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MaiaGrazing LIVE Replay: Cut Winter Feed Costs - Top three things to extend your grazing season.
Did you know that winter feed costs may account for 20-40% of a cows annual direct cost? How much could you save if you cut winter feed needs by a month? What about two months? As the summer comes to a close, many livestock producers are beginning to think about what their winter is going to look like. Will you be feeding hay by November, or are you looking to extend your grazing into 2025?
"...But I want to emphasize every grazing management decision that you make is a business decision, because it’s the primary determinant of profitability in your business.”
-Jim Gerrish, American Grazing Lands, LLC, 2024
Jim Gerrish of American Grazing Lands, LLC, joined us online to talk through the top three things livestock owners need to consider when working towards extending their grazing season.
Jim Gerrish is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and educator who has worked with producers to increase their grazing effectiveness and efficiency while boosting their landscapes production, health and diversity. With over 22 years in research paired with his knowledge of practical animal management systems, gives producers a glimpse into how their short-term decisions can make long-term impacts on their grazing operations.
#1 - Get Your Stock Policy Right
Your "Stock Policy" is a reflection of your enterprise type and the livestock classes you plan to carry over during each season of the year. This policy is entirely unique to your operation and tailored to the resource base you have including forage types & livestock class fit, climate, and infrastructure limitations.
Questions you should be asking yourself:
- What kind of livestock are you carrying on the property? (ie lactating cattle, dry ewes)
- How many are there, and what do they weigh?
- When do they arrive? When do they leave?
#2 - Plan for Winter Feed Supply During the Growing Season
Take some time to inventory your land and livestock. What kinds of species are present in your paddocks? Are some of those species more resilient, palatable, or nutritive during your dormant season? Increase your management - create seasonal grazing plans that highlight low cost grazing alternatives.
Questions you should be asking yourself:
- What areas do I have access to during the winter that are low-cost, higher production, and suited to the class of animals I plan to carry?
- What areas can I be stockpiling now, or during the growing season, to graze during the dormant season?
- Should I plan on supplementing protein?
#3 - Monitor Forage Supply & Allocate Accordingly
Throughout the growing season, keep an eye on your forage inventory. The last inventory observations of the season will result in a reflection of your total feed available until your next green-up. The actual dormancy date will vary depending on your location - California is different than Montana, which is different from Western Australia, which is different than the Gold Coast. It's up to you to keep an eye on your inventories - Feed and Livestock - to ensure that you have enough ahead of you to make it through the season.
Questions you should be asking yourself:
- How much feed do I have on offer? How much stand loss can I expect in my environment?
- How long does this resource need to last me to get to my next growing season?
- Does my feed demand match my feed supply? If not, what needs to change to balance the scales?
Tired of paper records being lost in the wash?
Are your paper records working for you? When I ask that I mean, "are you leveraging your historical records to forecast future performance, create flexible grazing plans, and evaluate forage supply versus forage demand?" If not, now is the best time to start.
Get a demo of MaiaGrazing to see how digitizing your grazing records can help you optimize your grazing all year round.
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