Grazing Basics
Central Wisconsin
Grazing Meetings
March 2008
Craig Saxe
UW-Extension, Juneau Co.
211 Hickory Street
Mauston WI 53948
(608) 847-9329
craig.saxe@ces.uwex.edu
We’ll be covering
• What is rotational grazing
• Why use rotational grazing
• Understanding plant growth
• Setting up a grazing system
• Fencing, watering and frost seeding
• Grazing tips
Grazing Quotes
• Management is the single most
important factor determining financial
success on all farms
• Grazing won’t turn a poor manager into
a good one
• Grazing isn’t about cows & grass it’s
about a different type of thinking
• Grazing isn’t a goal it’s a Tool
What Grazing Management and
Golf have in common
• It’s something you do outdoors
• Doing it well is more difficult then it
looks
• Many people “talk” a much better game
than they play
• Studying about how to do it can be
helpful, but real success requires
practice and experience
Don Ball, 1999
What Grazing Management and
Golf have in common
• Weather can have a huge influence on
the results obtained
• There are many products you can buy
to better your game, but a real expert
only needs a few basics
• No matter how good you are, there is
always room for improvement
Don Ball, 1999
What is Rotational Grazing?
• Farming is all about capturing the sun’s
energy and converting it to usable products.
L. Paine, 2005
• If we start by
maximizing the
amount of energy
we capture, all other
steps in the process
have greater
potential to yield
profits.
L. Paine, 2005
Number of Days of Bare Soil
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Continuous Corn
Continuous Wheat
Continuous Alfalfa
Pasture
L. Paine, 2005
Many Pastures are Continuously Grazed
W
S
This usually means:
• Lower yields due to
selective grazing
• Greater weed problems
• Potential for erosion
problems in certain areas
• No management or poor
management of forage
resource
Rotational Grazing
1. Pastures are subdivided into
smaller areas (paddocks)
2. A portion of the pasture is grazed
Lane
while the remainder “rests”
Rest allows pasture to:
• Recover from grazing,
• Rebuild energy reserves & plant
vigor
• Increase forage production
Management Intensive Rotational Grazing
W
W
Corral
Lane
W
W
Management
Intensive Rotational
Grazing (MIRG)
involves even greater
numbers of paddocks
and/or subdivision
within paddocks to
increase amount of
rest and decrease
days grazing each
rotation
Strip Grazing
Lane
Strip
Grazing
Which grazing system is right for me?
CONSIDERATIONS:
• What’s best for the grass
• What’s best for the livestock
• What moves you toward your goals!!!
Why use Rotational Grazing?
Managed Intensive Grazing Advantages
• We control where animals graze
• Increases yield
• Increase carrying capacity
• Extend grazing season in the fall
• Increases forage quality
• Increases animal performance
• Lowers cost of production
• Maximizes efficiency of your time and
resources
• Offers greater management flexibility
It could be argued that managed
intensive grazing comes at an added cost
• Fence
• Water systems
• Labor
• Higher level of management required
Why manage grazing?
• Reduces erosion
• Improves water quality
• Enhance wildlife habitat
• Improves range or pasture condition
Texas Creek, Colorado, BLM website on Health Riparian Areas
CIAS 2006
CIAS 2006
Gross Returns Per Acre
$350
313
$300
$250
$200
196
192
$150
112
$100
$50
$0
Intens.
Pasture
Contin.
Pasture
Hay
Corn
Silage
Penn State 1992
Direct Costs Per Acre
$140
129
$120
$100
$80
53
$60
$40
$20
19
7
$0
Intens.
Pasture
Contin.
Pasture
Hay
Corn
Silage
Penn State 1992
Profit Per Acre
$140
129
$120
$100
75
$80
58
$60
$40
20
$20
$0
Intens.
Pasture
Contin.
Pasture
Hay
Corn
Silage
Penn State 1992
Dairy Economic Comparison
(15,000 vs. 18,000 lbs/cow/yr)
Confinement
Full Machinery
Return To
Labor
Grazing
Reduced
Machinery
36,528
39,409
43,640
52,118
54,997
54,227
7.07
8.08
9.66
10.73
Return To
6.40
Labor ($/hr) 8.95
* Researchers caution that this study is based on simulated dairy models
CIAS Study
Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise
Stocking
Rate
Lbs product
per acre
Gross per
acre
Cow-calf-low
intensity
Cow-calf-intensive
5 acres
100 calf
$60
2 acres
250 calf
$150
Stocker calf-low
1 acre
intensity
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre
270 gain
$95
540 gain
$189
Sheep-low intensity
0.5 acre
225 lamb
$113
Sheep-high intensity
0.2 acre
560 lamb
$280
Ohio State
Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise
Stocking
Rate
Lbs product
per acre
Gross per
acre
Cow-calf-low
intensity
Cow-calf-intensive
5 acres
100 calf
$60
2 acres
250 calf
$150
Stocker calf-low
1 acre
intensity
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre
270 gain
$95
540 gain
$189
Sheep-low intensity
0.5 acre
225 lamb
$113
Sheep-high intensity
0.2 acre
560 lamb
$280
Ohio State
Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise
Stocking
Rate
Lbs product
per acre
Gross per
acre
Cow-calf-low
intensity
Cow-calf-intensive
5 acres
100 calf
$60
2 acres
250 calf
$150
Stocker calf-low
1 acre
intensity
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre
270 gain
$95
540 gain
$189
Sheep-low intensity
0.5 acre
225 lamb
$113
Sheep-high intensity
0.2 acre
560 lamb
$280
Ohio State
Livestock Enterprise Comparison
Enterprise
Stocking
Rate
Lbs product
per acre
Gross per
acre
Cow-calf-low
intensity
Cow-calf-intensive
5 acres
100 calf
$60
2 acres
250 calf
$150
Stocker calf-low
1 acre
intensity
Stocker calf-intensive 0.5 acre
270 gain
$95
540 gain
$189
Sheep-low intensity
0.5 acre
225 lamb
$113
Sheep-high intensity
0.2 acre
560 lamb
$280
Ohio State
Understanding Plant Growth
Deitz, NRCS
Deitz, NRCS
Forage
Quality
Growth
Curve
Best time to graze
Yield
Seasonal growth patterns in
forages
Species
Kentucky
bluegrass
Orchardgrass
Reed
Conarygrass
Alfalfa
Red clover
White clover
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Monthly forage production
in 2-acre grass and grass-legume pastures
3000
Lbs. Forage
2500
2000
1500
1000
animal
need
500
0
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Grass Pasture
Good Management
Poor Management
Grass-Legume Pasture
Good Management
Poor Management
Setting up a Grazing System
Fundamentals of successful
grazing management
•
Meet the nutritional needs of the
livestock from standing pasture
•
Optimize pasture yield, quality, and
persistence
•
Maintain or enhance the natural
resource base
•
Integrate appropriate technology and
knowledge into a practical system
Setting up a Rotation
• Size of animal
• Number of animals
• Daily intake
• Forage availability
• Desired rotation length
The example to follow was created by Laura Paine
How much forage
is out there?
Rule of thumb:
Figure about 400 pounds
dry matter per acre per
inch of cool season
pasture.
L. Paine
How much do my animals need?
Rule of thumb:
Figure 2.5 to 4% of body
weight dry matter per
animal per day.
L. Paine
How big should my paddocks be?
• Paddock size equals:
Number of head x Daily Intake (3% ) x No. of Days
Available Forage/Ac./Rotation
L. Paine
What does a sheep eat in a day?
• One ewe/lamb pair weighs about 200 lb
• Daily forage need/pair
= 3% of body weight
= 200 x 0.03
= 6 lb of dry matter/day
L. Paine
What does your flock eat in a day?
• One ewe/lamb pair eats 6 lb/day
• 20 pairs eat 120 lb/day
• 50 pairs eat 300 lb/day
• 100 pairs eat 600 lb/day
L. Paine
When should I graze and how
much forage is out there?
• Graze when pasture is 8 to 10 inches
high (depending on species).
• Take half-leave half rule: graze down to
4 or 5 inches.
• At 400 lb/inch, you have 1600 to 2000
lb/acre to work with.
L. Paine
How long should I leave the flock
on one paddock?
• One to three days.
• Above 3 days, you’re regrazing grass
that you grazed the first day.
• The shorter the rotation, the better
quality and forage utilization you’ll
have.
L. Paine
Putting it all together
• Flock of 100 ewes with lambs.
• 3-day rotation.
• Need 600 lb forage/day.
• 600 lb x 3 days = 1800 lb/paddock.
L. Paine
Putting it all together
• Ready to graze pasture = 1600 lb
forage/acre available to use.
• Acreage needed to last 3 days =
1800/1600 = 1.13 acres.
• Just over one acre/paddock.
L. Paine
Determine Number of Paddocks
• 30 days  3 day rotation + 1 =
11 paddocks
• 11 paddocks x 1.13 acres/paddock =
12.43 acres
L. Paine
Another Example: Stocker Cattle
• 100 stockers or heifers, 1 day rotation, 2000 lb/a
available forage
• Beginning weight = 400 lb; ending weight = 800 lb;
• average weight = 600 lb.
• Paddock size equals:
(100 x (600 x 0.03) x 1)  2000 =
(100 x (18) x 1)  2000 =
1800 x 1  2000 =
1800  2000 =
*0.9 acres*
L. Paine
Determine Number of Paddocks
• 30 days  1 day rotation + 1 =
31 paddocks
• 31 paddocks x 1 acre/paddock =
31 acres
L. Paine
Stockers or
Heifers
• 100 animals
• 1 day rotation
• 30 day cycle
• 1 acre/paddock
• 31 paddocks
L. Paine
The Rest Period
• Should vary according to plant growth
• In general, must increase as growth
rate slows
• Relates closely to seasonal forage
growth
• Need to rotate between paddocks every
3-6 days (or less)
Relationship of rest period to pasture mass
during periods of rapid vs. slow growth
Optimum
Lbs.
Rest
DM / acre
Period
0
5
10
15
20
Period of fast plant growth (days)
25
0
10
20
30
40
Period of slow plant growth (days)
50
Rest
Meeting the needs of the pasture plant
Maximizing Intake
• Three controlling
factors
• Grazing time
• Biting rate
• Bite size
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
Of the three controlling factors,
bite size is all we can control!
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
(% liveweight)
Intake
Change in daily intake from day 1 to day
7 of week grazing period
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Jim Gerrish, Dodge County Grazing Conference, 2002
Which will cause more overgrazing?
The stocking rate of both paddocks is identical:
100 Animal Days per Acre.
The effect on the paddocks will be much
different.
Stocking Rate (animals/acre)
• Can use formulas for actual numbers
• Thumb rule; 1000 pound animal per 2-4
acres
• Intensive Rotational Grazing = 1000
pound beef animal to 1-1.5 acres
• Traditional “Under-managed” pastures
= 1000 pound animal to 5-10 acres
Radial pasture configuration - before
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Radial pasture configuration – after
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Another pasture configuration - before
Explanation
Bare
Buildings
Fences
Lawn
Property
Streams
Trees
Water
Weeds
Another pasture configuration - after
Explanation
Bare
Buildings
Fences
Lawn
Property
Streams
Trees
Water
Weeds
Fencing, Watering and Frost
Seeding
Consider the New Fencing
Technology
Be flexible with Fencing
Useful Life of Fencing Materials
Material
Life (yrs.)
Maintenance
Wood
Post and Rail
V-Mesh wire
Barbless wire
High tensile wire
Plastic fence
PVC
15-20+
15-20
20-30
15
20-30
12
20-30
High
Low – Medium
Low
Medium
Low
Low
Low
Fencing
• One of the largest expenses in Grazing
• Many different options but some rules
apply
– Have secure perimeter fence
– Use temporary or portable fence in cells
– Use the lay of the land to your advantage
– Be flexible in cell sizing
Cost of Fencing
• Cost of quarter mile of fence
– 48” woven wire, one barb-----------$1.07/foot
– 5 barbed wire fence------------------$0.83/foot
– High tensile 8 strand 12.5 gauge---$0.76/foot
– High tensile 5 strand electric(12.5)$0.57/foot
– Polywire fence(interior use only)--$0.03/foot
Iowa State University
Shape effect on Fencing
Requirements
744 feet
836 feet
1007 feet
Length=2 X Width
888 feet
951 feet
Length=4 X width
1,040 feet
Water
FROST SEEDING
Adding new seed to a pasture by broadcasting on
frozen ground in early spring, letting frost & snow
incorporate the seed.
Frost Seeding in Snow
This practice is promoted because it’s easy to determine seed
placement. Be cautioned that this practice could also
increase the risk of seed movement as the snow melts.
Snow Tracks Help
Seed Melts into Snow
FROST SEEDING
• Improves Pasture Quality & Yield
• Lower Cost Than Annual Nitrogen
Application ($9 vs. $42)
• Works Best On Loams & Clay Soils or
Fields With Natural Moisture
• Clovers Recommended, Birdsfoot Trefoil
& Certain Grasses Can Work
FROST SEEDING
• Use Improved Varieties i.e. Clovers Like
Arlington, Cimmeron, or Marathon and
High Yielding Trefoils Like Norcen
• Graze Tight In The Fall
• Broadcast Inoculated Seed Approx. 45
Days Before Grass Growth Begins
FROST SEEDING
• Broadcast 6 - 10 # of Red Clover; 8 - 12#
of Trefoil; or 2 - 4 # of White Clover /acre
• Don’t Mix Clover & Trefoil
• For Insurance Apply 40# / Acre of Actual
Phosphorus (90# / Acre of 0-46-0 )
• Lime or Potassium May Be Needed - Soil
Test To Determine - Don’t Apply Nitrogen!
Grazing Tips
Management is
our most
important input
for productivity
C. Bradley
Management makes the difference between this…
Successful Pasture
Management
And this…
Grazing
Streamside
Pastures
Stockpile Forages
• Let forage accumulate 70-75 days
before a normal killing frost
• At 2 acres per cow expect 40-60 days of
stockpiled forage
• The goal should be to provide the
greatest amount of leaf material
• Growing or Lactating animals may need
more
Steps to effective grazing management
•
Graze to the desired stubble height
(take half, leave half-grazing rule of thumb)
•
Allow adequate rest periods for grass
regrowth
•
Don’t regraze a pasture until your key
species has reached the desired height
•
Avoid over or under grazing
Steps to effective grazing
management
• Apply fertilizer as needed (take a soil test)
• Re-seed pastures if necessary
• Control weeds and undesirable plants in
pastures and adjacent areas
• Divide or subdivide grazing areas into
smaller blocks, where feasible
Grazing Management Tips
• Commit Yourself Totally To Making It
Work
• Make The Transition Gradually
• Solicit A Lot Of Advice, But Make Your
Own Decisions
• Stay Flexible And Keep Investments
Low
Grazing Management Tips
• Set reasonable goals
• Plan, monitor and modify plans to meet
your objectives
• Be observant – walk your property and
look
• Keep records – written and
photographic
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/teamforage/index.html
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cwas/
Central Wisconsin
Agricultural
Specialization
Portage
Wood
Waushara
Juneau
Green Lake
Adams
Marquette