Leader/Follower vs. Mob Grazing ?

[Stocker Steve]

I tried running some purchased yearlings ahead of the cows last year on one farm. The cows complained every move, and one yearling would jump any cross fence to get in with the cows, but otherwise it seemed to work.

Putting them into one mob would be easier after the cows have calved, but I am concerned about potential calf sickness after all the PI and summer pneumonia articles. I calve on grass so that is another factor.

Any tips or thoughts on separate leader/follower herds vs. a one bigger mob?

 

[fargus]

I'd put them on two separate farms or run them all together. If you are worrying about infecting calves then the cows should be leading the yearlings anyways. Moving them to fresh ground every one to two days should keep them calving on clean ground, and you will stress your grass less; not to mention your labor costs will be lower.

Seems like you have to choose whether you are trying to optimize your grass growth or your grass utilization, but you can't have both.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have them on separate farms today. I end up hauling hay to the cow/calf farm and bringing retained calves to the stocker/yearling/bull farm.

Easiest way would be to leave all the retained calves at "cow/calf" farm and sell them off grass the next fall... :idea: