When do you start mowing pasture

[rjbovine]

Older gentlemen I drink coffee with has raised cattle 40 yr. His idea to mow often enough so grass doesn't go to seed. He says if plant goes to seed it will quit growing. First time I have heard this . What do you all think. Thanks rj

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I have heard that before.

 

[Jogeephus]

There is a grain of truth in that but I've seen it more prevalent on hayfields that have been stunted due to drought and went to seed prematurely. I never mow my pastures. Fuel is too high. Let the cows do it.

 

[Bigfoot]

Think about it. How many inches of foliage do you remove from your yard in a year? How does that compare to your pasture growth? Probably best to mow pasture, but not with a bush hog, but a cow. Rotate often, and spray for weeds. I can't mob graze, well I guess I could, I just dont. I do rotate, and stockpile. I'm starting to think its better to control weeds than clip pasture. Let the cattle clip the grass.

 

[Jogeephus]

That's my feelings too. I'm sure there are some grasses that may need it but also that grass you mow today might just be the grass you need in a month from now.

 

[dun]

It will stop growing until you removve the growth, a cow is my preferred method of mowing it, bushhog is way down the list but is an option.

 

[gonzo]

I don't have an abundance of pasture as it is my girls got it like a golf coarse before I rotate 'm.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I mow the weeds about 3 times a year . I only have about 130 acres in pasture it only takes me 2 days with a 15 foot bAt wing . I prefer not to spray . And if I do have to spray its spot spraying .

 

[dieselbeef]

only if it has real tall deadness n top i might mow it down..but this yr i just chopped and dragged it in the rain

 

[bigbull338]

you do not shredd good grass down anytime.you only shredd the weeds an thorn bushes.in 1 pasture the grass is up to my belly.so thick i wont walk through it.

 

[agmantoo]

If you have a heavy stand of fescue grass and want to reduce the affects of the endophyte you clip the seed heads off. I also do not spray paddocks for weeds as I believe spraying stresses the growing forage even though the forage survives the spray.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Older gentlemen I drink coffee with has raised cattle 40 yr. His idea to mow often enough so grass doesn't go to seed. He says if plant goes to seed it will quit growing. First time I have heard this . What do you all think. Thanks rj

I never mow a pasture that is what I have cow's for, I ain't cutting cow feed.
That is why the place is cross fenced to rotational graze.
Pasture's are fertilized, aerated, sprayed for weed's.
I will be dam if I am going to burn diesel to destroy feed.
My pastures are better than most in the area.

 

[Limomike]

I mow the weeds about 3 times a year . I only have about 130 acres in pasture it only takes me 2 days with a 15 foot bAt wing . I prefer not to spray . And if I do have to spray its spot spraying .

Exactly what we do around here too . We spot spray, (dont do an big spray cuz we have water wells & springs on the place), and then we mow once a year. Cattle do the rest...

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What is the long term affect of plowing under the weeds? More weeds?

 

[ANAZAZI]

What is the long term affect of plowing under the weeds? More weeds?

No, just more plowing.

 

[rjbovine]

Thanks for yor thought. A little different subject . How do you get your cows to eat or graze the grass clumps around the cow pies ?

 

[JSCATTLE]

Don't feed them .

 

[1wlimo]

rotational grazing, and more intensive the better your grass management can be.

when I have had grasses like rye grass starting to seed out I would cut just the seed heads off, no point cutting off any more of the grass than you have to. This helps to increase vegetative growth, while reducing the fuel and time used.

 

[novatech]

rotational grazing, and more intensive the better your grass management can be.

when I have had grasses like rye grass starting to seed out I would cut just the seed heads off, no point cutting off any more of the grass than you have to. This helps to increase vegetative growth, while reducing the fuel and time used.[/quote]
My experience is that the grass just goes back to producing more seed.

 

[dieselbeef]

if ya dont let it go to seed how will it ever get better? we dont seed or till or do any of that high dollar stuff. i drag and mow..thats all i can do. we drag when its wet and the grass is short. when its too tall and after it seeds off we mow to put the seed back into the soil.
we have bahia..i think management is diff for diff grasses obviously..but its gotta seed out or the past will continue to thin out.

gary