NY Pasture Walk Promotes Virtues of Extended Grazing

NY Pasture Walk Promotes Virtues of Extended Grazing

12/24/2011
By Marjorie Struckle New York Correspondent, Lancaster Farming

CANASTOTA, N.Y. — Becoming more common to Northeast livestock owners is a practice which decreases expenses, decreases labor and ultimately increases income — winter grazing.

The second annual Winter Grazing Pasture Walk was hosted recently by David and Suzi Taylor of Thistle Dew Farm in Canastota. The event was sponsored by Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance and New York State Agricultural Environmental Management program.

Participants — including those already doing winter grazing and those considering the practice — visited the 46-head cow/calf beef operation on 90 acres of the Taylor home.

Troy Bishopp, regional grazing specialist for the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District and Upper Susquehanna Coalition, led the discussion of the Taylors’ operation.

By stockpiling grazing material, the farm can support the herd through winter grazing. Stockpiling is an extended grazing technique in which some hay and pasture fields are saved for grazing after the forage growth has stopped.

Having determined the amount of dry matter required for the animals by using 3 percent of their body weight and factoring in additional requirements for cold weather, Bishopp determined that the herd requires 1,514 pounds of dry matter each day. The question is whether the farm can provide that amount through the winter. The farm is grazed and hay is harvested throughout the remainder of the year.

David Taylor said he allows the fields to continue to grow for stockpiled feed for a period of 60 days prior to the first frost.

“Although this year we had a light frost on Oct. 8, there was no killing frost till Oct. 18,” he said. “This varies a lot, so I generally begin the stockpiling from the date of Empire Farm Days, which is about Aug. 10.”

This decision also varies from farm to farm, as some participants indicated they allow the stockpiling at second cutting, while others harvested the second cutting.

A mowed field with a few inches growth begins the period for stockpiling from new grass regrowth. The variety of grass or legume can also determine the length of stockpiling.

“The winter heave of frost will level the fields out,” Bishopp said. “High concentration of the manure will encourage the animals to graze around the manure the first time, but the second grazing, the manure is generally worked into the soil, and creates lush green regrowth of grass.”

Allowing the grass to grow for 60 days prior to the first frost creates a grass of about 12 inches in height on this very fertilized land, he said.

“I graze until the grass is all gone,” Taylor said. “This year I supplemented 115 days of small square bales of hay.”

Bishopp said one cow per acre is suitable during the growing season on this farm, but a 1,000-pound animal may need 1 ½ acres during winter grazing. In winter grazing, Bishopp said, one inch of really thick grass will provide 250 pounds of dry matter per acre.

The fields visited contained about 12 inches of stockpiled grass which would yield 2,500 pounds of dry matter per acre. Using a requirement of 1,164 pounds dry mattter per day for the herd, it was calculated that the animals need to graze 0.47 acres per day or 0.6 acres per day (1,514 pounds total) during cold weather.

Both men said experience is the best instructor for winter grazing.

Taylor said the fences need to be moved to allow continuous fresh grazing for the animals, but he needs to calculate the amount of grass that will be eaten and not wasted by trampling for each move. He and Suzi move the fences daily.

Although Taylor said the animals will graze through a foot of snow, the type of snow is critical. A soft snow is good for grazing. But if it ices or freezes over, the animals will continue to graze but will cut their noses, so he feeds hay during these times.

“I try to never layer hay over a spot which the hay was already fed; the only time that happens is if it snows and I don’t see the previous layer of hay,” Taylor said.

Most winter graziers in attendance agreed that there are huge land and cattle improvements with the use of spaced bales. The waste hay and dropped seeds also help to build up lusher grasses the following year.

“If a storm is due, we move the animals into a sheltered ravine prior to the storm arriving,” Taylor said.

Once the ground is frozen and there is snow, there is little problem with mud. Participants brought up the issue of Johne’s disease and feeding on the ground with manure cover, but there has not been a concern with that so far.

Mineral salt blocks are available for free-choice use by the cattle, but Taylor said he chooses not to supplement all fields.

Taylor said he has saved $2,500 in hay costs. He sells much of his dry hay. “With the extra money we saved, we have purchased a new round baler, more land, worked on the house and expanded the herd,” he said.

He added that they needed $700 in start-up costs for polywire and posts.

“The Taylors began here with 20 cows, no feed and just dirt fields,” Bishopp said. “They have managed their resources.”

The Taylors also raise and use Australian shepherds.

“They are very intelligent, and although they are a working dog, they are part of our family,” Suzi Taylor said.

Some of the dogs mingled among the people and cattle waiting for a working command.

“Beef is at an all-time high, but you still want to lower costs and take advantage of the winter grazing,” Bishopp said.