HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen Agriculture, 2003-03-19, Page 29Interest in grazing increasing says speaker
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
With returns from agricultural
endeavours often threatened by low
market prices, decreased demand,
weather or inefficiencies, an
opportunity to optimize acreage
output has seen resurgent interest in
the past 10 years.
Fraser Stewart of the Manitoba
Forage council said the interest in
grazing has increased substantially in
recent years, drawing more than 400
to a two-day grazing seminar in that
province. He told a gathering in
Brussels that there are opportunities
for a greater return from the land
base with the use of forage/livestock
systems than through cropping
systems.
There is lower capital investment,
because of less equipment required
and options for increased returns, he
said. The benefits of improving
pasture management are realized by
using a rest/recovery grazing system.
This allows extended grazing on the
acreage and reduced cow wintering
costs.
Grazing patterns
Cattle are selective grazers, he said.
They will over or under-graze
different plants so balance is needed.
The animals use a sense of taste as
well as habit to know how and what to
graze.
Stewart said cows moved from
other herds will graze differently
because of past experiences and it
takes time for them to adapt.
Cows will “cream” a pasture in
three days, taking out the best plants.
Therefore high-performance animals
should be moved every three days and
clean-up animals brought in to
equalize the grazing in the paddock.
Cows will graze approximately
eight hours a day regardless of the
quality of the pasture. They will not
graze longer if the quality of the
forage is poor.
Improving poor pastures
There are specific ingredients
which lead to poor pa.stures and the
resultant decline in productivity. With
no grazing control, the cows tend to
feed off selected forages first, leaving
the less desirable until the pasture is
close to depletion. Too many animals
on a plot can also see the forage
cropped too short, stunting and
slowing regrowth. Generally poor
fertility will decrease the forages’
growth rates as well as impact the
types which will flourish.
Stewart said the only way to
improve a pasture is through a change
in management technique, otherwise
it would just go back to its previous
state regardless of remedial efforts
such as reseeding.
When making the change,
consideration must be given to how a
pasture grows. “They are very
dynamic. And there are different
growth patterns for different species.
Climate, fertility, moist ure and
temperature all impact growth. The
goal is balanced growth throughout
the season.”
To establish a good pasture, Stewart
said there are different species to be
considered. Decreasers are good
forages, but must be looked after.
Increasers are the survivor species.
And then there are the invaders such
as weeds and brush.
To sustain a pasture throughout the
season, Stewart said it is important to
realize the growth of natural grasses
is opposite to the growth of the
animals. As the cattle are putting on
weight late in the season, forage
growth is declining.
For a good pasture mix there should
be 30 per cent legumes, he said, as
well as annual forages. Stockpiled
forages can be added late in the year.
Controlling the use of the pasture is
also key to good management. By
controlling the amount of grazing
through use of a fencing system,
Stewart said the rest/recovery period
allows the forage to develop a strong
root system for healthier, more lush
growth.
Rest/Recovery
Rest is the most important point to
maintaining a productive pasture.
Determining what rest is required is a
very hands-on practice, said Stewart.
Farmers must get out and actually
walk the fields, or at least ride an
ATV, so they can learn about each
paddock and its rest requirements. If
there has been 80 per cent removal of
the tops, growth stops. With 50 per
cent removal, the regrowth is not
stopped. Thus good management is
needed.
Early in the season a good manager
may be able to allow just 20 days of
rest though late in the year or during a
drought, 30 may be needed. “It
depends on the growth period.”
This is where knowledge of the
various species is important as they
should not be judged when the plant
is small. Grazing should also be
avoided during the seeding period to
allow the forage to regenerate itself.
Developing a plan
To ensure good management, a
system must be developed which
incorporates flexibility. Adaptability
to varying conditions is essential.
According to Stewart, there should
always be a Plan B,
As well as understanding forage
growth rates and controlling
livestock, Stewart said a stocking
rate, which is the animal-to-forage
ratio, has to be determined.
Based on experiences in Manitoba,
he said one acre should feed one
animal for 158 days. Another method
is to have 750 lbs. of cow per acre.
This number could range as high as
1,000 lbs. in Ontario.
When setting a stocking rate,
consideration must be given to the
fact that it will affect the daily weight
gains. “There is more competition for
the forages.”
The key is finding the balance
between the number of animals to
efficiently graze the paddock without
overgrazing while still optimizing the
weight gain.
The stocking and forage regrowth
rates will determine the number of
paddocks needed to effectively rotate
the animals through the pastures
while allowing for the appropriate
rest periods.
The density in each paddock also
impacts the effectiveness of the
grazing. If the density is high enough,
it reduces the selective grazing and
the paddock is more evenly grazed.
This can be used when trying to
clean-up a plot as well. An increased
density will force the animals to eat
the scrub.
Extended grazing
Stewart also promoted the idea of
extended grazing, including wintering
the animals outside. “You make
money if you use less hay. costs can
be reduced by wintering beef cattle,”
he said.
He also noted it was very important
to have cattle suited to the
environment. Having to make hay is
limiting to expansion, said Stewart.
By keeping the cattie in the field, they
are not only recycling nutrients back
into the system, but reducing costs of
trucking manure from enclosures.
By pasturing 50 cows on 20 acres,
Stewart said there is a potential for 87
per cent of the consumed nitrogen, 67
per cent of the phosphorous and 'll
per cent of the potassium to be
returned to the land base. Wintering
out the animals can therefore benefit a
poor pasture.
While it has been determined that
cattle can get sufficient water from
the snow, a contingency plan must be
in place for low snow years.
Management skills
“Management is an art. You have to
get out and practise. You have to
develop a “grass eye” by walking the
pastures daily. Develop a plan as to
when each paddock will be ready and
where to move the animals next.
Decisions have to be made daily.”
There is no recipe for grazing, he
said. It is something that must be
developed by each grazer and is
governed by the conditions on each
farm.
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