Mobgrazing

[kenny thomas]

I know mobgrazer is doing this. Anyone else? mobgrazer, can you are anyone else give me some pros and cons of mobgrazing? In a workshop in TN last week they made it sound like the best thing since sliced bread. I think it will work here also but need some pointers.

 

[mobgrazer]

Hmm pointers...

Build a trailer or a sled that has the water, minerals, and salt. Use PVC or fiberglass (for the fence) poles at the front to keep so you can back up to pull it with out cattle being in the way. Use some kind of plastic box to hold extra fence stuff and float valves.

Set up as many pastures as you can at one time. I move the trailer check minerals, salt, water quality, and float valve. If it's not cold put up a hot wire where the trailer was; if not do it latter in the day or put it off till the next day.

Pros
Less picky in time on what they eat.
Cow pies and urine more evenly in pasture; it's not all under the trees.
Defecate 80% or so of the nurturance they consume.
Faster grass regrowth after a few rounds.
Most weeds are high in protean.
Easy to stock pile pastures for bad weather. Bail what you do not need.
You're around your cows every day for 20 min and notice if something is wrong.
The cows seam to become friendlier and easer to work because of more human interactions.

Cons
You're with your cows every day for 20 min or so when you're moving them.
You're out there EVERY day if you want to be or you're chunking in the trash can every few minutes.
Soil compaction for the first few years but can be controlled with a few passes of a airraghter (sp) every year.
You might become a "weed farmer" and might get called one by your local farmers.
Supplying water to your cattle that are moving every day. But they will not go to water in large groups so a lower GPM will work.



If you want I'll draw out how I set up my pastures and how my water / mineral sleds are set up once I get a place to up load them.

 

[jhambley]

I'd appreciate seeing how you setup your permanent cross fences and water supply.

JH

 

[mobgrazer]

EDIT.

I draw out the field set up with some information on there setup and some of the water destitution system. I will draw a pic or two on how my water / mineral trailers are set up and see if I can find pics or if my wife knows where the camera is.

I think there will be a good amount of discussion on this so I made a new thread for it. See viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55146

 

[kenny thomas]

Thanks for the info. Any chance we could stop by some time and talk some and look at what you have? Would probably be later in the summer.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Yes, I do it when I make the time :nod: More attention and skill required but:

I think it is one of the most powerful grazing tools in times of high input cost. You can be similiar results other ways with enough soil, seed, fuel, fertilizer, time... but can you afford it?

Seems best suited to marginial land and a cow/calf operation that can not support some kind of crop/pasture rotation.

 

[kenny thomas]

Few questions, do you move them once a day, twice a day, type of cattle?

 

[JCarter]

to add to kennys question whats your calving season and how do you market your calves?

 

[DS FARM]

There is a very good post on Homesteading Today website concerning intense grazing. Check out post by "agmanto". Some very good info on what is being done in the real world. Just sharing his learning experiences and methods not selling books or seminars.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Few questions, do you move them once a day, twice a day, type of cattle?

Most folks mob graze cows with a move once or twice a day. They will re graze a mid west pasture 2 to 3 times per year. I saw one desert pasture they grazed once every two years...

Moving stockers once a day on mature forage will not give you a good ADG. There is one guy who has gotten some press for mob grazing stockers by moving them 4 to 5 times per day.

 

[mobgrazer]

Kenny we can set something up for warmer weather.

Normally I move them once a day. I get up about 4:30 am and move the older cows. The younger cows get moved by 9:00. Once the grass starts growing I will start moving the younger ones twice a day but I set up there padlocks different so I'm only moving there water every 3 or 4 moves. I found this to get me a better weight gain and keeps lets me keep them on young grass. These will be the ones I will be shipping late this year.

The only reason I can see moving them more then twice a day would be thin grass or they want to keep them on supper short young grasses. From what I read the ones doing this are giving it a 20 day rest period and running the rest of the cows back over it to clean it up. I can not see doing this because I'm grading just fine as it is now. This could give you a superb finish at slaughter, have soil issues, or just want to get there name out there.

Last year during the summer I was averaging 45 day rotation. It has been 3 years since any pasture land has been fertilized. But one pasture is getting a makeover and will get a load.

This year I have to change up my calving seasons a bit to fit my buyer. But I was calving August to October. Yes I wanted them speared out a bit. But next year I'm adding a group of 120 to clave in February. I'm doing this because of the company I'm selling to. They want to see if I can provide the same quality but need them twice a year not once a year.

I just have mutts. There Red Angus, Black Angus, and Herefords. My producer wants more black in the calves but that comes down to a color thing. Once there skinned you can not tell what color there skin was. I get AI done every 4 years to bring in some new genetics in to the heard.

I market them as grass fed and natural. My primary buyer gets about 75% of my crop every year; they can be seen on QVC I have been told. They come out and hand pick what they want and they ship them out in semis the following month. They go straight to slaughter. What I have left goes to the highest bidder that will send a semi.