Riparian Area question

[IluvABbeef]

Is it feasible to fence off most or all riparian areas, especially ones that are more likely to be sensitive to impact from cattle that graze or "live" in these areas?

Opinions please...

 

[kenny thomas]

Here both the state and the federal agencies will cost share the costs and in some cases pay you for doing it. That may include drilling a well or some type of alternative water source. I think it is a very idea for the enviroment and seems to be good for the cattle also.

 

[dun]

Possible, feasible and good practice.

 

[3waycross]

Possible, feasible and good practice.

:tiphat: :tiphat: :tiphat:

 

[hillsdown]

Same here KT, it is definitely worth it ,if you can get assistance with the costs.

A fella I know did a half section ,complete with a windmill. He is up around Three Hills Karin. The cost for everything would have been close to 100 grand , with all the programs available here he was out of pocket under 20 grand. Now when/if he sells that will also increase his property value. Have been looking into it here ,we wanted to get started a few years ago but every year we run out of time to work on infrastructure.

 

[IluvABbeef]

I know that one area of the home quarter I live on really needs some healing after it has suffered a lot of abuse from holding our steers in and around that area for many years. It's just starting to come back now in grass, but it's still in rough shape and will take another 5 to 10 years to actually be able to be considered a healthy riparian habitat. There's a few other areas on the farm that are (or were, rather, since now they're nothing more than part of what's being sown for corn, canola, wheat, or whatever else is grown there now) great habitat for wildlife, especially in the spring and during the wet periods in summer and fall.

A few years back when I was still in school and taking a forages course there were a couple of people that came in that presented their farm and what they did to maintain and encourage healthy riparian areas on their farm. They had fenced off most or all of those low spots that tend to get water-logged during the wet periods, put trees and willows in and just let Nature take its course. I believe they are the same folks you are referring to, HD, because I do remember they were quite local like in the Three Hills area or around Westlock or something like that. Anyway, they mentioned that they kept the cattle out of these areas for most of the year, and only let them in to graze for three or four weeks in the dry spells, or during drought.

I've also heard that these riparian areas are excellent grazing areas during times of drought. I think it's supposed to save on costs for buying hay if pastures run out any.

That's sorta along the lines of what I've been thinking and considering implementing if/when I get back into the cattle/grass-farmer biz.

 

[Lucky_P]

Flash-grazing riparian areas can actually improve forage production/soil health and enhance wildlife habitat - but if you allow the cows constant access, they certainly can damage creekbanks, enhance erosion, and foul the water.

I fenced off a 100-ft riparian bufferstrip along the creek that forms the eastern boundary of our farm, about 13 years ago, when NRCS was targeting the watershed I'm located in with some pretty good incentives. About 7 acres total. I haven't really missed the pasture all that much, and it gave me a place to plant several hundred pecans and walnuts - and a few wildlife food plots to hunt over. It's out of the CRP program now for the past 3 years, but until the trees get a little more size on 'em (probably another 3-5 years), I'm not giving the cows access to it.
Eventually, I'll back the fences up to the treeline on the creekbank,but the cows won't have access to the bank or the creek. We do rotational grazing, so they aren't in any particular paddock for more than 3 days - and usually less than 2, won't rotate back to a previously-grazed paddock in less than 30 days. Minimal to no adverse impact.