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Credit to Progressivecattle.com
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These thoughts may help you plan out a winter-feeding plan
that helps you reduce or prevent pasture degradation while still ensuring cows
are well cared for over the next few months.
1. Create a sacrifice pasture or lot
Deciding on one area to sacrifice, “This may save other
pastures from being damaged.” Sometimes in our area the soils get saturated
usually does with winter weather and the “bottom falls out”. You don’t want
your livestock or your feeding equipment to damage all of your pastures. You may want to pick a area that you plan to
renovate soon or one that stays drier most of the year. Usually you are better off completely losing
one small area than requiring maintenance to the entire farm.
2. Split your sacrifice area into two or more areas
Splitting the sacrifice area into two or more sections can
give you more control over the conditions your livestock endures throughout
winter feedings. You can rotate the livestock through one paddock or
trampled/worked up area, to another drier area that they were not on previously
can cause less destruction to your pasture or at least let the mud harden or
dry down a little while reducing some stress.
3. Target feeding
Relocating feeding sites around the pasture, draws or makes
them move to unused areas or paddocks.
This can help with manure deposition and this prevents overuse of any
one specific area.
4. Rolling out the hay
Rolling out bales is a often used way to feed round bales
and prevent pasture damage. This practice can allow for greater linear footage
for hay consumption, create a mat or bed for any calves, etc., can help manure
deposition and other benefits. However,
it can lead to extreme waste and cause you to feed more total hay. Anywhere from 15% to 50% of bales, depending
on the quality of the hay can be lost.
5. Ring hay feeders
Efforts to reduce waste can include feeding bales in ring
feeders or grinding the forages and feeding them in bunks. Hay rings and
portable bunks can be moved and used throughout the pasture. Much like target
feeding, this method forces livestock to move around the pasture, evenly
distributing damage and nutrients.
However, the area directly around each feeder can cause serious
degradation and is potentially dangerous for cows with small calves.
6. Stockpile forage for deferred grazing
If you planned ahead and created a stockpile of grass, although
it’s too late at this time of year to create your stockpile. Stockpiling pasture for deferred winter
grazing can be an excellent way to extend the grazing season and keep livestock
grazing on pasture and out of the sacrifice lot longer. The fescue that is now
native to our area works very well for this purpose. Many forages need 70 to 90 days of regrowth before
the end of the fall growing season to accumulate sufficient amounts of forage
for grazing. Strip grazing, or limit feeding can maximize the efficiency of
your stockpiled forages by reducing trampling and waste.
7. Select hardy species for sacrifice pastures
In our area here in Virginia, Fescue is commonly selected. Select
forage species that can withstand harsh, less than ideal conditions with dense
root systems and high tolerance to frequent grazing. Even with the toughest of
pasture some renovations will eventually be required but having hardy species
in sacrifice areas can extend the life of those pastures between renovations.
8. Consider constructing a winter-feeding pad
Hardened or structured feeding areas give you more control
of winter-feeding conditions. By designating a concrete feeding area to place
bunks or hay feeders on or constructing a building to provide dry shelter from
the elements and collect manure, you are able to control both living conditions
and nutrient distribution.
Concrete pads provide a stable footing for livestock and you
can cover or windbreak can help protect livestock from inclement weather
conditions.
Manure that collects on or around the feeding structures is
easier to remove from the feeding site. After removing it, the manure can be
composted and spread as fertilizer over the rest of the pasture during the next
year.
You can reduce winter damage as a result of livestock
feeding, and you should consider your past winter issues and assess the
possibilities for overcoming severe pasture damage or a major pasture
renovation project this year.
