winter pasture

[kenny thomas]

Turned out 70 cows on winter pasture today. Usually turn out Jan 1 but after reading some of Duns posts on fescue I waited until now. Sure will be nice not fighting the mud feeding hay for the next few weeks. Think I have enough to last until March 1. Anyone else still grazing?

 

[dun]

Turned out 70 cows on winter pasture today. Usually turn out Jan 1 but after reading some of Duns posts on fescue I waited until now. Sure will be nice not fighting the mud feeding hay for the next few weeks. Think I have enough to last until March 1. Anyone else still grazing?

Yup

 

[kenny thomas]

Dun, I calve in late Jan and Feb and a few in March. I have had a lot less problems since I started calving on grass. Have you noticed any difference?

 

[cfpinz]

On December 18, 3 of my 4 groups had another month to 6 weeks of grazing easy. Started feeding on Dec 19th because the grass was under 2' of snow. The snow just left two of those groups today because of the rain. Cows had become used to eating out of rings, looked at me like I was crazy when I didn't give them any hay today, back to work girls!

 

[Angus Cowman]

I just turned in to some more pasture this week should last a couple more weeks unless we get more snow or some ice , then it is hay feeding time

hopefully in another month I can turn some 1st calf pairs back on the Rye jsut to give them another boost

 

[dun]

Dun, I calve in late Jan and Feb and a few in March. I have had a lot less problems since I started calving on grass. Have you noticed any difference?

We calve march through april, alwasy have because that's when the grass starts kicking in. Depending on the stockpiled grass we may or may not put out hay in march in the calving pasture. Another eeason for calving in march april is the weather is "usually" less unpredictable and if bad weather does roll in it only lasts a day or 2. Makes it easier on the new born calves and easier on me. Becaue of some bought cattle, this year we've had calves in august, too hot and is tough on the cows, grass going doramnt, and the calves because of the flys and heat. Had a december calf this year and that's just too early. Next year we'll be back to our usual calving window (unless we buy some oddball calvers)

 

[marksmu]

I havent fed a bale of hay all year. I only have 45 cow though, and I have 800 acres - but I have our calves on 135 acres of rye, and the cows are on stockpiled Bermuda grass till this weekend.

Tomorrow, I will move the cows into the rye, and put up a second electric fence to separate them from the calves that are already in the rye. I was hoping to get a few more weeks out of the stockpiled Bermuda, but its getting to where they have about cleaned it up, and the rest of my property is still flooded for hunting season.

Plan on removing the stop logs and letting the fields drain Saturday night. Should take a month before its dry, but soil moisture will be excellent, and it greens up FAST without competition from weeds b/c of the flooding.

 

[cfpinz]

I havent fed a bale of hay all year. I only have 45 cow though, and I have 800 acres - but I have our calves on 135 acres of rye, and the cows are on stockpiled Bermuda grass till this weekend.

Tomorrow, I will move the cows into the rye, and put up a second electric fence to separate them from the calves that are already in the rye. I was hoping to get a few more weeks out of the stockpiled Bermuda, but its getting to where they have about cleaned it up, and the rest of my property is still flooded for hunting season.

Plan on removing the stop logs and letting the fields drain Saturday night. Should take a month before its dry, but soil moisture will be excellent, and it greens up FAST without competition from weeds b/c of the flooding.

Never heard of that before, please educate me.

 

[TSR]

I havent fed a bale of hay all year. I only have 45 cow though, and I have 800 acres - but I have our calves on 135 acres of rye, and the cows are on stockpiled Bermuda grass till this weekend.

Tomorrow, I will move the cows into the rye, and put up a second electric fence to separate them from the calves that are already in the rye. I was hoping to get a few more weeks out of the stockpiled Bermuda, but its getting to where they have about cleaned it up, and the rest of my property is still flooded for hunting season.

Plan on removing the stop logs and letting the fields drain Saturday night. Should take a month before its dry, but soil moisture will be excellent, and it greens up FAST without competition from weeds b/c of the flooding.

Never heard of that before, please educate me.

I don't know about his situation but around here some people flood part of their fields for duck hunting.