Right now we are in a Moderate drought, HA. I run 6 momma cows & 1 bull & 4 calfes born in january. I have 2 (5) acres pastures & 1 roughly 7 acres, that I rotate them on. BUt since we aren't gettin the rain, the grass doesn't grow very well as we all know, Would it be better to maybe split my heard up a bit and and put them on 2 pastures for a period of time to let ! pasture recover good enough to put back rotation. or just keep rotating like i'm doing now What i'm doing now is 4 days in each of the smaller fields and 7 days in the larger field. They are calling for some rain on Sunday I sure hope they are right this time We've only gotten 3 inches since feb. I even fenced off part of yard for them to graze on, keeps me from cutting my yard but they tear up everything when i do that. I'm asking this because i've never had this problem before with my stocking rates & drought conditions I'm pondering adjusting that if we don't get rain very soon :cboy: :cowboy:
Another grazing question
- Thread starter RICHARDL
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
1982vett
Well-known member
How are prices holding at the sale barn?
Prepare for it to get worse...
I let mine have the run of the place in that situation. Let them find what they can. Overgrazing is the sin. I'd really consider selling 2 cows as a starting point and maybe the bull if the others are re-bred.
With the grass already grazed short, you are already behind the 8 ball. Grass is already stressed and it is only going to get hotter even if it does rain.
Prepare for it to get worse...
I let mine have the run of the place in that situation. Let them find what they can. Overgrazing is the sin. I'd really consider selling 2 cows as a starting point and maybe the bull if the others are re-bred.
With the grass already grazed short, you are already behind the 8 ball. Grass is already stressed and it is only going to get hotter even if it does rain.
novaman
Well-known member
Jeez 3 inches of rain in 3 months doesn't sound like a drought! I guess that's the difference between LA and ND. Last I looked we had 2 inches for all of 2010 thus far and it seems above average for moisture, for now anyway. I agree that you should consider removing a few head. The other thing I would consider is pulling them off the pastures and feeding them hay for a bit to give some recovery time. Good luck to you!
RICHARDL
Well-known member
Ha ha, yes Ther're calling it a Moderate Drought. And we are 11-12" behind on our annual rain fall Especially after we have a very wet winter. Yeap Getting a few bales this weekend for them start on . The grass grows just at a very slow rate. Not enough recovery time. I like it dry but not this dry. The weather men & women saying if we don't get it this coming weekend it will be another 1.5 weeks or until we get to the tropical season and that means Hurricane. If a hurricane would hit in the near future with that oil spill out there. it would be devestating :cowboy:
TexasBred
Well-known member
True that you haven't had much rain but how much snow melt did you have to get everything jump started? Hard to believe ND gets only 12 inches of rain per year.novaman":lsofguu1 said:
novaman
Well-known member
You're right. We did have a nice amount of snowmelt this spring and it was a slow melt so it all soaked in. I haven't kept close tabs but it seems the past 5 years we didn't hit 12 inches of precip on 4 out of the 5 years. The only thing that saves us is the rains typically come during the growing season.TexasBred":2y6z8a22 said:
cmf1
Well-known member
Richard,
I'm over around Livingston so I feel your pain on the rain deal.
Three years ago I had the almost identical situation to what you have now, with a bull and backed down to 4 cows.
I took those three paddocks and turned them into 10 paddocks and added cows.
I'm running 8 fat cows, the calves and the bull on the same area and not fretting the grass.
Barring a summer long drought I'll be adding two more mommas soon.
I've been amazed at the edible forage they can find now that I limited the area they have to look for it in.
I move them every 2-3 days and my grass has never been in better shape but it's still not where I want it to be.
But I'm finding I can renovate the smaller paddocks 1 at a time a lot easier and not so much forage is taken out of rotation when I do one.
I've completely eliminated buying grain,(except a little at weaning) and I'm trying to get to the point where I use a lot less or almost no hay.
Granted, fencing and water lines ain't cheap, but no bought feed and a big reduction in hay costs and having fat cows on grass recovers a lot of the cost year to year.
I may even cut some of the paddocks again with electric.
May not work for you but it's been a real eye opener for me so far.
I'm over around Livingston so I feel your pain on the rain deal.
Three years ago I had the almost identical situation to what you have now, with a bull and backed down to 4 cows.
I took those three paddocks and turned them into 10 paddocks and added cows.
I'm running 8 fat cows, the calves and the bull on the same area and not fretting the grass.
Barring a summer long drought I'll be adding two more mommas soon.
I've been amazed at the edible forage they can find now that I limited the area they have to look for it in.
I move them every 2-3 days and my grass has never been in better shape but it's still not where I want it to be.
But I'm finding I can renovate the smaller paddocks 1 at a time a lot easier and not so much forage is taken out of rotation when I do one.
I've completely eliminated buying grain,(except a little at weaning) and I'm trying to get to the point where I use a lot less or almost no hay.
Granted, fencing and water lines ain't cheap, but no bought feed and a big reduction in hay costs and having fat cows on grass recovers a lot of the cost year to year.
I may even cut some of the paddocks again with electric.
May not work for you but it's been a real eye opener for me so far.
RICHARDL
Well-known member
THANKS, i thought about doing that and still may. What i did do was this: My house & pond sit on bout 5 acres, pond is 1.5 acres. grass is doing great with no pressure cept a few chickens & dogs. so i wired off about 1.5 acres yesterday & added a small water trough (portable) added electricity. and turn them loose. Keeps me from mowing it. After i see how much they ate when i get back home later on. I'll make another area for them doing the same thing. i'm hoping i get at least 2-3 days out of each one, like you said. than by than i'll move them to the first pasture and do like you said make 2 smaller one out of it. thanks for that makes sense. They are uping the rain chances here for sat. & Sunday We don't need much an inch or so. Last year we had a sim. situation. and we got rain early may. after that. My herd couldn't keep up with the grass. I ended up having to bushhog a few times thru out the summer. This year Hmm i have my doubts. But they have rain in the forecast at least for the next 7 days Thanks again for the advice :cowboy:
