LuckyLegs
Active member
With the decent rain this summer and by moving towards a 1-2 day pasture rotation, I have been blessed with lots of grass this year - much more than the cows could keep up with. As we approach fall in S. Louisiana and the pasture will begin to go dormant, I have read around mid Oct for Bahia pasture (90% Bahia / 10% Bermuda), I have a few questions as far as stockpiling and grass management goes.
Currently, the cattle are rotated back to the areas they first grazed back in Apr-May where the grass is over mature and the oldest on my property. The areas they grazed within the last 20-45 days are shin/knee deep, lush and getting close to forming seed heads. Knowing I only have another 1-1.5 months before Bahia goes dormant, should I graze down this lush grass or continue on my current route and let the green stuff mature and graze in Nov/Dec (I am not sure of the protein content of Bahia left standing in a field after frost)? I also have set aside approx 1.5 months of grazing pasture that has not been grazed at all this year - I was gonna let the cows out on it and strip graze it late Dec/Jan - as an experiment to see what nutritional value it will have then, having been left untouched all summer.
I may also try broadcast seeding Rye in Nov/Dec to help fill that needed grazing window in Jan-Mar before spring starts to kick.
I am doing all this, with the ultimate goal of greatly reducing or eliminating my need for hay (I have adequate stored in the barn in case) which equates to more money in my pocket.
Thoughts???
Currently, the cattle are rotated back to the areas they first grazed back in Apr-May where the grass is over mature and the oldest on my property. The areas they grazed within the last 20-45 days are shin/knee deep, lush and getting close to forming seed heads. Knowing I only have another 1-1.5 months before Bahia goes dormant, should I graze down this lush grass or continue on my current route and let the green stuff mature and graze in Nov/Dec (I am not sure of the protein content of Bahia left standing in a field after frost)? I also have set aside approx 1.5 months of grazing pasture that has not been grazed at all this year - I was gonna let the cows out on it and strip graze it late Dec/Jan - as an experiment to see what nutritional value it will have then, having been left untouched all summer.
I may also try broadcast seeding Rye in Nov/Dec to help fill that needed grazing window in Jan-Mar before spring starts to kick.
I am doing all this, with the ultimate goal of greatly reducing or eliminating my need for hay (I have adequate stored in the barn in case) which equates to more money in my pocket.
Thoughts???