Over-wintering on your permanent pasture

[KevinN]

I have been told it's a bad mistake to let livestock graze pasture too close before it goes dormant. So...I try to leave it 3-4 inches at the end of the grazing season before dormancy and put my stock in a wintering area. Unfortunately, the wintering area becomes a muddy mess and I don't think it's very healthy.
If I allow them back on pasture they continue to graze the dormant pasture very short. Is this a problem?

Does it make good sense to leave the pasture 3-4 inches until dormancy and let the stock back on the dormant pasture in the winter.
If you do that...what is the best time to take them off again before spring...or not?

Thanks, Kevin

 

[Bigfoot]

Probably depends more on the forage your grazing. Eat fescue down too short a few times, and it thins out pretty quick.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I have been told it's a bad mistake to let livestock graze pasture too close before it goes dormant. So...I try to leave it 3-4 inches at the end of the grazing season before dormancy and put my stock in a wintering area. Unfortunately, the wintering area becomes a muddy mess and I don't think it's very healthy.
If I allow them back on pasture they continue to graze the dormant pasture very short. Is this a problem?

Does it make good sense to leave the pasture 3-4 inches until dormancy and let the stock back on the dormant pasture in the winter.
If you do that...what is the best time to take them off again before spring...or not?

Thanks, Kevin

The large hairy dude is right Kevin. It would also help to know where you're located.

 

[callmefence]

I winter some on my summer pasture and hayfields.
I roll out hay that they clean up well. In a different spot every day. You don't want a carpet of old hay.

 

[kenny thomas]

Probably depends more on the forage your grazing. Eat fescue down too short a few times, and it thins out pretty quick.

I'm going to agree and disagree on the fescue. Stockpile it , graze it after it's dormant and as it gets short feed on it by unrolling hay.
As Bigfoot says don't graze it too short during the growing season.

 

[KevinN]

I'm in NJ....a sanctuary state with the highest cost of living, number 2 state with people leaving, a democratic gov named phony Phil Murphy and a pasture full of shale....don't ask.

 

[kenny thomas]

I'm in NJ....a sanctuary state with the highest cost of living, number 2 state with people leaving, a democratic gov named phony Phil Murphy and a pasture full of shale....don't ask.

For years I would have said to move to VA but no more.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I'm in NJ....a sanctuary state with the highest cost of living, number 2 state with people leaving, a democratic gov named phony Phil Murphy and a pasture full of shale....don't ask.

Come to Tennessee Kevin. We're still free.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I over winter on permanate pasture but there is 40 inches of snow out there so no grazing risk. Lol

 

[Stocker Steve]

The bigger your cows are the worse the physical damage gets. You need a sacrifice lot during certain times of the year to avoid damage to permanent pasture from cows.

Some "improved" grasses die out when you graze them short. Others are just very slow to grow the following spring. Either way you are increasing costs. You need a sacrifice lot during certain times of the year to avoid damage to permanent pasture from cows.

 

[chaded]

If I had mine in what I have used as a sacrifice lot they would be up to their chest in mud. I started out doing it again this winter and got tired of it. I am now unrolling hay and keeping them moving and we are all happier. My cows are in the 1000-1100 pound range, not sure I would want to do it with hippo cows though. LOL.

 

[Alsupk]

What is a good winter grass to seed a pasture in? I am in central Texas. We have the grass come up native but it doesn't really come I. Great till now. If we could pull them from the main pasture in the winter to the other it would help out significantly.

 

[1982vett]

Gulf coast ryegrass and clover. Could pasture drill some oats in too.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I unfilled on pasture until the first or middle of January. Then moved to a 6 or 7 acre lot and began feeding in rings to stretch out hay.

It's been so dam wet again this winter that I'm feeling bad for the cows. Had the first calves of the season hit last week. Decided this morning I'm gonna turn them back out onto the pasture and hope for the best. Got about 45 or 50 tight soft core bales left. Feeding 30 cows, 10 calves, and 10 replacements between 1 to 2 years old. But it's been warm for the last few weeks. Hopefully the grass will kick in very soon. Would love to make it til March 21 or so before I turn them onto ryegrass. It hasn't came up like I had hoped. Guess I should have disced it a little. Hopefully I'm just being impatient.

 

[ClinchValley86]

In the fall, when grass gets down to about 4 or 6 inches, I start feeding hay. I begin with a bale in a ring, 2 of them.

They really don't seem to eat the grass below 3 or 4 inches. Eventually, here at least, they start relying only on hay and leave the grass alone. If it shoots regrowth of course they take it. But they leave the crowns alone for the most part is what I'm seeing. But we do have decent hay w good clovers and grasses.