Grass+: weather woes continue

We are now into the third week of February and it has been a very tough start to the grazing season.

Generally speaking, the target in spring is to get 30% of your ground grazed by early March. This target is to ensure you will have grass regrown in time to start your second rotation.

The poor weather conditions have created an enormous challenge though, with most having less than 10% grazed.

Management

If ground conditions are suitable, or when they do become suitable, the plan should be to target lower grass covers to catch up. Cows will go through a larger area more quickly, helping you to get closer to the 30% goal.

When grazing in these conditions the three things to focus on, in order of importance are: ensure stock are being fed properly, minimise ground damage and try to achieve good residuals. To minimise damage, allocate enough grass for only one grazing and do not go back over the same area twice. Cows should also go out to grass with an appetite.

Grazing options are more limited on drystock farms because on-off grazing is rarely an option. Stock will be going out to stay out.

While you’re waiting for conditions to improve, make sure cattle are fully prepped to go to grass. Do you need to genotype-tag store heifers? Or give them a pre-breeding vaccine? Can your newborn calves be vaccinated for clostridial disease and/or treated for coccidiosis? Can they be dehorned?

Get these jobs done now while they’re spending extra time in the yard.