Grazing, Resting and Reseeding Your Pastures
Grazing, Resting and Reseeding Your Pastures
By Jaclyn Krymowski
Pasture management is one part of ranching that’s easily pushed to the side amid the hustle and bustle of the seasons and daily operations.
However, taking the time to analyze your pastures and give them a break to “refresh” can help with longevity and the nutritional value it provides your animals. You need not be an intensive grazer with a strict rotation schedule to benefit from the basics of routine management and forethought.
Remember that your pasture is more than just grasses and legumes – it’s made up of many living organisms that require care. A healthy pasture will lend itself to creating a healthy herd.
In cattle production systems, one of the highest cost items is feed, and many producers use grazing as an attempt to reduce some costs. If a pasture-based system is managed properly, it will return the favor by increasing your overall productivity
The Grazing Game Plan
A grazing plan allows for the full use of the resources available. Additionally, it should include all components of grazing and the pasture system to best make management decisions, as noted by University of Minnesota extension educators Joe Armstrong and Brad Heins in their bulletin Grazing and Pasture Management for Cattle.
A grazing plan should also be tracked and monitored so improvements can be made along the way. It identifies what worked or what did not work for your pasture setup. Successes are also noteworthy as they can help make those improvements for the next grazing season.
A grazing system consists of a good and quality pasture condition. Quality of pasture can vary from one end to another, write Armstrong and Heins, and as improvements are made the overall condition should improve across the board.
While a good start is crucial, adapting through reseeding can optimize pasture productivity.
“Forage grass and legume species each have their own unique growth, persistence, and quality characteristics. Because they respond differently to soil conditions, weather patterns, fertility and grazing management, the plants that are currently growing in your pastures may be different from one area to another,” according to Armstrong and Heins.
The health of both the herd and the land are interconnected. In drought situations, everything suffers. Rotation can be a powerful tool to make this time less stressful on the pastures, even if it means moving pastures more frequently. As a rule of thumb, grass should only be grazed down to three or four inches at the most.
Depending on your setup, you can designate a “sacrifice area” on limited acreage where you keep your animals for extended periods of time and supplement hay and other feedstuffs to keep them from overgrazing on the rest of your pastures.
Pasture Management
Part of pasture management is not only understanding the different practices, but also understanding what is being grown and the conditions of the land they are growing in.
Soil testing is a crucial tool for effective pasture management. It provides essential information about soil health, nutrient levels, and potential problems. Regular testing can help you identify changes in soil conditions and take proactive steps to improve pasture productivity.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends that pastures be sampled at least every four years. For accurate nutrient readings, the best time to sample is in late summer and fall. All samples should be taken from the same location during the same time of year as part of a long term strategy.
This will not only provide a snapshot of your soil quality in the here and now, but it will also provide insight into what nutrients you may need to apply in the coming year.
Besides grazing, there may be times when some pastures benefit from mechanical mowing.
Pastures that are overgrown (or perhaps have patches of unpalatable plants that your cows aren’t eating) do best when they are mowed to promote better forage vegetation and to cut down on weed populations.
When doing this, be sure you know the optimal length for the type of grass you have so you don’t mow too short and slow growth rather than promote it. You want to encourage the growth of new forages in timely manner while removing the less nutritious, more mature stalks.
Grazing Practices
There are a variety of grazing systems and each will yield different results. These range from a continuous grazing system to intensive rotational grazing. Continuous grazing pasture systems experience both overgrazing and undergrazing. A rotational system allows for an extended grazing season while also promoting better pasture utilization through a rest and regrow period, as explained by Armstrong and Heins. Additionally, it allows the farmer to move the livestock based upon the forage growth.
Pasture productivity increases when energy reserves are properly, routinely restored, which is what rotational grazing systems offer.
Another management practice is adaptive grazing, which allows for adaptation and flexibility based on conditions and isn’t a “formulaic approach,” according to an Understand Ag blog, “How to Implement Adaptive Dairy Grazing.”
It has been found to be one of the better grazing systems for “making continuous progress, increasing SOM, biomass production and biodiversity, and optimizing net profitability”
Adaptive grazing may seem intimidating because of the flexibility and commitment it has to have, but it can certainly be worthwhile.
Picking a system that fits your land and herd size is important. Additional factors include what type of seasons you may have (wet or dry), which could impact your grazing season (or length the animals are on pasture).
Don’t Forget to Reseed
Reseeding is a vital practice that can significantly enhance the productivity and longevity of your pastures. Over time, factors such as grazing pressure, weather conditions, and soil health can diminish the quality and density of forage species. Introducing new seed on a routine basis helps fills bare spots, improves forage quality, and increases the resilience of your pasture against pests and diseases.
When selecting seeds, consider the specific conditions of your land, such as soil type, climate, and current vegetation. Opt for forage species that are well-adapted to these conditions to ensure they establish well and provide the desired benefits. For instance, incorporating drought-tolerant species can help maintain pasture productivity during dry spells, while cold-resistant species may be essential in regions with harsh winters.
Reseeding is most effective when it is part of a broader pasture management strategy. The best time to reseed typically aligns with periods when soil moisture and temperature conditions are optimal for seed germination and growth, such as early spring or late summer. By integrating reseeding into your overall pasture management plan, you can maintain a diverse and healthy plant population that supports your herd's nutritional needs and contributes to sustainable pasture use over time.
Creating a well-thought-out grazing plan is essential for maximizing the productive life of both the pasture and the herd. Regularly recording and tracking grazing data allows for ongoing improvements and better decision-making each season.
Additionally, it’s important to have contingency plans for times when grazing is not feasible, such as during periods of extreme weather. Effective pasture management not only supports the well-being of the animals but can also be a cost-effective strategy to reduce feed expenses. Ultimately, finding a system that aligns with the unique needs of the operation will help ensure both the pasture and herd thrive year after year.
