Mob grazing Missouri style

[wdcook]

waiting for the next move

sure cleaned the fencerow

finally,,, dinner

tools of the trade

cows make good manure spreaders

supper is prepared already

fancy cornerpost

112 dry cows on about 1/5 of an acre

it took all evening but I think I made it. Thanks to all for the help

 

[Soapweed]

The cattle look good, and the grass looks good. You seem to have things figured out quite well. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[sic 'em reds]

Thanks for the pic's wdcook, but...

What are you doing with the mob grazing? Are all of your pastures set up for MIG, or are you doing this just to get small acreage areas cleaned up?

We do some of this in the winter on hay fields that grow up pretty well after we take the last cutting.

This fall/winter I am trying to figure out a better way to accomplish this.

We have about 30 acres of grazing/hay circles that we have done/are doing MIG on this fall/winter. One field is about 14 acres, I have 34 replacement heifers on, I am half way across it, and as of this coming weekend, they have been on it 6 weeks. This field had pretty good regrowth on it, about 7 to 10 inches, and had been "top" grazed by half of our first calf heifers for about a month. So far it has worked pretty good and they haven't been starved yet. I actually fed some hay this morning since it snowed a little and they looked at me like I was crazy.

The other little circle is not quite as grown out, but have done the same and have been running our first calf heifers on it. They also have access to about 10 more acres, but there is very slim pickings on it. Less growth, same amount of movement on division fence, and they weren't all that interested in the hay this morning either. There are 18 head on this field.

They have been on irrigated pasture all sumer and are in good/almost too fat body condition. So this time of year I dont get too concerned about them having to look for their food.

I am moving the division fence on Sunday, so I will try to get some pictures for those who don't quite understand what I am trying to say. It is pretty interesting trying to figure out the correct way to manage irrigated pasture, summer and winter, and still make the cost work out. I think I am getting close to getting our program figured out, but I won't be writing any books on the practice!!!

 

[sic 'em reds]

Should have added this in an edit, but how long are you keeping them from new grass?

Also, after they make it all the way across, do you leave them there to clean it up better, or the stuff they trample is left for debris next year?

 

[Ben H]

is this strip grazing with no backfence because there is no regrowth? I'm going to go the direction of mob grazing next year, I'll consolidate animals and move them from one farm to another instead of spliting and grazing as two seperate cells. I'm not clear on what kind of residual is left.

 

[wdcook]

Our spring forage production-therefore our hay supply- was dramatically reduced due to the Easter freeze, so I'm trying to utilize all the fall growth to delay supplement feeding. We do quite a lot of rotational grazing but just started the mob grazing this fall. I attended a mob grazing conference in NE this summer and am intrigued with the concept. For our situation I think it will work best in the fall to extend the grazing season.

Am currently moving them 2-4 times/day. We have waterers every 10-20 acres and they are averaging about an acre a day(that is a SWAG).
I start around the waterer and move out till I can fence them to the next one. With multiple moves per day there is little if any forage left to eat behind them. I'm not concerned about regrowth now and am hoping the removal of all the forage will facilitate legume growth next yr. Need to reduce or eliminate N fertilizer expenses.

 

[Ben H]

That's basicly what I'm doing to extend my season. In my sitution I'm going to have to have a lot more cows so I don't need an off farm job before I can start concentrating them as much as you do and therefore move them so often.

These Robots from Lely may start to pencil out for this Ultra High Stock Dentsity grazing, I think that when they are available you may be looking at around $30-40,000. I think that's a number I somehow came up with on their website and may have had to convert to USD.

 

[cure]

I use this method all the time the only thing that I can say is dont clip the grass down so low that you hurt the root system and after you have had the cattle out for about a week take a harrow or bush drag and break up the cow manure and you will be amazed at how much better your pastures will recover.

 

[Red Robin]

I use this method all the time the only thing that I can say is dont clip the grass down so low that you hurt the root system and after you have had the cattle out for about a week take a harrow or bush drag and break up the cow manure and you will be amazed at how much better your pastures will recover.

He's on fescue Cure. It's pretty hard to damage it over grazing it. This time of year it's very hardy. Nice looking deal. I'm going to be asking your some questions cook. There's no better way to utilize fescue than what you're doing.

 

[Shorthornguy]

Thanks for the pics. We have been rotational grazing for 15 years. Learn something new all the time. An Aerator works best for breaking up manure and restoring the pastures. Also interseeding with a no-till drill makes a big difference.