How Unsafe are Uneven Pasture Surfaces for Cattle?

[Ratfish]

The previous owner ran cattle year round on our flat pasture that is basically a flood plain in the winter. It is incredibly uneven and filled with hundreds of hoof-holes. Our steers seem to be alright but I wonder if it is a broken leg waiting to happen.

Thanks.

 

[IluvABbeef]

You should see the hoof holes around in the pen come spring when things dry up! Our steers are pretty careful of where they step, most of the time, unless their spooked into stampeding, and then you've got a problem. But then again we haven't had a problem (yet) with broken legs or twisted ankles due to some hoof holes...

And the more they trample, the more those holes wear down.

Just my two bits.

 

[msscamp]

.....but I wonder if it is a broken leg waiting to happen.

Thanks.

Highly unlikely.

 

[LonghornRanch]

I wouldn't worry about it, I have some cattle on a piece of property that has a large rocky hill. I can't walk on it.... but the cows are always over there, up and down the hill, up and down the hill, drives me crazy. I think they do it just to make me mad.

 

[Ratfish]

OK, that's certainly reassuring. Maybe If we only run them there when it's dry they will slowly break it down to an even surface.

Another pasture question I have is if this main pasture we have is something like 10 acres and there are 6 steers on it for 8 months of the year would I need to be fertilizing it every so often?

 

[LonghornRanch]

I wish I could get 6 steers on 10 acres of land! It depends on the land, rainfall, grass...ect..ect..

You will need a pasture management plan.

 

[msscamp]

Another pasture question I have is if this main pasture we have is something like 10 acres and there are 6 steers on it for 8 months of the year would I need to be fertilizing it every so often?

If you're running according to your area's stocking rate, the cattle generally take care of the fertilizer. If you're overstocking, I would be more concerned with water than fertilizer because fertilizer isn't going to accomplish anything unless there is water to deliver it to the roots.

 

[Bullbuyer]

I wouldn't worry too much about the surface structure - you ought to see steers run down these hills up here.
What I can't understand is how people can have cattle grazing around old pieces of broken down machinery and the cattle never get cut, scraped, etc? My luck they'd poke an eye out!

 

[Dave]

Ratfish,

We both know that water isn't much of an issue in Western Washington. Well maybe too much water. You should add some fertilizer. Grazing wont require as much as hay because the majority of the nutreints in the grass are being returned in the form of manure. But it is not a complete loop, there are losses in the system. Cow manure and chicken manure where available are a lot cheaper than commercial fertilizer but the field needs to be dry enough to get out on them with heavy equipment so application timing can be difficult. Beings as you decribed this as floodplain ground, any nitrate left in the soil in the fall will be gone by spring. A shot of nitrogen in the spring will result in noticable benifits.

Dave

 

[milesvb]

I wonder if it is a broken leg waiting to happen.

Maybe for somebody trying to outrun a tigerstripe. ;-)

 

[Proverbs 12:10]

I wonder if it is a broken leg waiting to happen.

Maybe for somebody trying to outrun a tigerstripe. ;-)

After attempting to put a blanket on it!