More grass than cows

[MrSmith]

So I'm starting with a small herd and they can't keep up with the grass production.
I'm going to get a hotwire ran across my larger pastures to divvy then into manageable sections.
Ive got a lot of tall fescue, and my cows are supposed to start calving in August.

The pastures were all grazed down bad over winter, but have gone to seed (and weed) now.

Should I bushhog the pastures before I turn the cows into them?
These are ones I won't be cutting hay off, just grazing.

 

[1982vett]

More grass than cows is a good thing. For us it would have been a good year to load up on older bred cows in February to calve out and fatten up. I haven't had pastures with this much grass in the spring since 2012 after selling off 80% of the herd in 2010 - 2011. Excessive grass can turn to overgrazed quickly when weather turns agains you.

 

[gcreekrch]

If it were here and me, excess feed on ground that can be covered with hay machinery would soon be in bales. Hay in the stack is better than money in the bank.

 

[Dave]

I've never had that problem. At least not for long. I always solved the problem by going to the sale yard and raising my hand.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Summer time is coming and the fescue will stop growing. The cows will catch up with it then. The hot wire is a good way to manage your grass.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, I would split it up like you said, led the cows glean what they will eat, then follow behind them with the brush hog.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Clipping the fescue heads is a good thing to do. Promotes longer grass growth and lessens the toxic effects of fescue.

 

[greybeard]

I've never seen a down side to more cross fencing. Yes, it's added investment but it pays dividends.

 

[JMJ Farms]

That's a good problem to have for sure! It's the exact opposite here. Unless things change it's gonna be a long summer here. I'm gonna start feeding hay tomorrow. On a good year I can feed a cow/acre. Average year a cow/acre and a half. I stock at a rate of a cow/2 acres. And they are barely getting by. Supposed to be 100 for 5 days in a row next week. Tough times ahead for us.

Like others said, I would look at the option of baling up the extra if it's feasible.

 

[CattleMan1920]

So I'm starting with a small herd and they can't keep up with the grass production.
I'm going to get a hotwire ran across my larger pastures to divvy then into manageable sections.
Ive got a lot of tall fescue, and my cows are supposed to start calving in August.

The pastures were all grazed down bad over winter, but have gone to seed (and weed) now.

Should I bushhog the pastures before I turn the cows into them?
These are ones I won't be cutting hay off, just grazing.

Mow it all down, and clean it up. Cattle like freshly mowed pasture, and it helps to control weeds.

Here is an instructional photo, from our operation. LOL!

[image]306[/image]

The cows lose their minds when they hit the "carpet"

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

 

[sstterry]

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

I agree with the Ladino, but I would go with frost seeding Jumo Ladino (more expensive, but will give better yield in the long run) in the late fall. Just be careful what you spray it within the spring.

I agree with the others, but I would let it go to seed before I cut it. Just prepping for a better stand next year.

 

[Bright Raven]

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

I agree with the Ladino, but I would go with frost seeding Jumo Ladino (more expensive, but will give better yield in the long run) in the late fall. Just be careful what you spray it within the spring.

I agree with the others, but I would let it go to seed before I cut it. Just prepping for a better stand next year.

I also use Ladino clover by frost seeding. Tell me about Jumo.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

I agree with the Ladino, but I would go with frost seeding Jumo Ladino (more expensive, but will give better yield in the long run) in the late fall. Just be careful what you spray it within the spring.

I agree with the others, but I would let it go to seed before I cut it. Just prepping for a better stand next year.

I also use Ladino clover by frost seeding. Tell me about Jumo.

I second that, if I can get a better clover, let me know all about it.

 

[sstterry]

I don't have it. Someone on here recommended it a few months ago and I researched it. I am planning on frost seeding it in the fall on my pastures (well, what I can afford anyway). When I looked at it I was impressed. But it is about $200/50lb.

I will see if I can see who posted that.

 

[sstterry]

Snoopdog posted about using it in September. Here is what I found at the time:

Jumbo Ladino Clover is a white perennial superior clover more vigorous and faster growing than other white clovers. Known for its large leaves and high yields, Jumbo is very palatable and a great improvement for grazing stands for wildlife. Ladino type white clovers spread by stolons and fill in empty space in forage stands for more productive grazing. Jumbo ladino may be seeded conventionally when establishing a new plot, or may be frost seeded into an existing plot. Jumbo Ladino Clover has good disease resistance, tolerates summer heat and dry weather,

 

[Bright Raven]

I don't have it. Someone on here recommended it a few months ago and I researched it. I am planning on frost seeding it in the fall on my pastures (well, what I can afford anyway). When I looked at it I was impressed. But is about $200/50lb.

I will see if I can see who posted that.

Thanks. I will see if they have it at the Mill.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

I agree with the Ladino, but I would go with frost seeding Jumo Ladino (more expensive, but will give better yield in the long run) in the late fall. Just be careful what you spray it within the spring.

I agree with the others, but I would let it go to seed before I cut it. Just prepping for a better stand next year.

I also use Ladino clover by frost seeding. Tell me about Jumo.

I think he meant Jumbo Ladino

 

[MrSmith]

Mow it all down, and clean it up. Cattle like freshly mowed pasture, and it helps to control weeds.

Here is an instructional photo, from our operation. LO

[image]306[/image]

The cows lose their minds when they hit the "carpet"

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

When you say "clean it up" do you mean hay it?
When I've mowed in the past I've had trouble with the windrow killing grass.

I think I'm going to mow some of it just enough to knock the seed heads off, and mow another section down a little shorter than that.

I'm just worried about fescue toxicity since these girls will be 3rd stage when the heat gets here.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Mow it all down, and clean it up. Cattle like freshly mowed pasture, and it helps to control weeds.

Here is an instructional photo, from our operation. LO

[image]306[/image]



The cows lose their minds when they hit the "carpet"

Too late to do right now, but for next year, broadcast Ladino clover on your pastures. That field above is thick with Ladino, which makes cattle nice and fat.

When you say "clean it up" do you mean hay it?
When I've mowed in the past I've had trouble with the windrow killing grass.

I think I'm going to mow some of it just enough to knock the seed heads off, and mow another section down a little shorter than that.

I'm just worried about fescue toxicity since these girls will be 3rd stage when the heat gets here.

I take it all down to about 6-8 inches with a Woods Mower, what I meant by clean it up, is to run a chain harrow over it. Usually, I will let a group out on a lot that is thick, they work on it for about 8 days or so, then I move them out, mow it and harrow. I try to do this ahead of a heavy rain if possible. I know it sounds intensive, but the pastures will look very good. When you bring the cattle back on the field in about 10-12 days, they will have lush pasture. This is what I do, I'm not saying it will work for your operation. Suppose it were very dry, this would not work.

My neighbor does this religiously and his pastures are excellent.

 

[Ebenezer]

I do not know your soils or your exact climate. If all you have is mainly fescue it just looks like you have a lot of grass right now and if a drought hits it will be marginal and in August and September you will be hurting without unusual rain (experience from here in SC). In areas of the south that are probably less kind to fescue than in KY and that more northern region and soils a short summer clip or a heavy grazing of fescue will weaken it. That might work to your advantage to add other species but will not allow as much stockpiling in the coming winter. It is truly a balancing act. We leave seedheads and one rotation is the cows and sheep eating dried seedheads. We do not see problems from it because we have selected for fescue resistance in the cattle and apparently the sheep, too. The tall aspect of the seedheads also keep wind and sun from the forages and soil below and extend grazing into the summer and longer in droughts. The term Ladino is not used in our region anymore and terms such as medium white and large white clovers are more common. See if there is a state grazing group or a skilled rotating grazer near you and in similar soils and you can learn a lot more that is applicable than a wide spread search for knowledge here.