Our cows will dig through pretty deep snow to get to the swaths. As long as the snow is below their bellies they will dig for it. Same goes with stockpiled grasses. We let a pasture or two grow all summer and then we put the cows in their when the snow falls and as long as the grass comes through the snow they will go searching for it. But it has to be a grass that doesnt turn when it goes to seed and it has to grow fairly tall. We use smooth wheat grass. Our cows dont leave any swath behind and they will graze the sloughs and in the trees where there is grass to eat, as well as along the fencelines. Just make sure that the land they are swath grazing on has places to get out of the wind or have portable windbreak fences making up a large enough area that all the cows can get behind for protection. We are getting portable windbreaks this year and the only thing with them is that you have to move them so the bedpack doesnt build up.
