In this instance, you can utilize lower stock densities by making larger paddocks with more frequent moves. Think about it in terms of: instead of the common methodology “eat half/leave half” of the plant, we want to eat one, maybe two at the most, bites off the top of the plant. This encourages grass to grow more leaves rather than setting seed.
With larger paddocks, you can move across your property quickly, then slow down to your normal rotation speed when the grass growth also slows down. In the grazing calculator, the “Dry matter consumed” cell is normally set at 50%; in this scenario, change that to 10-20% to calculate a much larger paddock size.
Increase herd size
Temporarily increasing your herd size might seem difficult to do, but there are ways to add to your herd – and make some money while you’re at it.
Recruit neighbors – If you have neighbors who haven’t been convinced by your grazing methods, even though they can see how much more forage you have in your pastures, you could bring their animals over for a couple months to match your forage demand with your supply. The cattle owner should expect pay you a daily rate: either a flat fee or based on how much weight they gain – known as “custom grazing.” Once your grass growth rate has slowed down, send the cows back home to their own fields that have had a chance to rest and grow. It’s a win for everyone!
Purchase under-conditioned animals – You could purchase some under-conditioned, undervalued animals at the beginning of your high growth season, graze them on your lush grass for a couple of months until they are looking fat and happy and then resell them at a premium price point. You are getting paid for the quality of your pastures, as it should be.
Standing hay for late summer
If your grass has gone to seed, consider “standing hay” for late summer grazing
Maintaining your normal pasture rotation speed risks over-mature grass that goes to seed. You could simply set that area of your pasture aside leaving the grass as “standing hay” for late summer grazing
when cool season grasses go dormant in the heat. Remember: When grazing standing hay, supplement with a bit of protein, either in the form of a tub or a bit of alfalfa every three days to help with digestion of this high cellulose forage.
Haylage
Making hay in spring can be challenging west of the Cascades because of the lack of dry weather to cure hay before baling. But a few years ago, that did happen and there was some amazing hay that was baled in May, rivaling Eastern Oregon orchard grass. But, you can make haylage almost every year!
Haylage is spring grass that is cut and only lightly dried before it is wrapped in an airtight layer of plastic, where it then ferments inside. These are the giant marshmallow-looking things you see in fields. This does take specialized equipment that is very expensive, so probably not a good option for most people.
Keen observation, smart planning, and implementing creative solutions can improve regenerative spring grazing. Some extra effort helps ensure pasture grass doesn’t get ahead of your herd and improve the quality of your forage.
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