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Can anyone on here graze cattle all winter long?
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<blockquote data-quote="Bez" data-source="post: 31909" data-attributes="member: 412"><p>Where I live we cannot do this type of all winter grazing - too much snow during the winter and too much mud in the spring. But we do leave them out all winter - even at minus 30 and 40, etc They simply shelter in cedar bush that we have.</p><p></p><p>Interestingly enough, when we lived in the prairies - Alberta and Saskatchewan - we were able to keep the cows out for a long time - usually most of the winter. I know many who still do this.</p><p></p><p>Plant a field of oats - late in the season. Swath it around the time of a frost kill. Leave the entire crop - grain / straw and all - lay in the field. Divide the field into sections with single wire electric fence and turn the cows into it. Most folks use a tall growing crop to provide bulk.</p><p></p><p>The cows do well unless the snow gets up around the level of their eyes as they graze the swaths that are under the snow. Ice can be a problem, but the dry winters do not usually have much ice - mostly snow to a depth of approximately 10 - 12 inches.</p><p></p><p>Older cows will do better than younger cows - they are somewhat more determined foragers. So young cows usually get hay supplemented.</p><p></p><p>Water is not usually an issue and the cows seem to do well on snow. I know there may be some discussion on energy useage to melt snow for water - but this type of winter grazing is fairly common in the cold and dry regions of Canada.</p><p></p><p>We cannot do this in my part of the world as it becomes too wet in the fall and crops on the ground would rot before freeze up.</p><p></p><p>Lots more to talk about on this subject - but must run for now.</p><p></p><p>My best,</p><p></p><p>Bez</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bez, post: 31909, member: 412"] Where I live we cannot do this type of all winter grazing - too much snow during the winter and too much mud in the spring. But we do leave them out all winter - even at minus 30 and 40, etc They simply shelter in cedar bush that we have. Interestingly enough, when we lived in the prairies - Alberta and Saskatchewan - we were able to keep the cows out for a long time - usually most of the winter. I know many who still do this. Plant a field of oats - late in the season. Swath it around the time of a frost kill. Leave the entire crop - grain / straw and all - lay in the field. Divide the field into sections with single wire electric fence and turn the cows into it. Most folks use a tall growing crop to provide bulk. The cows do well unless the snow gets up around the level of their eyes as they graze the swaths that are under the snow. Ice can be a problem, but the dry winters do not usually have much ice - mostly snow to a depth of approximately 10 - 12 inches. Older cows will do better than younger cows - they are somewhat more determined foragers. So young cows usually get hay supplemented. Water is not usually an issue and the cows seem to do well on snow. I know there may be some discussion on energy useage to melt snow for water - but this type of winter grazing is fairly common in the cold and dry regions of Canada. We cannot do this in my part of the world as it becomes too wet in the fall and crops on the ground would rot before freeze up. Lots more to talk about on this subject - but must run for now. My best, Bez [/QUOTE]
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Can anyone on here graze cattle all winter long?
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