Cold late spring demands special grazing care

PROLONGED cold and wet conditions across much of the country in the winter and early spring make it more important than ever for beef and sheep producers to manage their grazing with the greatest possible care.

 

EBLEX stress that farmers run a serious risk of compromising both current and future performance from grass if the situation isn't monitored closely.

 

Many pastures will have a markedly lower early carrying capacity this season, increasing the danger of damage from over-stocking, especially with very much slower initial sward growth. Equally, once temperatures warm-up extremely rapid grass growth and development increases the danger of swards racing too far ahead of grazing stock, causing major losses in grazing quality.

 

"As well as restricting the immediate livestock performance ability off pastures, both over-stocking and under-grazing can have serious consequences for future grassland productivity. Extra fertiliser may well be required to achieve the necessary output, together with remedial work to overcome poaching or compaction and earlier renovation or re-seeding in many cases, adding significantly to enterprise costs," says EBLEX Sheep Scientist Dr Liz Genever.

Under these conditions, EBLEX insists that close monitoring of sward growth and a flexible approach to grazing management will be essential to ensure the critical balance between grass availability and stocking rates is maintained throughout the coming grazing season.

 

It suggests using a simple sward stick or ruler to monitor early season grass availability, in particular, and adjusting stocking levels to key targets as the best way of optimising grassland productivity (Table).

 
Table: Early Season Sward Height Targets for Optimum Grassland Productivity

 

	Rotational Grazing		Continuous Grazing (cm)
	Pre-graze (cm)	Post-graze (cm)
Ewes & lambs	8-10	4-5	4
Sucklers (milking)	10-14	5-6	5-6
Growing cattle	10-12	5-6	5-6

At the same time, it advises managers to be especially sensitive to the dangers of early season poaching, ensuring lighter stock are prioritised for grazing wetter pastures and stocking is continuously adjusted in late March and April to actual carrying capacity. 

 

Prioritising compacted areas and swards with ryegrass contents of less than 60% or summer clover contents below 30% for attention later in the season is also recommended.

 

Further advice on grazing management is available free of charge to levy payers through interactive Action for Profit advice sheets at www.eblex.org.uk. A special Grasswatch service involving grass growth and quality monitoring of beef and sheep pastures at 10 sites across England will also be published in the weekly farming press and on-line from April.

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