If you follow my Twitter you will know that I finally got the cattle out on pasture the other day. Obviously I would have loved to make it happen sooner, and plenty (or all) of my neighbors have had their cattle out of the winter lots for quite some time … But, I didn’t want to sacrifice my pastures just for the sake of getting them out on the grass. The fact of the matter is that at this point my pastures don’t take off like the ones around me, but they are beginning to turn around and with careful management they will be where I want them to be … careful management just takes patience sometimes.
My greatest fear was getting them out on the grass before it had a chance to get going and then just running spots as I worked my cattle through the rotation. Because I held off (and because we have had some good growing weather recently) I think I will have a better summer and hopefully a long fall of grazing. I started the cows off down in the bottom where the grass is growing the best and then I am going to work them along the edge of the woods next, which is actually outside of my perimeter fence. As you can see from the blurry picture above it is green and they seem to be enjoying themselves.
After just a few movements though (four to be exact) I am so glad to see things working out just like it does in my mind. When I move them into the next paddock and look back at the one they were previously in it looks like it was bombed with manure and there practically isn’t a piece of grass or clover that hasn’t been pooped on … eaten … or trampled. Now I just need to get the chickens following behind … oh … and figure out what to do with the sheep …
“… and figure out what to do with the sheep …”
I’ve got no experience with sheep, but why not form one herd of sheep and cattle?
Without one combined herd or mob it seems like it would be more difficult to get a long enough rest period.