Mowing pastures

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GreyGus

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Mar 23, 2024
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City & State/Province
Central Virginia
About a month ago I moved my small herd, 6 cows, 6 spring calves from one pasture to another. That pasture had been vacant since April. I mowed the new pasture to about 8 to 10 inches before introducing the cows. I didn’t want to mow any shorter because it has been so dry in Virginia, although we have gotten some rain in the last couple weeks.
My problem is now one cow and four of the calves have pinkeye. They showed no signs before the move.
Did I cut the pasture to the wrong height increasing the risk of eye irritation?

I am in the process of building exterior fence and handling facilities, but they won’t be completed for a month. I called the vet and she referred me to a guy who is coming out tomorrow morning to dart them with Draxxin.
I just hope I am not too late, one calf has both eyes clouded over. I had been away about a week, I had someone checking to make sure they were all present, but they were just counting heads. This makes me worry about leaving for any extended period of time.
First time I have ever had to deal with Pinkeye, I feel terrible for the cows.
 
I try and vaccinate by late May or June each year for pinkeye. Usually have pastures mowed at different heights or not mowed at all on the steeper ones. I do not mow those until October (that is when the contract bush hoggers come through). I see no real pattern to outbreaks of pnikeye.
I think flies, dust, heat and grass stems all play a role but it is hard to be definite about what causes it.
Don't beat yourself up about it, it happens or does not no matter your management.
I usually do not have a major problem with it and think large areas of deep shade are helpful to keeping it down and less severe.
 
I wouldn't think that clipping when you did or the height would have caused the pinkeye. If anything, removing the seedheads, what was left of them, slowed/minimized the infections.

That said, now about when you clipped..... In order to maintain or keep your pastures growing or in a vegetative state, you needed to mow the pasture pretty much immediately when the cows came off in April. Maybe a week later but not much more, especially this year. The intent/goal of doing that, and do it/this next year, is to remove the developing seed heads. By doing this, you prevent the seeds/seedheads from sending signals/hormones to the rest of/roots/crown of the plant that basically are telling the plant "HEY, YOU CAN STOP GROWING THIS YEAR, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PRODUCED SEED". Your goal, as a GRASS FARMER, is to keep that grass growing for as long as possible and producing as much leaf material/forage as possible. This is to FEED THE CATTLE. Your goal, except in RARE cases (and the rare cases would be to produce seed for NATIVE grasses only) should be to grow FORAGE, not GRASS SEED. Bear in mind I'm talking Virginia, the native bunchgrasses and weather patterns dictate a different strategy west of the Mississippi (roughly).
 
I think the cut pasture would have definitely contributed to the pink eye but it is not a tragedy, the Draxin should deal with it. We do what we need to do to help get the best feed for them, sometimes there is an untoward side effect that needs to be dealt with but you get it sorted and maybe next year take steps like @Mark Reynolds has suggested to sidestep it.

Ken
 
Twisted said:
I wouldn't think that a clipped pasture was the cause, I would suspect flies and hauling them down a dusty road would be nearer the culprit. You say that it is dry there.
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No hauling on dusty roads, when I moved them I just walked them across my yard and over the pond dam. I bring them feed in the Polaris and they are good about following it.

We do have lots of flies, and it has been unusually hot this summer. Lots of days mid 90’s.

They do have access to about three acres of woods, so plenty of shade.

They don’t have fly tags, before next spring I will have pen with a runway and a squeeze chute, so I think I will try them.
 
Mark Reynolds said:
I wouldn't think that clipping when you did or the height would have caused the pinkeye. If anything, removing the seedheads, what was left of them, slowed/minimized the infections.

That said, now about when you clipped..... In order to maintain or keep your pastures growing or in a vegetative state, you needed to mow the pasture pretty much immediately when the cows came off in April. Maybe a week later but not much more, especially this year. The intent/goal of doing that, and do it/this next year, is to remove the developing seed heads. By doing this, you prevent the seeds/seedheads from sending signals/hormones to the rest of/roots/crown of the plant that basically are telling the plant "HEY, YOU CAN STOP GROWING THIS YEAR, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PRODUCED SEED". Your goal, as a GRASS FARMER, is to keep that grass growing for as long as possible and producing as much leaf material/forage as possible. This is to FEED THE CATTLE. Your goal, except in RARE cases (and the rare cases would be to produce seed for NATIVE grasses only) should be to grow FORAGE, not GRASS SEED. Bear in mind I'm talking Virginia, the native bunchgrasses and weather patterns dictate a different strategy west of the Mississippi (roughly).
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I appreciate the information about mowing. If I understand, I should always keep pastures mowed to a height to prevent seedheads?

The cows will be rotated back to the front pasture in about a week,, while we build fence where they are now. I will plan on mowing it when I pull them off.

The front pasture has grass 6 - 8 inches tall, but it does have some weedy areas where the weeds are taller than the grass. I will try and get those areas mowed before they move next week.

When I get my fencing and cross fencing and waterers installed (should be finished end of September) I will have 4 separate areas I can rotate through. And can use temporary fencing to halve each of those.
 
just wanted to add I appreciate everyone’s replies. It will be interesting to see what the guy doing the darts has to say tomorrow.
 
If you are building a pen to catch them up in, you may want to try spraying them at around two week intervals before you invest in fly tags.
Not saying tags are bad but they usually only work around 3-4 months then should be removed since the smaller dose they emit then just makes the later flies somewhat immune. They work for some people but I doubt many take out the old tags until they retag the following spring.
You may also want to think about a longer acting pour on like Boss or Sabre. I've used a synergised permethrin with good results. Back rubs and dust bags are options,too.
 
GreyGus said:
I appreciate the information about mowing. If I understand, I should always keep pastures mowed to a height to prevent seedheads?

The cows will be rotated back to the front pasture in about a week,, while we build fence where they are now. I will plan on mowing it when I pull them off.

The front pasture has grass 6 - 8 inches tall, but it does have some weedy areas where the weeds are taller than the grass. I will try and get those areas mowed before they move next week.

When I get my fencing and cross fencing and waterers installed (should be finished end of September) I will have 4 separate areas I can rotate through. And can use temporary fencing to halve each of those.
Click to expand...
As you are in Virginia, I'm guessing your seedheads are going to come from tall fescue. The short answer to your question is yes, but do realize that you usually only need to mow the seedheads once where you are and you will 'take out' better than 80% (probably more like 90% typically) of the seedheads that are going to be produced that year. The remaining 10-20% aren't going to hinder growth enough to justify cutting again (or be enough of a concern for pink eye. @kenny thomas is in Kentucky and can shed some additional insight on tall fescue, if that is what you have.

As for the weedy areas, turn the cows in to the pasture and let them eat the grass, and weeds (very nutritious) before you mow. When the cows come out of the pasture, mow the remaining weeds to the height of the grazed grass such that the weeds no longer have an advantage over the grass by not being "removed from the plant" (cut or eaten) over the grass that has been shortened by grazing.

Before you put those cross fences and waterers in, Read the "4 Never fail rules of grazing". To apply those, you will need a minimum of 5 pastures. I'll look at what you have if you want me to.
 
I've had more pinkeye this year than I have ever had . Seems like I've got it stopped and I have another calf get it . Flys have been bad and I've always clipped pasture to help rather than cause pinkeye. Just think the germ is here and we just keep passing it around. Our catching facilities are in poor shape and are the next thing on our list to build/ repair.Strange thing is on the flys , I have done more to combat flys this year than I have ever done . Face flys are low in number but pinkeye keeps coming
 
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Mark Reynolds said:
As you are in Virginia, I'm guessing your seedheads are going to come from tall fescue. The short answer to your question is yes, but do realize that you usually only need to mow the seedheads once where you are and you will 'take out' better than 80% (probably more like 90% typically) of the seedheads that are going to be produced that year. The remaining 10-20% aren't going to hinder growth enough to justify cutting again (or be enough of a concern for pink eye. @kenny thomas is in Kentucky and can shed some additional insight on tall fescue, if that is what you have.

As for the weedy areas, turn the cows in to the pasture and let them eat the grass, and weeds (very nutritious) before you mow. When the cows come out of the pasture, mow the remaining weeds to the height of the grazed grass such that the weeds no longer have an advantage over the grass by not being "removed from the plant" (cut or eaten) over the grass that has been shortened by grazing.

Before you put those cross fences and waterers in, Read the "4 Never fail rules of grazing". To apply those, you will need a minimum of 5 pastures. I'll look at what you have if you want me to.
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Agree mostly, except i am not in KY. I can see KY from my front porch and TN from my back porch but im in Virginia.
 
Ebenezer said:
I would like to see research that says that clipping fescue seedheads reduces pinkeye. I have never seen that link here on the farm.
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I'm not sure there is any research but i feel the irritation of the seedheads to the eyes "could" allow the pinkeye to get started easier. Thats my thought only.
I clip pastures early in the year to keep the fescue growing and in a vegetative stage. I have few weeds but will spray or bush hog any areas where i might get pigweed. Maybe a 1/4 acre total this year.
 
GreyGus said:
No hauling on dusty roads, when I moved them I just walked them across my yard and over the pond dam. I bring them feed in the Polaris and they are good about following it.

We do have lots of flies, and it has been unusually hot this summer. Lots of days mid 90's.

They do have access to about three acres of woods, so plenty of shade.

They don't have fly tags, before next spring I will have pen with a runway and a squeeze chute, so I think I will try them.
Click to expand...
If they come to a feed bucket, you don't have to have a chute. Just a bottle of Permethrin and 1, 2, or 3 gal sprayer. Mix it as it is directed on the bottle or jug and just walk around them spraying them while they feed. Really soak them down until it runs off. They'll love you for it.

If you aren't familiar with Permethrin,
It is derived from the Chrysanthemum plant. The same plant your grandmother planted in her garden to keep the pest away. It will not hurt the cows.
 
Ebenezer said:
I would like to see research that says that clipping fescue seedheads reduces pinkeye. I have never seen that link here on the farm.
Click to expand...
I think its all anecdotal evidence, at least what I've encountered about seedheads. I'll add to that - some seed heads are much worse than others, and make tall fescue look benign. I think it probably does, but suspect you will have a very difficult time finding evidence and/or proving it. So, don't clip to prevent pinkeye, but do clip to grow more grass. ☺️
 
Was reading this while we are taking a break and sitting here in the camper in the AC! All of my life, I don't ever recall having any Corriente with pink eye, even those I have up in north Ga, on Fescue that is never mowed... always allowed to go to seed. And though I haven't had no where near as many, I don't recall a pure LH or a pure Brahma having it either. Anyone on here ever had one of these with pink-eye? I think I have heard or read that the hooded eyelids that Brahmas have are the reason, but Criolo type cattle don't have these hooded eyes.
 
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