With fodder shortages and grazing systems under pressure, one could be forgiven for ditching normal grazing plans and maximising silage cutting over the next two months. However, if we can reduce the length of the winter by getting stock out early next spring, this could also help reduce fodder requirements for the coming winter. Getting stock out early isn’t just a matter of opening the shed door next March and hoping for the best. You need to put in place plans this autumn for this to be successful.
Autumn objectives
There are two main objectives to managing autumn grass on a beef farm:
1. You need to provide enough grass for grazing animals on your farm.
2. You also need to be thinking about building grass covers for early grazing next spring. In a normal year the entire farm is available for grazing from mid-August onwards. This year may be a little different, as some farms have closed again for third-cut silage. This will have implications for closing up and more nitrogen will need to be spread in August to boost growth and grass supplies on the grazing block. Spreading fertiliser in August will have a greater response than nitrogen applied in September. Feeding concentrates at grass will help to reduce demand and help to build covers, if grass is managed correctly. As growth rates drop you need to ensure that there is enough grass being grown in August and September to keep animals grazing during October. It is the grass that is grown in the coming months that will be grazed next spring
Autumn management
Rotation length needs to increase from 20-25 days in July to 35 days or more by mid-September.Pre-grazing yields can increase to 2,500kg/DM/ha in autumn, as grass will not go to seed and the leaf will be very digestible. This allows farm cover build-up, as rotation will be slower.The highest average farm cover should be in mid-September.The last rotation should commence in mid-October, so every paddock grazed beyond this date should be closed. Aim to close the driest paddocks first, as these will be the first paddocks that will be grazed next spring.Aim to graze tight in the last rotation, down to 5cm.The average farm cover should be around 500kg/DM/ha at housing in November.Once fields are closed don’t be tempted to go back in for a quick graze, as this will reduce your chance of early grazing next spring.On a dry farm aim to have two-thirds of the farm closed by 1 November and everything closed by 1 December.
With fodder shortages and grazing systems under pressure, one could be forgiven for ditching normal grazing plans and maximising silage cutting over the next two months. However, if we can reduce the length of the winter by getting stock out early next spring, this could also help reduce fodder requirements for the coming winter. Getting stock out early isn’t just a matter of opening the shed door next March and hoping for the best. You need to put in place plans this autumn for this to be successful.
Autumn objectives
There are two main objectives to managing autumn grass on a beef farm:
1. You need to provide enough grass for grazing animals on your farm.
2. You also need to be thinking about building grass covers for early grazing next spring. In a normal year the entire farm is available for grazing from mid-August onwards. This year may be a little different, as some farms have closed again for third-cut silage. This will have implications for closing up and more nitrogen will need to be spread in August to boost growth and grass supplies on the grazing block. Spreading fertiliser in August will have a greater response than nitrogen applied in September. Feeding concentrates at grass will help to reduce demand and help to build covers, if grass is managed correctly. As growth rates drop you need to ensure that there is enough grass being grown in August and September to keep animals grazing during October. It is the grass that is grown in the coming months that will be grazed next spring
Autumn management
Rotation length needs to increase from 20-25 days in July to 35 days or more by mid-September.Pre-grazing yields can increase to 2,500kg/DM/ha in autumn, as grass will not go to seed and the leaf will be very digestible. This allows farm cover build-up, as rotation will be slower.The highest average farm cover should be in mid-September.The last rotation should commence in mid-October, so every paddock grazed beyond this date should be closed. Aim to close the driest paddocks first, as these will be the first paddocks that will be grazed next spring.Aim to graze tight in the last rotation, down to 5cm.The average farm cover should be around 500kg/DM/ha at housing in November.Once fields are closed don’t be tempted to go back in for a quick graze, as this will reduce your chance of early grazing next spring.On a dry farm aim to have two-thirds of the farm closed by 1 November and everything closed by 1 December. 
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