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You in the sandhills.

Big Swede said:
I have to disagree with you Soapweed. Right along the highway my neighbor has 15 dry fall calving cows on 160 acres. The grass is short and brown. Across the highway I grazed 420 pairs for 7 days and those 320 acre paddocks get 60 to 90 days of rest before they get grazed again. My stocking rate is usually 8 acres per pair for 6 months. Those pastures are have quite a lot of regrowth and green grass for no more rain than they have had. The difference on each side of the road is remarkable. So I would say rotation has a lot of merit.
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I have a question, do you rotational graze in the winter?
 
Big Swede wrote:
I have to disagree with you Soapweed. Right along the highway my neighbor has 15 dry fall calving cows on 160 acres. The grass is short and brown. Across the highway I grazed 420 pairs for 7 days and those 320 acre paddocks get 60 to 90 days of rest before they get grazed again. My stocking rate is usually 8 acres per pair for 6 months. Those pastures are have quite a lot of regrowth and green grass for no more rain than they have had. The difference on each side of the road is remarkable. So I would say rotation has a lot of merit.


I have a question, do you rotational graze in the winter?
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Rotational grazing can be beneficial in the winter also, to keep the cattle from wondering the entire pasture and make them eat the less desireable grasses before moving on.
 
No Larry we pull our cows off native range as soon as we have corn stalks available usually sometime in October. Corn fields also give us access to shelter belts. If we don't get snowed under we should have enough stalks to get us into March with a little alfalfa hay, usually about 10 pounds per head every other day. Calving in May and June allows us to get through winter without feeding much hay.
 
What I am getting at is that many guys are facing grazing like midwinter grazing. Nothing growing and as brown as the dead of winter. That kind of make rotation plans change.
 
My theory has always been that an extra inch of rain can take the place of a heck of a lot of "management." This year on this place, rotational grazing hasn't worked at all. Pastures we've grazed early and moved out of two months ago have not come back one iota. Pastures we've not had any cattle in since last year look just as bad as pastures with cattle in them. Winter grazing will be non-existent. It's a good thing we carried over quite a bit of last years hay, and have been able to bale a lot of swamp hay this year that didn't get cut last year. By buying some cake to give a protein kick to low protein hay, our cows should be able to survive the upcoming winter.

I realize that May and June calving is a tool that works well for some folks. I am also very glad that we didn't go to this late calving on this particular year. May and June weren't one bit nicer this spring than late February, March, and April were. We didn't freeze a single ear on any calf this spring. As dry as the summer is, the extra age and weight on the calves will be mighty welcome and saleable should we need to wean early to market the calves.
 
I understand your question now. Early weaning would be my first suggestion, in fact I'm weaning my heifers calves tomorrow. Dry cows eat less grass. Any grass even dry grass can go a long way with a little protein and mineral.
 
Soapweed said:
My theory has always been that an extra inch of rain can take the place of a heck of a lot of "management." This year on this place, rotational grazing hasn't worked at all. Pastures we've grazed early and moved out of two months ago have not come back one iota. Pastures we've not had any cattle in since last year look just as bad as pastures with cattle in them. Winter grazing will be non-existent. It's a good thing we carried over quite a bit of last years hay, and have been able to bale a lot of swamp hay this year that didn't get cut last year. By buying some cake to give a protein kick to low protein hay, our cows should be able to survive the upcoming winter.

I realize that May and June calving is a tool that works well for some folks. I am also very glad that we didn't go to this late calving on this particular year. May and June weren't one bit nicer this spring than late February, March, and April were. We didn't freeze a single ear on any calf this spring. As dry as the summer is, the extra age and weight on the calves will be mighty welcome and saleable should we need to wean early to market the calves.
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In our country they are talking about the older calves doing good, but
the younger calves having a tougher time. I think it is because the grass
dried up before those younger calves could digest the dried up grass.
The yearlings have really been weighing up coming out of this area tho,
so that helps those who run yearlings.
 
My opinion is that calves and cows do better in dry years if they have enough to eat. That dry grass can carry a pretty good punch

I have had guys tell me they are opening up the rotational pastures and trying to get by just a little bit longer and then wean. Then they are planning on feeding lower quality roughage till it starts getting cold
 
I always enjoy our visits Soapweed. Your 600 pound calves are worth more dollars than my 450 pound calves. How many dollars I don't know, every year is different. However the expense to get dry cows through the winter versus feeding lactating cows from Feb through Apr will eat into that calf check pretty quick, especially with $200 hay.

Convinced yet? Just kidding. :lol:
 
Faster horses said:
As long as the forage allows a cow to milk well, I think the calves do
okay. It seems the calcium in the mineral does help the ability to
milk better. Here it is so dry the cows are breaking off more than they
eat.
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Yep a guy needs to really keep an eye out in dry years, and maintain good minerals. This is the first time I have seen cows eat Little Barley(June grass) when it is as brown as the dirt
 
Soapweed said:
My theory has always been that an extra inch of rain can take the place of a heck of a lot of "management." This year on this place, rotational grazing hasn't worked at all. Pastures we've grazed early and moved out of two months ago have not come back one iota. Pastures we've not had any cattle in since last year look just as bad as pastures with cattle in them. Winter grazing will be non-existent. It's a good thing we carried over quite a bit of last years hay, and have been able to bale a lot of swamp hay this year that didn't get cut last year. By buying some cake to give a protein kick to low protein hay, our cows should be able to survive the upcoming winter.

I realize that May and June calving is a tool that works well for some folks. I am also very glad that we didn't go to this late calving on this particular year. May and June weren't one bit nicer this spring than late February, March, and April were. We didn't freeze a single ear on any calf this spring. As dry as the summer is, the extra age and weight on the calves will be mighty welcome and saleable should we need to wean early to market the calves.
Click to expand...

i would rather calve Jan-Mar because I am out there feeding them each day and it is much easier to keep track of them. When green grass comes they wonder around much more and are hard to keep track of besides the fact that we get busy chopping and haying.
 

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