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Grazing Basics
Craig SaxeUW-Extension, Juneau Co.211 Hickory StreetMauston WI 53948(608) [email protected]
Central
Wisconsin
Grazing
Meetings March
2008
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We’ll be covering
• What is rotational grazing
• Why use rotational grazing
• Understanding plant growth
• Setting up a grazing system
• Fencing, watering and frost
seeding
• Grazing tips
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Grazing Quotes
• Management is the single most important factor determining financial success on all farms
• Grazing won’t turn a poor manager into a good one
• Grazing isn’t about cows & grass it’s about a different type of thinking
• Grazing isn’t a goal it’s a Tool
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What Grazing Management and Golf have in common
• It’s something you do outdoors• Doing it well is more difficult then it
looks• Many people “talk” a much better
game than they play• Studying about how to do it can be
helpful, but real success requires practice and experience
Don Ball, 1999
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• Weather can have a huge influence on the results obtained
• There are many products you can buy to better your game, but a real expert only needs a few basics
• No matter how good you are, there is always room for improvement
What Grazing Management and Golf have in common
Don Ball, 1999
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What is Rotational Grazing?
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• Farming is all about capturing the sun’s energy and converting it to usable products.
L. Paine, 2005
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• If we start by maximizing the amount of energy we capture, all other steps in the process have greater potential to yield profits.
L. Paine, 2005
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Number of Days of Bare Soil
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Continuous Corn Continuous Wheat Continuous Alfalfa Pasture
L. Paine, 2005
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Many Pastures are Continuously Grazed
S
W
This usually means:• Lower yields due to
selective grazing• Greater weed
problems• Potential for erosion
problems in certain areas
• No management or poor management of forage resource
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Rotational Grazing
Lane
Rest allows pasture to:
• Recover from grazing,• Rebuild energy reserves &
plant vigor• Increase forage production
1. Pastures are subdivided into
smaller areas (paddocks)
2. A portion of the pasture is
grazed while the remainder
“rests”
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Management Intensive Rotational Grazing
W
W W
Lane
W
Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG) involves even greater numbers of paddocks and/or subdivision within paddocks to increase amount of rest and decrease days grazing each rotation
Corral
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Lane
Strip Grazing
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Strip
Grazing
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Which grazing system is right for me?
CONSIDERATIONS:
• What’s best for the grass
• What’s best for the livestock
• What moves you toward your goals!!!
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Why use Rotational Grazing?
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Managed Intensive Grazing Advantages
• We control where animals graze
• Increases yield
• Increase carrying capacity
• Extend grazing season in the fall
• Increases forage quality
• Increases animal performance
• Lowers cost of production
• Maximizes efficiency of your time and resources
• Offers greater management flexibility
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•Fence
•Water systems
•Labor
•Higher level of management required
It could be argued that managed intensive grazing comes at an
added cost
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Why manage grazing?
• Reduces erosion
• Improves water quality
• Enhance wildlife habitat
• Improves range or pasture condition
Texas Creek, Colorado, BLM website on Health Riparian Areas
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CIAS 2006
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CIAS 2006
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Gross Returns Per Acre
192
112
196
313
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
Intens.Pasture
Contin.Pasture
Hay CornSilage
Penn State 1992
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Direct Costs Per Acre
197
53
129
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
Intens.Pasture
Contin.Pasture
Hay CornSilage
Penn State 1992
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Profit Per Acre
129
75
20
58
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
Intens.Pasture
Contin.Pasture
Hay CornSilage
Penn State 1992
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Dairy Economic Comparison(15,000 vs. 18,000 lbs/cow/yr)
Confinement
Grazing
Full Machinery Reduced Machinery
Return To Labor
36,52852,118
39,40954,997
43,64054,227
Return To Labor ($/hr)
6.408.95
7.079.66
8.0810.73
* Researchers caution that this study is based on simulated dairy models
CIAS Study
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Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise Stocking Rate
Lbs product per acre
Gross per acre
Cow-calf-low intensity
5 acres 100 calf $60
Cow-calf-intensive 2 acres 250 calf $150
Stocker calf-low intensity
1 acre 270 gain $95
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre 540 gain $189
Sheep-low intensity 0.5 acre 225 lamb $113
Sheep-high intensity 0.2 acre 560 lamb $280
Ohio State
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Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise Stocking Rate
Lbs product per acre
Gross per acre
Cow-calf-low intensity
5 acres 100 calf $60
Cow-calf-intensive 2 acres 250 calf $150
Stocker calf-low intensity
1 acre 270 gain $95
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre 540 gain $189
Sheep-low intensity 0.5 acre 225 lamb $113
Sheep-high intensity 0.2 acre 560 lamb $280
Ohio State
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Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise Stocking Rate
Lbs product per acre
Gross per acre
Cow-calf-low intensity
5 acres 100 calf $60
Cow-calf-intensive 2 acres 250 calf $150
Stocker calf-low intensity
1 acre 270 gain $95
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre 540 gain $189
Sheep-low intensity 0.5 acre 225 lamb $113
Sheep-high intensity 0.2 acre 560 lamb $280
Ohio State
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Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise Stocking Rate
Lbs product per acre
Gross per acre
Cow-calf-low intensity
5 acres 100 calf $60
Cow-calf-intensive 2 acres 250 calf $150
Stocker calf-low intensity
1 acre 270 gain $95
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre 540 gain $189
Sheep-low intensity 0.5 acre 225 lamb $113
Sheep-high intensity 0.2 acre 560 lamb $280
Ohio State
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Understanding Plant Growth
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Deitz, NRCS
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Deitz, NRCS
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Forage
Growth
Curve
Quality Yield
Best time to graze
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Seasonal growth patterns in forages
Species April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.Kentuckybluegrass
OrchardgrassReedConarygrass
Alfalfa
Red clover
White clover
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Monthly forage productionin 2-acre grass and grass-legume pastures
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
Lbs
. For
age
Good Management Poor Management
Good Management Poor Management
Grass Pasture
Grass-Legume Pasture
animal need
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Setting up a Grazing System
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Fundamentals of successful
grazing management
• Meet the nutritional needs of the livestock from standing pasture
• Optimize pasture yield, quality, and persistence
• Maintain or enhance the natural resource base
• Integrate appropriate technology and knowledge into a practical system
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Setting up a Rotation
• Size of animal
• Number of animals
• Daily intake
• Forage availability
• Desired rotation length
The example to follow was created by Laura Paine
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How much forage is out
there?
Rule of thumb:
Figure about 400
pounds dry matter per
acre per inch of cool
season pasture.
L. Paine
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How much do my animals need?
Rule of thumb: Figure 2.5 to 4% of body weight dry matter per animal per day.
L. Paine
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How big should my paddocks be?
• Paddock size equals:
Number of head x Daily Intake (3% ) x No. of
Days Available Forage/Ac./Rotation
L. Paine
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What does a sheep eat in a day?
• One ewe/lamb pair weighs about 200 lb
• Daily forage need/pair = 3% of body weight = 200 x 0.03 = 6 lb of dry matter/day
L. Paine
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What does your flock eat in a day?
• One ewe/lamb pair eats 6 lb/day
• 20 pairs eat 120 lb/day
• 50 pairs eat 300 lb/day
• 100 pairs eat 600 lb/day
L. Paine
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When should I graze and how much forage is out there?
• Graze when pasture is 8 to 10
inches high (depending on species).
• Take half-leave half rule: graze
down to 4 or 5 inches.
• At 400 lb/inch, you have 1600 to
2000 lb/acre to work with.
L. Paine
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How long should I leave the flock on one paddock?
• One to three days. • Above 3 days, you’re regrazing
grass that you grazed the first day.
• The shorter the rotation, the better quality and forage utilization you’ll have.
L. Paine
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Putting it all together
• Flock of 100 ewes with lambs.
• 3-day rotation.
• Need 600 lb forage/day.
• 600 lb x 3 days = 1800 lb/paddock.
L. Paine
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Putting it all together
• Ready to graze pasture = 1600
lb forage/acre available to use.
• Acreage needed to last 3 days
= 1800/1600 = 1.13 acres.
• Just over one acre/paddock.
L. Paine
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Determine Number of Paddocks
• 30 days 3 day rotation + 1 =
11 paddocks
• 11 paddocks x 1.13
acres/paddock = 12.43 acres
L. Paine
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Another Example: Stocker Cattle• 100 stockers or heifers, 1 day rotation, 2000 lb/a
available forage• Beginning weight = 400 lb; ending weight = 800 lb; • average weight = 600 lb.• Paddock size equals:
(100 x (600 x 0.03) x 1) 2000 =
(100 x (18) x 1) 2000 =
1800 x 1 2000 =
1800 2000 =
*0.9 acres*
L. Paine
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Determine Number of Paddocks
• 30 days 1 day rotation + 1
= 31 paddocks
• 31 paddocks x 1
acre/paddock = 31 acres
L. Paine
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Stockers or Heifers
• 100 animals
• 1 day rotation
• 30 day cycle
• 1
acre/paddock
• 31 paddocks
L. Paine
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The Rest Period
• Should vary according to plant growth
• In general, must increase as growth rate slows
• Relates closely to seasonal forage growth
• Need to rotate between paddocks every 3-6 days (or less)
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Relationship of rest period to pasture mass during periods of rapid vs. slow growth
Period of fast plant growth (days)
Period of slow plant growth (days)
0 5 10 15 20 25
0 10 20 30 40 50
Lbs.
DM / acre
Optimum
Rest
Period
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Meeting the needs of the pasture plant
Rest
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Maximizing Intake
• Three controlling factors
•Grazing time
•Biting rate
•Bite size
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
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Of the three controlling factors, bite size is all we can control!
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
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Change in daily intake from day 1 to day 7 of week grazing period
00.5
11.5
22.5
33.5
44.5
5
Inta
ke
(% l
ivew
eig
ht)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
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Which will cause more overgrazing?
The stocking rate of both paddocks is identical: 100 Animal Days per Acre.
The effect on the paddocks will be much different.
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Stocking Rate (animals/acre)
• Can use formulas for actual numbers
• Thumb rule; 1000 pound animal per 2-4 acres
• Intensive Rotational Grazing = 1000 pound beef animal to 1-1.5 acres
• Traditional “Under-managed” pastures = 1000 pound animal to 5-10 acres
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Radial pasture configuration - before
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
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Radial pasture configuration – after
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
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Another pasture configuration - beforeExplanation
Bare
Buildings
Fences
Lawn
Property
Streams
Trees
Water
Weeds
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Another pasture configuration - afterExplanation
Bare
Buildings
Fences
Lawn
Property
Streams
Trees
Water
Weeds
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Fencing, Watering and Frost Seeding
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Consider the New Fencing Technology
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Be flexible with Fencing
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Useful Life of Fencing Materials
Material Life (yrs.) Maintenance
Wood 15-20+ High
Post and Rail 15-20 Low – Medium
V-Mesh wire 20-30 Low
Barbless wire 15 Medium
High tensile wire
20-30 Low
Plastic fence 12 Low
PVC 20-30 Low
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Fencing
• One of the largest expenses in Grazing
• Many different options but some rules apply– Have secure perimeter fence
– Use temporary or portable fence in cells
– Use the lay of the land to your advantage
– Be flexible in cell sizing
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Cost of Fencing
• Cost of quarter mile of fence
– 48” woven wire, one barb-----------$1.07/foot
– 5 barbed wire fence------------------$0.83/foot
– High tensile 8 strand 12.5 gauge---$0.76/foot
– High tensile 5 strand electric(12.5)$0.57/foot
– Polywire fence(interior use only)--$0.03/foot
Iowa State University
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Shape effect on Fencing Requirements
744 feet 836 feet 1007 feet
951 feet
Length=2 X Width888 feet
Length=4 X width1,040 feet
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Water
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FROST SEEDINGAdding new seed to a pasture by broadcasting on frozen ground in early spring, letting frost & snow incorporate the seed.
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Frost Seeding in Snow
This practice is promoted because it’s easy to determine seed placement. Be cautioned that this practice could also increase the risk of seed movement as the snow melts.
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Snow Tracks Help
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Seed Melts into Snow
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FROST SEEDING
• Improves Pasture Quality & Yield
• Lower Cost Than Annual Nitrogen Application ($9 vs. $42)
• Works Best On Loams & Clay Soils or Fields With Natural Moisture
• Clovers Recommended, Birdsfoot Trefoil & Certain Grasses Can Work
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FROST SEEDING
• Use Improved Varieties i.e. Clovers
Like Arlington, Cimmeron, or Marathon
and High Yielding Trefoils Like Norcen
• Graze Tight In The Fall
• Broadcast Inoculated Seed Approx. 45
Days Before Grass Growth Begins
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FROST SEEDING
• Broadcast 6 - 10 # of Red Clover; 8 - 12#
of Trefoil; or 2 - 4 # of White Clover /acre
• Don’t Mix Clover & Trefoil
• For Insurance Apply 40# / Acre of Actual
Phosphorus (90# / Acre of 0-46-0 )
• Lime or Potassium May Be Needed - Soil
Test To Determine - Don’t Apply Nitrogen!
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Grazing Tips
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Management is our most important inputfor productivity
Management makes the difference between this…
C. Bradley
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Successful Pasture Management
And this…
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Grazing Streamside
Pastures
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• Let forage accumulate 70-75 days
before a normal killing frost• At 2 acres per cow expect 40-60
days of stockpiled forage• The goal should be to provide the
greatest amount of leaf material• Growing or Lactating animals may
need more
Stockpile Forages
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Steps to effective grazing management
• Graze to the desired stubble height (take half, leave half-grazing rule of thumb)
• Allow adequate rest periods for grass regrowth
• Don’t regraze a pasture until your key species has reached the desired height
• Avoid over or under grazing
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• Apply fertilizer as needed (take a soil
test)
• Re-seed pastures if necessary
• Control weeds and undesirable plants
in pastures and adjacent areas
• Divide or subdivide grazing areas into
smaller blocks, where feasible
Steps to effective grazing management
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• Commit Yourself Totally To Making It Work
• Make The Transition Gradually
• Solicit A Lot Of Advice, But Make Your Own Decisions
• Stay Flexible And Keep Investments Low
Grazing Management Tips
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Grazing Management Tips
• Set reasonable goals
• Plan, monitor and modify plans to meet your objectives
• Be observant – walk your property and look
• Keep records – written and photographic
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http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/teamforage/index.html
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http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cwas/
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Waushara
Green LakeMarquett
eAdams
Juneau
Wood
Portage
Central Agricultur
al Specialization
Wisconsin