Growth of a Resilient Grazing System
The weather is unpredictable. And that adds another challenge to ranching. We can’t control the weather, but we can plan for the inevitable. In 2020 and 2021, we were dealt extreme drought, just like so many other ranchers and farmers.
After a dry winter, we were worried that we’d need to disperse almost all our cattle and a lot of our horses. That was really going to hurt. That changed in April 2022 when we received 5.35 inches of liquid moisture, including what came during two nasty blizzards. May brought 3 inches, June added 3.95 inches, July contributed 1.06, and so far in August we’ve had 0.05, for a total year-to-date of 13.86 inches. Our yearly average is 14.2 inches. In 2021, we had less than 10 inches. This year, the timing was nearly perfect to keep our grasses going.
But we’ve also had a very hot summer. There’s very good hay off our meadows for winter feeding for the first time since 2020. Our pastures are rebounding very well, in large part due to the drought plan we had in place, and our years of rangeland improvement to build a resilient ecosystem.
Long Pines Land and Livestock uses a rotational grazing system that takes constant vigilance. Animals are frequently shifted from pasture to pasture, based on forage growth and availability instead of number of days. It keeps the soil healthy and allows pastures to rest and rejuvenate, helps control weeds, and ensures better distribution of manure (the best fertilizer there is). There are studies supporting the role of livestock grazing on fire mitigation.
By July 2021, we knew we'd have to sell a significant part of our cattle herd. We worked hard to protect pastures by moving cattle frequently.
Two April 2022 blizzards, just a week apart, were brutal. But they set the stage for summer grazing. Thankfully, they hit a couple weeks before Long Pines calving.
With timely rains, the Long Pines cows and calves had the quality grass they needed in late July 2022.
The result is higher pasture productivity per acre.
Rotational grazing has been described as both an art and a science. The key is to offer our animals high quality leafy forage that is grazed in its prime all while leaving adequate forage behind when we move the herd. This helps the plants develop strong root systems and continue to grow. Frequency of grazing differs from pasture to pasture due to plant species, terrain, and water availability. Rest periods differ, depending upon type of grass, precipitation and heat, and length of growing season.
Effective grazing is dependent upon a multitude of factors. For example, on wet soil, the uprooting of tall grasses could happen, so it is always better to have forage a greater height before grazing and leave a larger proportion of forage behind in the pasture after grazing. During hot temperatures, leaving more residual forage in pastures keeps the soil protected from the harsh rays of the sun. Leaving some canopy of forage protects the roots from getting overheated and drying out.
It is imperative to allow the plants to hit their maximum growth rate without becoming too overgrown, thus causing reduced quality and palatability. For example, maximum growth rate happens at a greater height with tall grasses like orchard grass than short grasses like bluegrass or perennial ryegrass. Rest periods are also important. Summer growth rate can be 50% to 70% slower than spring, depending on heat and precipitation. But too much of a rest period can expose grasses to heat scald, rust, and even mildew depending on environmental conditions.
Rotational grazing can help improve stocking rates, extend the grazing season, and contribute to animal health. For example, we can have excellent crested wheat grass, but animals need to be on it at the right time for it to be palatable. Foot and hoof problems can be reduced through the animals’ motion as they move across the rangeland.
Every trip across a pasture with a vehicle costs more than just the fuel. It causes soil compaction. We move our livestock horseback. We do not own any ATVs. Mineral and salt are placed to encourage grazing in specific areas to get the best use of pastures and minimize riparian disturbance. Over the years, we have added solar water wells to our pastures which has encouraged animals to graze in areas they did not before.
We raise Irish Black® and Irish Red® purebred and percentage blood cattle for many reasons. We selected this breed of cattle for its moderate size, feed efficiency, gentle disposition, hardiness, and adaptability. They contribute to keeping our range healthy.
The product we use to control parasites is less harmful to the ecosystem than other pour-on options. It does not kill the dung beetle, which lives in manure and breaks it down so it nourishes the soil. Keeping grass taller, so animals graze further away from the ground, helps to break the lifecycle of parasites harmful to animals.
