In the beef business there is increasing emphasis on how to best manage grass pastures for cattle. Moving cattle frequently among pastures seems to make for the healthiest grass lands – and as a result the biggest weight gains for cows.
From David Burton at News-Leader.com
“Rotational or management intensive grazing was rated as the best management practice being used by cattlemen at the 40th annual “Monett Beef Cattlemen’s Conference” held earlier this month at the National Guard Armory in Monett [Missouri]. All 150 conference attendees were asked to answer the question, “What’s the best beef cattle/forage or other farm management practice you’ve used in the last 12 months?”
“One-third of the replies said rotational grazing had helped them the most, according to Eldon Cole, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist. Responses focused on the addition of legumes to pastures and stockpiling fescue ranked a distant second and third.
“It’s logical that cattle producers concern themselves with forage production since it’s at least two-thirds the annual cost of keeping a beef cow around each year,” said Cole. Cole says from the replies in this survey it is evident that pasture rotation yields the most bang for your buck.
“If you are not rotating pasture then early spring is the time to start. You may be able to get started by simply shutting some gates,” said Cole. “Remember, two pastures are better than one, four pastures are better than two.””