Just wanted to give a quick update – lately we’ve been focused on marketing this fall’s farm wares, but we have also been busy on some farm improvements. One that I’ve been working on into the evening for several nights over the past week is winter grazing.
This year will mark the first year that we’ve planted a crop specifically for late fall/winter grazing, so we’re excited to see how long we’re able to keep the cows on the pasture this winter. For now, they are still happily grazing on the cool season pasture – alfalfa, orchardgrass, volunteer summer annuals (foxtail is their favorite), and some sparse MaxQ fescue. They are about to rotate through the bermuda pasture one more time (lightly), and then will be back on the cool season grasses.
So for our extended grazing crop, we’re currently seeding 2 different types of forage ahead of the cattle. Our choices were Surrey ryegrass and turnips, both of which are well known for quick establishment and hardiness during colder weather in addition to producing solid weight gains for the cattle. If all goes well, they’ll be strip grazing the ryegrass and turnips when snow is on the ground here in Missouri… and we will be dealing with significantly fewer round bales this winter. We’ll let you know how it goes.
How are you seeding the ryegrass and turnips? Are you broadcasting it or drilling it into the existing grass?
Why are you grazing the bermuda lightly? The bermuda I am familiar with seems to thrive on disturbance, the heavier the grazing pressure (or mowing, or cultivation, etc.) the more it seems to grow.
@Rich
We’re broadcasting the ryegrass/turnips and counting on the cattle to step them in, since we’re relatively equipment-poor at this point. We’re using a healthy seeding rate, so hopefully we’ll get a good stand of both. And I don’t mind the exercise at all either… broadcasting is a great excuse to walk every inch of the farm!
On the bermuda, I agree that in the growth phase, it does seem to thrive on disturbance, but I’ve been scared off by some sources I’ve read that suggest leaving a fair amount of residual to carry it through the winter.