Fall/winter Grazing, MiG

[wstevenl]

This is my first year with cattle, first year for our pastures, and first year doing MiG. We're moving the cows everyday to a new paddock and our rotations have taken around 55 days but we added a few cows 2 weeks ago and our rotations are now probably going to take 46 days (just estimating based on sq feet because we always make a new paddock with polywire). I'm trying to estimate how long we'll be able to graze into the fall/winter but I'm not sure how the forage will grow in the cold/frost/cool weather. We've got alfalfa/orchard/ladino clover/medium red clover/ and seedling fescue, timothy, and orchard in order of most to least in the pasture. We just recently got a good rain and the forages are growing back quickly.
My question is, how could I expect the grasses to grow back as the season gets colder? Will anything grow after the frost (supposed to be around Nov. 7th). Will clover continue to grow through cold weather? Should I assume that all our forage after the first week of Nov. will need to be stockpiled from before then?

Also, we have 2 acres of bermuda that we planted this year too. The bermuda is doing well but there is fox tail and other stuff in it too. I recently mowed it. After the bermuda turns brown could I graze it to remove what isn't bermuda? My horses won't touch dead, brown bermuda and I'm wondering if cows are the same way.

 

[dun]

Once your day time temps run in the 40s and the nights are close to freezing, the cool season grasses will just about quit growing. You won;t be able to notice any appriciable growth but until it really gets cold they'll grow, but SLOW. The fescue will grow slightly better then the OG and the OG slightly better then the timothy, but probably not enough to make it worth while moving the cows very often. Once the snow and ice hit, if you get any, they'll alll stop growing. The clover will stop growing very shortly unless you're getting the weird 80 degree days like we are. This time of year we typically turn them into a fairly good size field and let them eat the grass down to around 3-4 inches before we move them. Normally they wont get back to those fields until we've started feeding hay in Feb-March, alwasy subject to the whims of Ol Ma Nautre. The lespedeza has already quit here and is brown and dried out.
The beauty and challenge of MIG is that everything changes constantly

 

[grannysoo]

Dun (as always) is right on track. Our grasses are finished growing here until next year. We have coastal bermuda, and once it starts getting under 70 degrees at night, it and all of the other grasses here just come to a stop. You can see it in the fields, in peoples yards, and everywhere else.

Grass season is over for us.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Easiest way to plan forage by time period is to get a forage specific growth curve for your area. They usually have pounds dry matter per acre per year (if it rains...) and % of the pounds by month (if it rains...). This gives you a general guide.

Best way to estimate actual forage available is to measure with a rising plate. Sticks work also but they are much less accurate.

An expensive way to extend your grazing season - spring and fall - is to apply some N. The N producing soil biology shuts down when the soil is cool, so even if you have plenty of sun light there is very little growth.

 

[nap]

I'm a big believer in MIG and plan on using the basic concepts of MIG throughout the winter in Southwest Arkansas. I think success will be predicated on where you are located and how dedicated you are to the concept.