How long to wait before turning onto spring pasture?

[SCRUBS620]

Once the grass gets going in the spring, how long do you wait to turn the cattle onto it? I have some steers I overwintered and I have had them in a smaller pen so they would not tear up my pasture. Do you wait until the grass is a certain length before you put them out? I dont want them to damage my pasture or stunt my grass but I also dont want the grass to get too far ahead. Pasture is mainly fescue and perenial ryegrass mixture with a fairly good showing of white clover later. Thanks for any help. :tiphat: :wave:

 

[dieselbeef]

i wait til it seeds once first..then mow it about 6 inches

 

[alabama]

I say if it is growing good turn them in. If they graze it down to 3 or 4 inches take them off.

 

[Aaron]

If the grass is growing evenly, and you can grab it upright and clench with a fist and still have an inch or two stick above your fist, let them into it.

 

[bandit80]

Once the grass gets going in the spring, how long do you wait to turn the cattle onto it? I have some steers I overwintered and I have had them in a smaller pen so they would not tear up my pasture. Do you wait until the grass is a certain length before you put them out? I dont want them to damage my pasture or stunt my grass but I also dont want the grass to get too far ahead. Pasture is mainly fescue and perenial ryegrass mixture with a fairly good showing of white clover later. Thanks for any help. :tiphat: :wave:

Aaron had about the best description I can tink of. You want the grass green AND growing before opening the gate. Grazing to early can impact grazing later in the season.

 

[SCRUBS620]

Thanks Aaron, I like that description. Easy to judge out in the field. I just stock calves on it so its always a balancing game that I have yet to get perfect. With the mud in the paddock I have them in now I will be biting at the bit to let them out. :tiphat:

 

[Aaron]

No problem. It's a pretty good easy indicator, even though mud and other things sometimes make us push out animals earlier than we should.

 

[SCRUBS620]

No problem. It's a pretty good easy indicator, even though mud and other things sometimes make us push out animals earlier than we should.

They decided yesterday that they had enough of the mud. I came out and they were having a great time back on pasture, kicking up their heels and shoving each other around. Its still too soft, I got half off but now I need to get the other half back into the holding paddock :frowns: .