Intensive rotational grazing

Help Support CattleToday:

tncattle

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
Messages
2,009
Reaction score
14
Location
Tennessee
Looking for experiences with this. We have a 48 acre rectangle pasture that has 3 permanent cross fences so we have 4 basically equal paddocks. This is all river bottom land with good stands of Clover, Fesue, Bermuda and some other grasses here and there. All perimeter and cross fences are hot so I can run a polywire off anywhere I choose. I was thinking of at least splitting each paddock and running the cattle 4-6 days on each??? This would make 8 paddocks and give each one at least 28 days rest between grazing.
 
You can;t go by a set number of days. Break each one in half and graze it till you've taken half and left half. Then move them. You could even break them into smaller ections and move that a little quicker. Thta's the whole premise of MIG.
 
I'm a hands on guy, and a little ocd. When I first started rotating cattle I started a pasture rotation logbook. Kept the days on, what was on it, date they were moved in, the condition in and out, etc. Everything I could think of. That lasted about a month and a half.
Now, I can see where they are, if they need moved, and where the best place is to move them. A guy can make stuff a lot harder than it has to be.
 
if you split them real small it does great for the pasture, but it takes 2-3 days after move for calves to get used to new pasture before they start gaining weight again
 
After 4 days cattle will start to eat the regrowth. Therefore, should be left on any paddock no longer than 4 days. Why temporary fences are used. gs
 
jerry27150":10968ibi said:
if you split them real small it does great for the pasture, but it takes 2-3 days after move for calves to get used to new pasture before they start gaining weight again

Really? Hadn't heard that before...what happens when you move them daily? :shock:
 
fasttommy":2na0riyo said:
jerry27150":2na0riyo said:
if you split them real small it does great for the pasture, but it takes 2-3 days after move for calves to get used to new pasture before they start gaining weight again

Really? Hadn't heard that before...what happens when you move them daily? :shock:
If you move them daily you either have to have really small paddocks, very high stocking rate or you won;t achieve the take half leave half. That's why 3 days is about right. The problem is that as the growth of he grass changes through the season the grazing length or size of paddock has to change. We hav one pastue that varies fomr 5 divisions to 2 depending on the grass growth. The hardest part of MIG is water
 
I move my cattle daily, it only takes 10-15 minutes. I just look at how much grass is left on what they are standing in and adjust how far I move the forward temporary strand based on yesterdays intake. Sometimes they are standing there ready to jump on the new grass or they are lounging around and not in a hurry. I have never had a problem with calves not gaining weight from moving them often.

Like Dun said, it all depends on how fast the grass is growing as to how long it will take for regrowth.

Like Plumber_greg said, they will go back for regrowth at 3-4 days and you do NOT want them eating that regrowth.
 

Latest posts

Top