source: Farm and Food Report
Spring is well on its way. You figure you have seen your cattle long enough, and that it is time to send them out to pasture after feeding them all winter.
Just wait and make sure the grass has had a chance to grow before calling it freedom, says André Bonneau, a Forage Conversion Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.
“The longer you wait before you turn your cows out in the spring, the more pasture you will have in the fall. One good rule of thumb is that each extra day you keep your herd off the pasture will translate into up to five extra days in the fall. Depending on growing conditions, sometimes you will make even more than that.”
Bonneau recommends waiting until at least the first week of June before turning out your cows, with a few exceptions:
“In the case of your calving pasture, you wouldn’t worry too much because the pasture might not be used again for some time. That would be more or less a sacrifice pasture because it’ll be grazed hard in the spring and left alone, without welcoming an animal until fall or perhaps even next spring.”
If your pasture or one of your pastures has been overgrazed during the last few years, Bonneau advises some measure of caution.
“The pressure on the grasses may have allowed the release of some poisonous species like locoweed, which contains a variety of toxins and causes locoism in horses, cattle, and sheep, resulting in locomotor disturbances, trembling and depression. Larkspur is another highly toxic plant, as is seaside arrowgrass. Their occurrence varies, depending on the part of the province where you are located.”
One other notorious poisonous plant is the infamous western water hemlock that can result in death when ingested. Many of these plants are the first green plants in the spring, explains Bonneau.
“What can happen is that if people put out their cattle before the grass has a chance to grow, the cattle may feed on the poisonous species. This could have serious consequences for herd health.”
Bonneau suggests the adoption of good pasture stewardship practices to ensure the resource is used sustainably.
“Riparian areas should be protected during the spring because they are particularly vulnerable to erosion and disturbance, given that the ground is softer. The use of an alternate water supply may be the sensible course of action. Ranchers might even consider pumping the water out into troughs to save the riparian belt during the critical period.”
Resource management strategies, such as rotational grazing programs, may make all the difference in the world, because a plan like that provides a viable framework for grazing activities.
“Remember that it makes sense to graze your tame grasses before your native grasses, so they can have the benefit of warmer weather to establish themselves adequately and help you increase your gains later on during the summer.”
This, and a little dose of common sense, will help ensure your grazing season is a rewarding and productive component of your cattle operation.
For more information, contact:
André Bonneau
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
(306) 694-3721
Spring is well on its way. You figure you have seen your cattle long enough, and that it is time to send them out to pasture after feeding them all winter.
Just wait and make sure the grass has had a chance to grow before calling it freedom, says André Bonneau, a Forage Conversion Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.
“The longer you wait before you turn your cows out in the spring, the more pasture you will have in the fall. One good rule of thumb is that each extra day you keep your herd off the pasture will translate into up to five extra days in the fall. Depending on growing conditions, sometimes you will make even more than that.”
Bonneau recommends waiting until at least the first week of June before turning out your cows, with a few exceptions:
“In the case of your calving pasture, you wouldn’t worry too much because the pasture might not be used again for some time. That would be more or less a sacrifice pasture because it’ll be grazed hard in the spring and left alone, without welcoming an animal until fall or perhaps even next spring.”
If your pasture or one of your pastures has been overgrazed during the last few years, Bonneau advises some measure of caution.
“The pressure on the grasses may have allowed the release of some poisonous species like locoweed, which contains a variety of toxins and causes locoism in horses, cattle, and sheep, resulting in locomotor disturbances, trembling and depression. Larkspur is another highly toxic plant, as is seaside arrowgrass. Their occurrence varies, depending on the part of the province where you are located.”
One other notorious poisonous plant is the infamous western water hemlock that can result in death when ingested. Many of these plants are the first green plants in the spring, explains Bonneau.
“What can happen is that if people put out their cattle before the grass has a chance to grow, the cattle may feed on the poisonous species. This could have serious consequences for herd health.”
Bonneau suggests the adoption of good pasture stewardship practices to ensure the resource is used sustainably.
“Riparian areas should be protected during the spring because they are particularly vulnerable to erosion and disturbance, given that the ground is softer. The use of an alternate water supply may be the sensible course of action. Ranchers might even consider pumping the water out into troughs to save the riparian belt during the critical period.”
Resource management strategies, such as rotational grazing programs, may make all the difference in the world, because a plan like that provides a viable framework for grazing activities.
“Remember that it makes sense to graze your tame grasses before your native grasses, so they can have the benefit of warmer weather to establish themselves adequately and help you increase your gains later on during the summer.”
This, and a little dose of common sense, will help ensure your grazing season is a rewarding and productive component of your cattle operation.
For more information, contact:
André Bonneau
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
(306) 694-3721
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