WHO'S AFRAID of Winter Grazing??

[DOC HARRIS]

How many of you "Put up Hay" during the summer in abundance, sometimes more than you think you will need, because you are afraid you will run out in early Spring and have to BUY hay? Why don't you incorporate "WINTER GRAZING" into your plans, put up less hay, and let your cow herd harvest the forage? Just because you have "always done it that way!" doesn't mean that you have to continue doing it "that way".

What are your thoughts about using "Winter Gazing" and reduce your overhead and expenses? Would you like to save about $15.00 per cow per month by extending the grazing season? Or would you rather continue "Putting up Hay!" just because you always have done it that way!?

DOC HARRIS

[Mrs.Greg]

We always winter graze......but it doesn't last all winter,we also put up hay.

[Shorthornguy]

In years past we always put in some corn or sorghum for winter grazing.
This year I fenced in a 40 acre hayfield for winter grazing. I try to stay 6 months ahead on feed. With the mild winter and cattle still grazing I am still feeding some 2005 hay. It will be March 1st before I start feeding 2006 hay. Some years we were short feed and bought hay and silage in March and April. After Property taxes, Income taxes, and insurance in the Spring its no fun having to pay for feed too.

[Soapweed]

[IL Rancher]

Doc, our biggest problem with winter grazing is winters like this. So much rain, and so warm that the cows end up pugging the entire pasture up.. Rather have them on the 75 acre annual field that we will now have to chisel deep next spring to break the compaction... Have done winter grazing a bit with sheep, worked very well and they don't do the damage that the big momma cows tend to do to wet sod, but have been reluctant to do it again with the cows...

If I ever get off my butt and rework our crop land rental scheme I would probably winter graze stalks until about now and that would come in handy... But the plow jokeys want in those fields before the heavy frost sets in.

[Northern Rancher]

As far as winter grazing goes in our country you enjoy the best but you better be prepatred for the worst-were alot better off to leave some out there and get it earliar the next spring. Cattle up here will break into field to graze in April that they break out of in November.

[Jason]

Calculate land values into the winter grazing equation and see if it still pencils.

I just brought the cows home to start feeding, because they are ready to calve.

Most grasses don't have the value in them after frost so cows can't survive on belly deep grass if it is colder than 60 degrees out. The short grass that has excellent value even after it looks dead is often under snow or there just isn't enough of it unless you own lots of land.

Just for fun here are some numbers.

100 cows here would need another 800 acres to graze 5 winter months.

Cost of land approx $800 per acre, total cost $640,000

Hay for same cows @ 30 pounds a day 225 tons. Laid in cost @ $65 (high this year) $14,625

Payment on the $640,000 over 25 years $25,600 plus interest.

Tax benefit on hay 100% on land payment, interest only.

[John SD]

[Big Muddy rancher]

I haven't had to feed my cows hay since 2004 when I started after the New year. The winter of 02/03 we started in December and fed right thru.
Might have to start soon as the grass is shorter then normal due to rought. We are in a rugged area with lots of natural shelter and springs for water.

[kolanuraven]

First good hard freeze kills our bermuda.....the fescue has and will be squeezed out by bermuda, thus the fescue won't hold up much either.

So it's put up hay but we have to only feed moderate amounts of hay and it's only for about 90 -120 days or so till grass starts up again!

[MO STOCKER]

We graze stock-piled fescue every winter. In fact feeding hay is the exception for us. HOWEVER.... this year was the driest in several decades and our stock-pile is only about half of usual. We will be feeding most groups before spring grass.

[Badlands]

In our country, it takes about 2x as much acreage per month in the deep winter vs the summer.

Last summer, lease prices were at $25/month. That means it would cost me $50/month to graze a cow in the winter. For the same $50, I can get about 45 days of hay fed.

Hay is cheaper during the months when we need so much extra acreage.

Hay only gets expensive if you think you need all the latest equipment to put it up and feed it with.


Some how, the "grazers" always can tell me what I should be doing, but they don't pencil it the way I do.

They pencil winter grazing as less per month than summer. They must lease from people that still think the "old" way.

Why would I lease out pasture for $15 in the winter, when I could lease it out for $50 in the summer? ($25/month x 2) Take it in the shorts twice? I think not. Can anyone say OPPORTUNITY COST of summer vs winter grazing?

I wouldn't. I don't expect anyone else to do it either just because "that's they way we have always done it".



Badlands