Enhance Your Fall Forage and Cattle Management with Herdwatch: A Guide for Ranchers
As the growing season comes to an end, fall is an ideal time for ranchers to set their forages up for success. By making informed management decisions now, you can enhance the health and productivity of your fields. Here are some key factors for effective fall forage management with Herdwatch.
Fall Field Management Essentials: Set Your Forage Up for Success
Map Your Fields with Herdwatch
Start this fall season off right by mapping your fields with Pasture by Herdwatch. By planning ahead this fall with your field treatments and management, you can set your forage up for a successful spring.
Assess Your Fields
Fall is the perfect time to get a clearer picture of how your pastures and hayfields are preforming. Allowing you to identify areas that need attention and correct soil fertility issues. Conducting a soil test and adhering to a consistent three-year fall testing schedule will help ensure your forage has the necessary nutrients for successful spring regrowth.
Mowing and Grazing Height Adjustments
During spring and summer, alfalfa is typically mowed at a height of 2″-2.5″. However, in the fall, it’s important to adjust that height to 3″-4″ to promote healthy regrowth. If grass is your dominant species, aim for a minimum height of 4″. This height encourages faster recovery and better forage quality. Similarly, these guidelines apply to grazing management. Overgrazing is your biggest enemy. Setting up proper field rotation and grazing management will help with forage growth. The advice to “graze half and leave half” remains a fundamental principle. Ideally, cattle should be removed when grass is grazed down to a height of 4 inches to allow for sufficient leaf area for photosynthesis and regrowth.
Timing Matters: Allow for Regrowth and Recovery
After mowing or grazing, it’s crucial to give your forages enough time to regenerate before the first frost. A good rule of thumb is to allow 4-6 weeks for recovery. Different alfalfa varieties may offer improved weather hardiness, enabling later cuttings, but be cautious with late harvesting since fall regrowth is essential for stand survivability. After a summer drought, it’s tempting to turn cattle back into pastures as soon as you see some growth. However, giving your plants adequate recovery time is essential. Ideally, wait at least 7 days after a rain to minimize the risk of prussic acid or nitrate toxicity. Always assess pasture recovery before returning cattle to avoid further stress on the forages.
Weed Control in Fall
Fall is also an excellent time for weed control. Many perennial weeds, such as common milkweed and Canada thistle, remain active during this season. Treating these while they’re still green can be more effective. Biennials like common burdock and wild carrot are easier to manage in their rosette stage, making fall applications a smart choice. Also don’t forget to fertilize your winter annuals! Applying 40-50 pounds of nitrogen per acre soon after they emerge can kickstart growth and ensure they have the nutrients needed for the colder months ahead.
Enhance Your Cattle Management This Fall: Tips for Health, Nutrition, and Tracking with Herdwatch
Enter your cattle into Herdwatch
Get your cattle entered in Herdwatch ASAP. That way you are able to keep track of individual weights, body scores, weaning, and feedings. This will help determine forage plans and set your operation up for success.
Monitoring Body Condition Scores (BCS)
Body condition scoring is a useful tool for evaluating the nutritional status of your cattle herd. Cattle should ideally maintain a moderate score of 5 on a scale of 1 to 9. This method along with weighing cattle, gives a better indication of energy reserves and overall health.
Consider early weaning
While creep feeding can alleviate pressure on cattle and boost calf weaning weights, early weaning should be considered if you are looking to stretch forage supplies.
Inventory and Feeding Strategies
Before the colder months set in, evaluate your hay and feed resources. On average, a cow will consume about 2.5% of her body weight in hay per day. Keep in mind that hay stored outside typically incurs about a 20% waste factor, while inside storage results in about 7% waste. Using a hay feeder can significantly reduce waste compared to feeding without one. Certain feeder designs, such as cone-type feeders, have shown the least amount of hay waste, making them a worthwhile investment over time. To ensure your animals receive the best possible nutrition, have forage samples analyzed for nutrient profiles. This will allow you to formulate safe and effective diets that meet your herds requirements.
By implementing these strategies this fall, you can help ensure a successful growing season ahead. Taking proactive steps now will not only enhance the health of your forages, but also improve the overall productivity of your operation.
Do you want to start managing your ranch more effectively? Join over 20,000 producers using Herdwatch today & see how it can boost productivity & profitability on your ranch!