Thoughts on Livestock Winter Feeding

 

 

Credit to Progressivecattle.com

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.