Swath Grazing

[HDRider]

Does anyone here do this?

 

[kenny thomas]

I have never seen it here but would love to know the advantage of cutting and raking it vs stockpiling it. Is the waste less?

 

[Bigfoot]

I know what it is, but that's about it. I always thought it was an up north thing, and my winter was to warm and wet to make it work.

 

[kenny thomas]

I know what it is, but that's about it. I always thought it was an up north thing, and my winter was to warm and wet to make it work.

you have a point. The ground rarely freezes here so I wonder how it would be. I have a few acres of stockpiled fescue left and the mower is still on the tractor and the rake is still hooked to another tractor soooooo maybe I will see on an acre or so.

 

[HDRider]

I know what it is, but that's about it. I always thought it was an up north thing, and my winter was to warm and wet to make it work.

The picture is from Idaho.

Why would weather be different for baled versus swathed? I know the bale is tighter, but wouldn't the swathed just dry out? Your temp would be pretty low most of the time.

 

[Bigfoot]

I could just see mine, rotting before the cows got to it. I could also see the grass Dieing under it. Those two scenerios, may not happen. I do know it's awful wet and nasty at my place today.

 

[HDRider]

I could just see mine, rotting before the cows got to it. I could also see the grass Dieing under it. Those two scenerios, may not happen. I do know it's awful wet and nasty at my place today.

Maybe KT can tell us.. Is your weather mostly like his?

 

[kenny thomas]

I know what it is, but that's about it. I always thought it was an up north thing, and my winter was to warm and wet to make it work.

The picture is from Idaho.

Why would weather be different for baled versus swathed? I know the bale is tighter, but wouldn't the swathed just dry out? Your temp would be pretty low most of the time.

Ok, my brain is working now. In bigfoots and my area it is usually wet and the windrow will rot if left there. We have to fluff it out if it gets rained on. With their not having much moisture I am pretty sure it would work better there. HAHAHA I was typing this at the same time as bigfoot.

 

[kenny thomas]

I could just see mine, rotting before the cows got to it. I could also see the grass Dieing under it. Those two scenerios, may not happen. I do know it's awful wet and nasty at my place today.

Maybe KT can tell us.. Is your weather mostly like his?

Yes our weather is almost exactly like his. We are not that far apart.

 

[HDRider]

I know what it is, but that's about it. I always thought it was an up north thing, and my winter was to warm and wet to make it work.

The picture is from Idaho.

Why would weather be different for baled versus swathed? I know the bale is tighter, but wouldn't the swathed just dry out? Your temp would be pretty low most of the time.

Ok, my brain is working now. In bigfoots and my area it is usually wet and the windrow will rot if left there. We have to fluff it out if it gets rained on. With their not having much moisture I am pretty sure it would work better there. HAHAHA I was typing this at the same time as bigfoot.

Would it rot in the winter? I'd think you'd need some heat.

 

[HDRider]

This just in...

 

[Bigfoot]

You and I, are probably less than a half a planting zone apart. Not uncommon for me to get almost 50 inches of rain, with the bulk in the winter. I would think that the moisture alone, would ruin it.

 

[kenny thomas]

Weather is kinda weird here. Last Saturday it was 62 and tonight it will be 22. Snow above about 1800 ft here today. I can stockpile the fescue and just graze it as needed and get by well. Calves will have enough stockpiled grass to do most of the winter but the cows started on hay this week. Up until last year I could graze 11 months without feeding hay. Loss of an adjoining farm lease had hurt me there.

 

[HDRider]

Where swath is viable, why would swathing be better than letting the grass stand uncut to stockpile?

 

[kenny thomas]

You and I, are probably less than a half a planting zone apart. Not uncommon for me to get almost 50 inches of rain, with the bulk in the winter. I would think that the moisture alone, would ruin it.

If you look at the above map I am right at the pointed tip in the western part of VA. I can see KY out the front door and TN out the back door.

 

[kenny thomas]

This just in...

Yep the dryest areas of the west is where it shows to work. Oh well, good thought.

 

[skyhightree1]

I could just see mine, rotting before the cows got to it. I could also see the grass Dieing under it. Those two scenerios, may not happen. I do know it's awful wet and nasty at my place today.

Same here we get too much rain we got almost 6 inches here this last week.

 

[fitz]

I could just see mine, rotting before the cows got to it. I could also see the grass Dieing under it. Those two scenerios, may not happen. I do know it's awful wet and nasty at my place today.

Same here we get too much rain we got almost 6 inches here this last week.

We've had 3" for the month and 1.6" of that in the last week. My haying area is terrible. At 6" I'd have to put mine in boats.

fitz

 

[Bez__]

Interesting how the world ends at the 49'th.

While we bale graze on a continual basis here at the farm we do a bit of swath grazing. We were in it continually in Peace River country which is where I first saw it done. Used to literally do it in quarter section and section sized pastures.

We will probably do this next year here at the farm as we are planting another 25 acres of hay ground and we will cover it with oats. So it should be interesting. As we are almost out of the cow business we will likely put the neighbours cows on it.

As long as you can get a good freeze it works like a charm and they will feed themselves unless there is an ice crust or the snow gets deeper than the depth of their eyes. Wet weather makes for big losses. Ice crust can be beat by running over it with a Ski-doo or putting a couple of compliant and no trouble horses in the field to paw the ground.

Not a fan of horses with cows but they can sometimes work out.

Usually we planted oats/barley late in the year and then swathed it in the field and left it for the cows. We have never done it with hay crops.

We never worried about water as they ate the snow.

Cheers

Bez__