East Texas Pine to Pasture Conversion

[TexasBred]

You're right-- I did stick in an M-- and not mean to, but meant it to be SBHP.

I think the basis behind selling the good hay- and feeding poor roughage-- is not overdoing it. The good hay protein is not bypass-- and so if you're feeding an 'overload' of both-- then you're going to overload the animal-- whereas feeding an 'overload' of just one-- should not.

What kind of animal are you feeding?? freezer beef?? mature cows??? You cannot overfeed grass to breeding stock. They determine how much they need. That is how you grow "lean" beef as in "grass fed"...Feeding low quality hay with a high NDF does nothing but fill them full of undigestible fiber and serves no good purpose other than to make them feel full.

[kciD]

this is getting fed through the winter-- when there is no grass.. hard to eat it, if it doesn't exist...

[1wlimo]

this is getting fed through the winter-- when there is no grass.. hard to eat it, if it doesn't exist...

kciD may be you need to stock pile more grass. If you read back over agmantoo's threads you will learnt a lot, also srbeef who is grazing corn all winter.

There are stresses involved in changing feeds and associated losses of production.

I know that you may gain a cash-flow advantage from your feeding system, but if you calculated a lot of the unforeseen costs this is limited over time

[kciD]

This is not my direct feeding system-- just one that I know very well. The actual 'decision' maker-- is old and hard headed and stuck in ways...

At my place, I plan to feed hay less than 30 days each year, due to quality pasture and grazing techinques, and feed zero grains to mature animals.

[TexasBred]

This is not my direct feeding system-- just one that I know very well. The actual 'decision' maker-- is old and hard headed and stuck in ways...

At my place, I plan to feed hay less than 30 days each year, due to quality pasture and grazing techinques, and feed zero grains to mature animals.

Sounds more like a classroom discussion at the "U".

[kciD]

This is not my direct feeding system-- just one that I know very well. The actual 'decision' maker-- is old and hard headed and stuck in ways...

At my place, I plan to feed hay less than 30 days each year, due to quality pasture and grazing techinques, and feed zero grains to mature animals.

Sounds more like a classroom discussion at the "U".

No, more like a grandpa who's stuck in his ways with pasture management-- but looking to save costs associated with feeding.

At my place is a youngster, who has to practice what he preaches every day-- in order to get people on board with him-- and be able to show that it does work.

[TexasBred]

This is not my direct feeding system-- just one that I know very well. The actual 'decision' maker-- is old and hard headed and stuck in ways...

At my place, I plan to feed hay less than 30 days each year, due to quality pasture and grazing techinques, and feed zero grains to mature animals.

Sounds more like a classroom discussion at the "U".

No, more like a grandpa who's stuck in his ways with pasture management-- but looking to save costs associated with feeding.

At my place is a youngster, who has to practice what he preaches every day-- in order to get people on board with him-- and be able to show that it does work.

Listen to grandpa. He didn't get to be a grandpa and raise cattle all those years without doing a he77 of a lot right. I'm puttin' my money on the old man.

[kciD]

continious grazing will get you nowhere, but an expensive feed and hay bill in the winter...

let's see- my ways-- with feeding virtually no hay in the winter-- or a huge feed bill? hmm??

[TexasBred]

continious grazing will get you nowhere, but an expensive feed and hay bill in the winter...

let's see- my ways-- with feeding virtually no hay in the winter-- or a huge feed bill? hmm??

Nothing wrong with practicing what you preach. But be willing to change the sermon if necessary before you lose the whole congregation.

[Douglas]

Not unusual in the southeast to have pasture and pines together.
Silvopasture:

http://www.silvopasture.org/pdf_content ... ndbook.pdf

[kciD]

as long as you don't graze it too hard-- then they'll chew the valueable tree crop.

Most often in a silvapasture setting (I was a forestry major)-- the trees are planted to a set stocking desity-- which means not overcrowded- and as they mature-- they are even thinned less...

Most often in a natural forest type setting they are crowded...

When trees are crowded-- they produce shade, duh-- most species of desirable plants (grasses especially) are not shade tollerant, which means grows in 100% shade.

Sivlapasture works because the ground is not shaded--the trees are not dense- and as a result-- good stands of grasses and legumes can be maintained either for pasture or hay...

[Pineland]

Summer update

No lime put out yet. This is after a single pass of Remedy taking out the vast majority of sweetgum and tallow trees.

I am not sure what this is, but the cows are loving it. Any ideas?

[Jogeephus]

Most often in a silvapasture setting (I was a forestry major)-- the trees are planted to a set stocking desity-- which means not overcrowded- and as they mature-- they are even thinned less...

Most often in a natural forest type setting they are crowded...

When trees are crowded-- they produce shade, duh-- most species of desirable plants (grasses especially) are not shade tollerant, which means grows in 100% shade.
Sivlapasture works because the ground is not shaded--the trees are not dense- and as a result-- good stands of grasses and legumes can be maintained either for pasture or hay...

Then you should know this is not a correct statement. There are varying degrees of shade tolerance. (BTW - just one L in that word) Also, there are many plants that are beneficial to cattle that are not grasses and many do tolerate the shade.

[Jogeephus]

I haven't a clue Pineland. Sortof out of my geographical zone. Looks to be greening up nicely. Is that a sprig of bermuda in the picture on the bottom left corner in that "other stuff"?

[Caustic Burno]

Pineland from what I can tell by the picture looks to be young cane coming up. Cow's love it, they will destroy it through grazing eventually.