grazing

[Anonymous]

What is this intensive rotational grazing? I have 150 acres fenced off in approx. 20 acre pastures. I just put the cattle in one pasture and lock them up until they eat the grass down and then rotate to the next pasture. I am running 70 head and have plenty of grass doing it this way. Just wondering if there is a better way.

 

[Anonymous]

> What is this intensive rotational
> grazing? I have 150 acres fenced
> off in approx. 20 acre pastures. I
> just put the cattle in one pasture
> and lock them up until they eat
> the grass down and then rotate to
> the next pasture. I am running 70
> head and have plenty of grass
> doing it this way. Just wondering
> if there is a better way.

The way I understand this question is you are doing things right in number of acres,per head.What intensive is smaller acres that are cleaned up no poop left then mowed or toped, then fertilzer applied and then watered. Supposedly you can put more head in a smaller lot and get the same results.It has its pros and cons doing it this way. I think the only way I would do it is if I wanted to raise part of my land in hay. Then I would use this method. Remember this is how I understand it works.



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[Anonymous]

The principle behind MIG is #1 you don't have to keep fertilizing, the cows process it and put it back on the paddock it came from. #2the paddock size is only large enough that half of the lnegth of the grass is removed in about three days then they are moved. More then 3 days and they start eating the regrowth, and by grazing have off each time the grass stays more vegetive and delays going to seed. This keeps the nutritional level higher longer. There is a lot more to MIG but those are the basic principles and reasons.

dun

> The way I understand this question
> is you are doing things right in
> number of acres,per head.What
> intensive is smaller acres that
> are cleaned up no poop left then
> mowed or toped, then fertilzer
> applied and then watered.
> Supposedly you can put more head
> in a smaller lot and get the same
> results.It has its pros and cons
> doing it this way. I think the
> only way I would do it is if I
> wanted to raise part of my land in
> hay. Then I would use this method.
> Remember this is how I understand
> it works.

 

[Anonymous]

this is basically the way we regulate grazing in europe because of our smaller pastures. the one big advantage is that you have more control over the nutricion and grass growth is better and more valuable. it is also one of the best ways to keep your pastures in their optimal form, without too much weeds. if you do it corectly, like dun said. if you let them eat too much of the regrowth, the grass will be too stressed and weeds will get their chance.

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[Anonymous]

> The principle behind MIG is #1 you
> don't have to keep fertilizing,
> the cows process it and put it
> back on the paddock it came from.
> #2the paddock size is only large
> enough that half of the lnegth of
> the grass is removed in about
> three days then they are moved.
> More then 3 days and they start
> eating the regrowth, and by
> grazing have off each time the
> grass stays more vegetive and
> delays going to seed. This keeps
> the nutritional level higher
> longer. There is a lot more to MIG
> but those are the basic principles
> and reasons.

> dun

Dun I understood that you had to clean up the poop and run it through a spredder to lay back on the the paddock. that it was advisable to top the grass so it would grow evenly also eliminate animals from eating the choice grass first and then cleaning up the rough stuff later. Also this was a way to controll flys etc.. Unless doing it for horses is different than for cattle. When we do it for the horses we found they would stop running and slide stop which tore up the grass..When we rotate we allowed the cows in to eat what the horses wouldn't. Then we did the above!! cindy

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[Anonymous]

If the grass is kept pretty much vegative rather then stemmy and going to seed the "poop" is more of a "squirt" and spread out. I have no idea how you would MIG with horses. With cattle you run them in and let them eat half then run them back out. If the weeds get to tall we clip them, but that's to keep the seeds and other irritants out of the cows eyes. When weeds are small and mixed with the grass the cows will eat them right along with the grass. The grasses will shade out the weeds and you will get poorer germination each year until you have a good healthy sward. Some weeds are (I feel) necesarry becasue I don't like monoculture of any thing. Mixed grasses, weeds, legumes, an occasional gooseberry or briar bush, it all makes it more friendly for the wild critters. It also doesn't take all that much away from the grazing. Hay fields are different. Them I want one or two kinds of grass, some clover and no weeds or misc. stuff. Sorry got started on my philosophy so I'll jump off the soap box......

dun

> Dun I understood that you had to
> clean up the poop and run it
> through a spredder to lay back on
> the the paddock. that it was
> advisable to top the grass so it
> would grow evenly also eliminate
> animals from eating the choice
> grass first and then cleaning up
> the rough stuff later. Also this
> was a way to controll flys etc..
> Unless doing it for horses is
> different than for cattle. When we
> do it for the horses we found they
> would stop running and slide stop
> which tore up the grass..When we
> rotate we allowed the cows in to
> eat what the horses wouldn't. Then
> we did the above!! cindy