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Suckler farmers face a difficult challenge to keep cattle grazing this autumn, after heavy rain in recent weeks.
As well as making ground conditions harder to manage, rain has seen dry matter in grazing swards fall as low as 13% to 15%.
As dry matter falls, cattle are grazing through swards as a faster rate. This increases the risk of running short on grass later this month, unless action is taken to lengthen rotations.
Hopefully, drier weather will return. But realistically, in mid-September, the amount of drying will be limited without windy conditions.
While cattle are already housed on some farms, most farmers are trying to keep as many animals as possible grazing for a few weeks yet
Farmers who are good grassland managers really come into their own during the shoulders of the grazing season, reacting quickly to changing conditions and taking the right steps to extend grazing.
While cattle are already housed on some farms, most farmers are trying to keep as many animals as possible grazing for a few weeks yet. Outlined are 10 steps to manage grass and extend grazing into late autumn, as weather permits.
1 Walk the farm weekly
Walk the farm at least once per week to get a handle on paddocks that can carry cattle and those that need to be skipped because they are too wet.
It will also give a better indication of how much grass is front of cattle. This will put you in a better position to decide if some stock needs to be sold, or when housing should start.
2 Plan out the autumn rotation
The direction of your normal grazing rotation may need to change in autumn, as paddocks become too wet to carry stock.
On heavier farms, housing is likely to get under way in early October, depending on the weather. Target grazing paddocks with the highest covers now to get as much grass grazed off before housing.
This may take a bit of planning to move cattle between such paddocks. Make use of electric fencing to create temporary laneways to herd animals between paddocks as necessary.
A similar approach should be taken for paddocks with heavier soils. If conditions permit, graze these paddocks now and leave drier paddocks to carry cattle later in the month.
On drier farms, grazing dry fields now means they will be ready to graze again in mid- to late October, just before housing starts.
3 Rotation length
During wet conditions, most three-day paddocks usually become two day or daily paddocks, so keep this in mind when counting up grazing days in front of cattle for September. Where housing normally starts in early October, you need 15 to 20 days of grazing in front of cows. Too much grass is just as bad as too little, if it is unlikely to be grazed off before housing.
Leaving heavy covers over winter leads to a build-up of dead matter. This needs to be grazed off in early spring to stimulate growth.
On drier land with scope to graze cattle to early November, you will need 30 to 35 days of grass in front of cattle, before factoring in some regrowth.
Silage ground coming back into the grazing rotation should help extend the rotation, as will offloading stores, barren cows and early housing of finishing cattle.
4 Fertiliser
Chemical fertiliser cannot be applied to grassland from 15 September, so if you are tight for grass and likely to run short of grazing before your planned housing date, get nitrogen on ASAP. Where the aim is to graze to early October, apply 15 to 20 units/ac of N and target drier ground and younger swards.
Apply 30 units/ac if the aim is to graze into late October. Applying P and K will help repair swards that were badly damaged during wet weather in recent weeks. If there is ample grass in front of cattle, fertiliser is not required.
5 Slurry
On farms with slurry still to spread, think about which fields you will target. Drier fields will carry the tanker, but grazing will be delayed for 15 to 20 days, depending on application rates and water content of slurry.
If possible, target slurry to paddocks after grazing, but this is easier said than done. If conditions are poor, the priority will most likely switch to getting tanks emptied rather than grazing management.
6 Leave higher grazing residuals
As grass growth slows during autumn, leaving a higher residual cover will speed up regrowth. Do not hold cows in paddocks and force them to clean out covers to 4cm. This will make animals more unsettled, and with lactating cows, it increases the risk of tetany.
Remove cattle once swards are grazed down to 5cm to 6cm, which is just above the toe level on your boot. Rejected grass can be cleaned off in the next rotation.
7 Grazing method
If you plan on sticking to a structured rotation, sub-divide paddocks using electric wire to make 24- to 48-hour grazing allocations.
This will limit the amount of grass cattle that will spoil. It works best on drier paddocks at this time of year, as stocking pressure is condensed in a smaller area.
Strip grazing is an alternative option, but this is more labour intensive. The fence needs to be moved at the same time every day to prevent cattle running out of grass and becoming unsettled.
As grass dry matter is low in autumn, cattle drink less water, especially during periods with frequent rain.
Therefore, when working with 24-hour allocations, you can get away without a water trough in every allocation. But make sure cattle have access to water in every second grazing allocation.
8 Back fencing
Use a back fence to protect areas that have been grazed. Not only will this protect regrowth, it will prevent poaching on paddocks with low grass covers.
9 Smaller groups
The alternative to the structured paddock system is to spread cattle out over the whole farm in smaller groups.
This takes the pressure off heavier paddocks, reducing poaching and spoiling of swards. This helps extend grazing into October.
10 Gradual housing
The final step is to start housing cattle in phases. Do not hold every animal at grass until the very last blade has been eaten. Instead, gradually house cattle in small groups.
This eases grazing demand and reduces stocking rates, helping to extend grazing for animals such as cows and calves.
Start by housing strong stores that will be finished out of the shed. On swards at 13% to 15% dry matter, these animals will not be gaining weight at grass.
Housing and feeding dry, high-quality silage with concentrates will boost weight gains in stores. Next, house first-calved heifers and thin cows.
Then focus on cows and calves. Housing smaller groups in phases means less stress and fewer animals to monitor – or treat – for respiratory problems at once.
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