While it may not be suited to all farms due to land type, location or topography, outwintering is still a realistic option on many farms. This can be done on grassland with deferred grazing and supplementary feed or through the use of forage crops such as kale, rape or hybrid brassicas that have seen a rise in popularity in recent years.

Where outwintering can be successfully carried out, the benefits can be significant. Firstly, costs are reduced compared with having stock housed and fed indoors.

Also, there are health benefits to be had in many instances.

We have often heard it said that fresh air is the best sickness prevention.

Where animals are sharing the same airspace, they are naturally at higher risk of disease

Cattle are more content and healthy outdoors, in their natural environment.

Infections and bugs thrive in warm, damp conditions – often provided by sheds. Where animals are sharing the same airspace, they are naturally at higher risk of disease.

Many farmers who outwinter dry cows will remark at how much fitter cows are at calving, having had the freedom to roam over the winter months.

Outwintering does not have to eliminate a housing period completely. Even shortening the length of the housed winter period can be beneficial.

Nitrates and cross compliance

Where stock are outwintered over the closed period for spreading organic fertilisers, it can reduce your farm’s need for organic fertiliser storage in some instances. In order to avail of this saving, the total amount of livestock manure produced on your entire holding cannot exceed 140kg organic N/ha for the year.

Severe poaching is where soil becomes liquefied

The land used for outwintering must be part of your holding, the animals must have access at all times to the required land and severe poaching must be avoided.

Severe poaching is where soil becomes liquefied. This should be avoided at all costs. Where feeding supplementary forage is taking place, it should never be within 20m of watercourses and the feeding location should be moved regularly to avoid excessive animal trafficking in the one area. Ideally, this means having bales laid out earlier in the year to avoid the need to bring tractors and machinery in on the land during periods of poor ground conditions.

Farmers can carry stock over winter at a grassland stocking rate of 130kg organic N/ha where sheep alone are being wintered. This translates to 10 lowland ewes/ha or 21 lowland hoggets/ha.

Where both sheep and cattle are being outwintered, the maximum stocking rate is also 85kg organic N/ha

Where cattle only are being outwintered, the maximum stocking rate is 85kg organic N/ha. This is equal to 1.3 suckler cows/ha or 3.5 weanlings/ha. Note that you cannot use this rule to have less storage capacity for dairy cows. Where both sheep and cattle are being outwintered, the maximum stocking rate is also 85kg organic N/ha. If you are in GLAS with low input permanent pasture (or traditional hay meadow), there is no outwintering allowed on these parcels and they cannot be used when calculating stocking rates.

Know your stock type

Not all stock are going to be suited to outwintering. It is important to have a strict criteria when selecting stock. Where dry cows are being outwintered, avoid keeping any cows out that are below the target body condition score of 3.5 coming into the winter. You should select cows that need to maintain or even slightly lose condition in the run-up to calving in spring.

Where forage crops are being used, young stock destined to return to pasture for a second season in spring are well suited to being outwintered.

A further benefit of outwintering this stock class is that they are prepped and ready to go to grass in spring

Teagasc trial work has shown that forage crops can support liveweight gains in the region of 0.7kg/day in young stock. This allows you to harness the benefits of compensatory growth in spring when they return to grass. A further benefit of outwintering this stock class is that they are prepped and ready to go to grass in spring and will perform excellently over the first number of weeks at pasture.

Health

Livestock will have no issues being outwintered once their nutritional needs are constantly met. They have sufficient shelter and they are in good health heading into the winter period. The parasitic challenge will be different on every farm and where grazing really dry farms, it may not be an issue at all. Knowing the history of your farm will determine the best approach here.

Where required, it is important that cows are dosed for fluke to ensure a clean bill of health heading into winter.

It is a good idea to vaccinate outwintered animals for clostridial diseases

Younger animals such as weanlings or replacement heifers should receive a worm dose. Be careful with animals that have a heavy worm burden as they can become stressed quite easily in the days after treatment as they cough up dead worms. This can cause animals to get a temperature and there is a greater risk of pneumonia, especially if the weather is unfavourable during this period. It is a good idea to vaccinate outwintered animals for clostridial diseases. Many clostridial diseases are present in soil and stock will be more at risk when outwintered. Remember that clostridial vaccination requires two doses about four weeks apart in order to achieve maximum immunity.

Mineral supplementation

Mineral supplementation should be considered with outwintered stock. Where brassicas such as kale, rape or hybrids are being fed, consider a bolus for all stock. In this way, you know every animal has received sufficient mineral supplementation. Brassica crops can be low in iodine, so a high-iodine slow-release bolus should be used for pregnant cows. A good-quality pre-calving mineral should also be offered in the run-up to calving.

Prepare for bad weather

While in an ideal world everything will go smoothly and the weather will be on your side for the wintering period, it is best to at least have a plan should weather conditions turn against you.

Where this period of bad weather is just for a number of days, then you may be able to work through it if the forecast is showing dry weather again in a number of days.

You should have the capacity to house stock should the need arise

Where there is a prolonged wet period or heavy snow or frost, alternative arrangements may need to be made. You should have the capacity to house stock should the need arise.

In the case of feeding forage crops during freezing conditions, avoid moving the fence early in the morning, as nitrate levels in the plant can be high and cause toxicity issues. Wait until afternoon when the crop has had a chance to thaw out. Increasing the level of forage in the diet during these periods is important.