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Grazing Alfalfa and grass

C

Circle M

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Jan 18, 2008
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145
Location
Armstrong British columbia
Another rookie question , i just leased 50 acres and the one field was planted with alfalfa and grass , two years ago but the landowner says that there is to many rocks to cut it (don't aske me why he did not clean up before planting) Is the Alfalfa to rich to graze cattle on ?
 
Alfalfa causes bloat in cattle, so be careful. There is a bloat block you can put out for cows grazing alfalfa. Poloxalene I think it is called but you need to get them eating it about a week before they start grazing it.

Best of Luck.
 
Depends on how much grass vs alfalfa. We graze mixed fields where the alfalfa is as high as 50% without any problems. If you are worried give them a bloat blocker or limit how much time they are in the field. It is also a good idea to fill them up before turning them out. If they aren't starved they will be less likely to overeat and bloat. But I seriously doubt you will have any problem on a mixed field.

-RSC
 
Probably the simplest and easiest insurance against bloat is to keep a bale of dry hay in the field for them. Left to their own devices they will keep a good balance of dry matter in the rumen and prevent bloat.
 
When we plant pasture we mix 60% grass to 40% legume. Never had a problem.

Don't waste your money on the blocks because they wont use them. If you are that worried about it do the following:

Go to the dollar store and buy a jug of liquid dish soap. Take a needle, poke a few holes in it. Tie a piece of twine to the top so you can tie it to something, drop the bottle in the tank.

Kick them out. They will hunt that legume, run out of it, and hit the grass.
 
Sic 'em, that is a very novel idea I had never heard of before.

I have put a Rumensin bolus into them in the past when the alfalfa or clover content in a field was a concern. Not cheap, but very effective.

One summer I put a few heifers out on a heavy alfalfa stand without any preventative measures. I had then full of dry hay first. They were growing unbelievably fast with no bloat problems - until one particular morning halfway through the summer.

I don't know why they made it that far through the grazing season without trouble and then decided to bloat. Only lost one, but that was one too many.
 
Laundry soap in the water works to break the surface tension as well. We graze ours in the spring and keep it down so the plants are not allowed to mature. Then take them off and cut the second cut to swath graze in the winter. As the plant matures the tannins increase to a level that causes bloat. That is why the bloat problem is worse later on. Giving them the complete salad bar is the best scenario for gain and preventing bloat. I like the idea of providing them some dry hay in a feeder or two.
 
We don't get to use much Alfalfa but what has already been said about turning them out full sure helps. Rain and dewey mornings are bad and rapidly growing plants are a concern. Some info says to let the stand mature to blossom stage before grazing to reduce bloat concerns. I have heard good reports on the rumensin bolus's as well but you have to make sure they stay down and aren't regurgitated shortly after they have been put in.
 
I've been grazing alfalfa and grass for a number of years now and you've received some good advice. This is how I graze my alfalfa (up to 90%) and I've never had a case of bloat.

1) Never turn them on with empty stomachs.
2) Never turn them on when the alfalfa is wet.
3) I always wait until there is some bloom on the alfalfa, even 10%. As was mentioned, the cattle will often hit the alfalfa first so your risk of bloat is a little higher.
4) Throw some roughage bales out in the pasture. The cattle will go to these when they need to. Toss them out in a few places and don't worry about the waste. It'll fertilize your crop next year.
5) If you're still concerned, pull them off the pasture at night and put them in a paddock with straight grass. Do this for 2 or 3 days, then give them the boot out into the alfalfa.

I've seen second cut grazed (i've personally never grazed second cut) without having to use rumensin using the above rules and never saw a case of bloat. Your cows will do very well on it, especially if you're in a wetter area like we are. The grass just never has quite enough kick in it, especially later in the summer. The alfalfa really juices them up :)

Rod
 
I should also add that I always graze them on grass paddocks for a few weeks before they see any alfalfa. Cattle tend to overeat when coming off of dry hay and onto green.

Rod
 
How do you safely graze alfalfa when you cannnot wait til it's 10% in the bloom?

One of my customers has 3000 acres of alfalfa meadows he needs to graze early with 1000 cows. Any advice from those who has successfully grazed alfalfa early will be appreciated.

(I'm trying to get him addicted to this site by asking this question for him.)
 
Faster horses said:
How do you safely graze alfalfa when you cannnot wait til it's 10% in the bloom?

One of my customers has 3000 acres of alfalfa meadows he needs to graze early with 1000 cows. Any advice from those who has successfully grazed alfalfa early will be appreciated.

(I'm trying to get him addicted to this site by asking this question for him.)
Click to expand...

Your just feeding you own addiction. :wink: :lol: :lol:
 
Everyone out here grazes the heck out of hayfields each fall. The trick is to wait until after a good freeze which is usually in Early September around here. We also fill them up prior to turn out. A frost sure takes the bloat away.
 
H, this guy needs to graze his alfalfa early; like May, like June. He doesn't cut hay off it, he GRAZES it the whole season and he's had some problems. Forwarned is forearmed and I told him he could find out some
stuff here. Thanks for your comment; but his question is for a different time of year.

Ya, BMR; you nailed it!!!!!!!!!!! :P
 
Faster horses said:
H, this guy needs to graze his alfalfa early; like May, like June. He doesn't cut hay off it, he GRAZES it the whole season and he's had some problems. Forwarned is forearmed and I told him he could find out some
stuff here. Thanks for your comment; but his question is for a different time of year.

Ya, BMR; you nailed it!!!!!!!!!!! :P
Click to expand...

Maybe he should check out the Rumensen bolus's.
 
Faster horses said:
On 1000 HEAD?
I don't think so...unless you have an idea how to do it more than
one at a time. And knowing you, you might! :P :wink:
So let's have it. :shock:
Click to expand...

Well if they work for him as well as they so for anyone else it would be well worth the time it takes to do it. Heck, if he has 1000 cows he must have a bit of help around to get the job done. If he saves 1 cow he just paid for a couple days of labor didn't he?

Just cowboy up and gitter dun.
 
knew a dairy farmer once,who got up early one morn to milk and found 30 head down with bloat on the early morning dew.grass still wet.vetrinary stuck each one with knife then went back around and sewed em all up.saved em all.maybe the feller with a 1000 head should carry his knife when he checks on em. :D
 

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