Clipping pastures

[angus9259]

Starting a new thread from the pinkeye thread -

I probably should have been clipping pastures this year. Getting pretty tall. I’ve never had to do it before. I do pretty intense rotational grazing. When do you clip? I assume you mean brush hog? Do you just carry the brush hog at the highest position so as to maintain the feed below ? Seems like a waste to be cutting what they should be eating. I can’t make hay so that’s out.

 

[dave_shelby]

We clip, doing just what you said, keeping the bush hog at about 8 inches. Id like to get a trailer mower as tractor tires mash down grass in front and you get a cleaner cut.

We also rotate and try to go fast in spring to get cows to eat high off the plant which removes seed heads, aka tip grazing. I have read somewhere that clipping increases grass growth later in the year. I suppose tip grazing is the natural way. All of that said one thing I struggle with as a grazier is uneven eating patterns. Some cows will eat closer than others.

 

[Ebenezer]

From the fall drought and the wet winter, the fescue has soared over the summer type grasses in the summer pastures. They have been fescue mix the whole time but I broke down and mowed them to get daylight to the bermudagrass and bahiagrass. It also helped the clovers. Not something that I prefer to do but it works.

 

[4hfarms]

Haven't had to clip this year cuz I have a few extra eaters,but last year I would raise the bush hog, just to top everything. Was nice at thigh high.... before the 90 over 90 summer drought.

 

[kenny thomas]

My cow numbers are way too low so i have lots of seedheads even though i rotate. I started clipping almost a month ago. I clip as soon as the fescue seedheads get high. Fescue will slow growth as the seedhead matures and will respond to clipping by increasing growth.
I can't hay it either and our weather has been very wet so haven't finished clipping some of the steeper pastures. Good problem to have i guess.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I tighten them up when fescue has headed out to get a good trample. Seems everything I clip, the last few years, I've really regretted it. So I'm gun shy anymore.

Lots of people clipping pasture here though this year. The rain has been wonderful. Clip it at 6 or 8 inches. Any higher and the stems will definitely be poking them in the eye.

 

[ClinchValley86]

My cow numbers are way too low so i have lots of seedheads even though i rotate. I started clipping almost a month ago. I clip as soon as the fescue seedheads get high. Fescue will slow growth as the seedhead matures and will respond to clipping by increasing growth.
I can't hay it either and our weather has been very wet so haven't finished clipping some of the steeper pastures. Good problem to have i guess.

Wonderful problem!

 

[TCRanch]

Geography is everything. Clipping most of the pastures here is not possible. Hilly, uneven, rocky terrain and attempting to clip is a sure way to destroy the blades on a brush hog, spark a fire, or both. That said, we do brush hog the flat areas in the barn pasture and where we keep the bale rings. We rarely have pinkeye but I'm diligent about vaccinating and spraying.

 

[dave_shelby]

I set up in mornings with polywire reels and step in posts. With this tall grass and heavy dews get I get soaked. Chicory in boot stages catches polywire. Clipping makes everything easier.

 

[angus9259]

I always clip after they leave a pasture - they never eat it all. Clipping a heavy pasture has me nervous for all the reasons already said. The tractor will flatten a lot of good feed. Then brushogging that thick could tend to cover up growing feed (I would think). Not sure what to do.....

 

[WestTexasLivestockGrowers]

Generally you should probably set it where the grass height will be 8-10 inches

 

[Hogfarmer10]

I typically set mine so that it just “tips” the tops of clover or blades. Set it higher and hope for the best in the rocky fields!

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Starting a new thread from the pinkeye thread -

I probably should have been clipping pastures this year. Getting pretty tall. I've never had to do it before. I do pretty intense rotational grazing. When do you clip? I assume you mean brush hog? Do you just carry the brush hog at the highest position so as to maintain the feed below ? Seems like a waste to be cutting what they should be eating. I can't make hay so that's out.

Yes in response to the highest setting. Your goal is to remove the seedheads which will keep the grass in a vegetative state and will keep it growing by preventing a hormonal response induced by the seedheads that tells the plant "Hey (pardon the pun if you noticed), (to the plant) you can stop/slow down growing now, you have successfully produced seed this year". Clip the seedheads when pollinating/before the 'soft dough' stage, but wait until you can effectively decapitate as many seed heads as possible. There will be some develop later, but those should be of little to no consequence,

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Geography is everything. Clipping most of the pastures here is not possible. Hilly, uneven, rocky terrain and attempting to clip is a sure way to destroy the blades on a brush hog, spark a fire, or both. That said, we do brush hog the flat areas in the barn pasture and where we keep the bale rings. We rarely have pinkeye but I'm diligent about vaccinating and spraying.

In response to this, graze the hilly, rocky terrain first in an attempt to suppress/eliminate as many seed heads as possible that way. That way, you only have (ideally) seed heads to clip on the open, flat ground that you can mow.

 

[angus9259]

Yes in response to the highest setting. Your goal is to remove the seedheads which will keep the grass in a vegetative state and will keep it growing by preventing a hormonal response induced by the seedheads that tells the plant "Hey (pardon the pun if you noticed), (to the plant) you can stop/slow down growing now, you have successfully produced seed this year". Clip the seedheads when pollinating/before the 'soft dough' stage, but wait until you can effectively decapitate as many seed heads as possible. There will be some develop later, but those should be of little to no consequence,

Interesting. Keeping the grass in vegetative state seems like money well spent for what you might lose in trampling by driving over it. I suspect that concept may be too late for this year but good feedback for the future. Can't believe how quickly it headed out. I don't have much fescue. Mostly rye, orchard and timothy.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I always clip after they leave a pasture - they never eat it all. Clipping a heavy pasture has me nervous for all the reasons already said. The tractor will flatten a lot of good feed. Then brushogging that thick could tend to cover up growing feed (I would think). Not sure what to do.....

Great practice to follow and I agree. But, do not hesitate to clip before a field is grazed if the seedheads start to develop before it gets grazed. You will lose less production if you clip and remove seedheads than if you don't clip and growth slows because of that.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Interesting. Keeping the grass in vegetative state seems like money well spent for what you might lose in trampling by driving over it. I suspect that concept may be too late for this year but good feedback for the future. Can't believe how quickly it headed out. I don't have much fescue. Mostly rye, orchard and timothy.

It is. It's "Money in the bank." The concept applies to those species as well. They all head out at slightly different times. Might have gotten a bit more growth if done earlier, but I think you might still have some impact this year yet, although everything is more advanced this year for the time of year than usual.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I set up in mornings with polywire reels and step in posts. With this tall grass and heavy dews get I get soaked. Chicory in boot stages catches polywire. Clipping makes everything easier.

You ain't kidding about the dew! I can't do it unless I'm in my mucks.

Here, that chicory disappears real quick when animals can get to it. If I understand correctly, chicory is a dewormers of sorts. I've brought in a tremendous amount of chicory seed from my hay lease. The critters really seem to like it.

Chicory was my parents switch of choice when I was a kid.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

You ain't kidding about the dew! I can't do it unless I'm in my mucks.

Here, that chicory disappears real quick when animals can get to it. If I understand correctly, chicory is a dewormers of sorts. I've brought in a tremendous amount of chicory seed from my hay lease. The critters really seem to like it.

Chicory was my parents switch of choice when I was a kid.

A note on chicory. There are varieties that are specifically developed for forage as well as the common 'wild' variety that is somewhat limited on palatability once it bolts, or should I say more limited than the forage varieties.

 

[ClinchValley86]

A note on chicory. There are varieties that are specifically developed for forage as well as the common 'wild' variety that is somewhat limited on palatability once it bolts, or should I say more limited than the forage varieties.

I'd say I have the common type. Still yet they never leave much of it behind.

I'd like to try a forage type. You tried them? I assume they are more leafy?