[Ed_Hunter]

Swath grazing? How many do it?

For the Rest of you why not?? Does it seem like a lot of work to change? scared to try something new? scared to have to learn something new?

The farmers that do, say it is less work!!!!!! and makes them more money. They say it takes more planning.

Those that do? how much set up do you do before winter hits? Do you have water in each field? do you bed the cows? How much shelter do your fields have? WILL SWATH GRAZING WORK FOR EVERY ONE OF US??

and will it work for all cows, young, old, every breed, every climate, how much snow, or rain, what's the best crop Millet or cereal??

 

[crw]

I have done it, haven't for about 5 years now.

The reason I stopped is that I had to have spare feed in the yard in case of deep snow or melting temps to ice up the swaths or the cows punching holes in my fields.

Less work? Maybe as long as the cows clean it up or I had to heavy harrow or disc or spike the field so I can seed it again. Works against my direct seeding.

Water in the field? Yes dugouts or walk to water trough in the yard. I don't rely on just eating snow because if there is not enough snow the feed is wasted for the year.

The best crop would be millet then triticale/ barley mix, then barley, and the poorest would be oats. At least what I have tried. The reason oats are the poorest is because if the oats grow well the cows won't eat any stems as they get to course. The cows pick through it and sleep on the rest.

Easier to feed bales, can control there feed and place it where the weather needs it. When swath grazing they eat probably 30% or more feed. And I roll the bales out with my feed truck, not a shredder. They use way to much fuel, to slow on the road and cost way to much overall.

 

[snapper21]

First time we swath grazed here since at least five years ago. I don't think I want to rely on it for the entire winter. Late fall early winter is the best time as snow is not as deep nor crusted like in late winter. Nine years out of ten anyway. Still need some snow for water source and to limit swath intake. Deep snow that is a bit crusty is no good on cows noses. I had good luck with it this year and will try more again but will only plan for nov-dec grazing period. Rest of the winter cows are fed bales spread in the field every two days. Residue management is an issue either way but I'll deal with it rather than hauling out manure. Our nutrient cycling is improved and fertilizer use efficiency is improving on said land.

 

[Bar D]

We have done it in the past but switched to corn grazing about 10 years ago it works a lot better. We have fairly rolly land and always seem to have lots of snow so when its blows the low spots fill in with snow and the cows can't get to it. Same problem around the bushes. So come spring we put some pairs out hoping to clean it up but the low spots are full of water and they tramped the rest in the mud. We used barley seeded in june and tried to swath it before it froze in the fall (easier said then done). We like the corn better a little snow blows in around the outside so you don't lose that much and the cows seem to do better on corn than the barley.

 

[Neil Burg]

We swathed grazed for a few years then switched to corn too, I like the corn better as well. It goes a lot further then swath grazing per acre, and I found a little less work. 2 years in a row we had a pile of snow early and the swaths were under about three feet of snow, that had a lot to do with where I had it planted though. That being said I do plan on doing it again, I don't want to have all my eggs in one basket with corn. I doubt my cows ate 30% more on swaths then they would of if I had of been feeding bales. Even if it was 30% if you figure how much fuel, time, and wear and tear on equipment it would be baling, hauling bales and then hauling back to cows, it pays for that 30% IMO. I should mention I work full time as a field mechanic in the oilfield, so I may value my time differently then most.

 

[snapper21]

Swath grazing takes planning for it to be successfully. Our land is hilly so I use it to my advantage. Graze the low areas first and keep the south facing slopes for the last. Try not to sg on north slopes as they accumulate more snow, are colder, and therefore harder to manage in the spring at seeding time. I figure south slopes can do with more residue anyway. We have increased productivity on south slopes by sg or feeding bales on them. Corn is okay but I have a tough time getting corn to grow decent. Our land is too clayey and cold. Tried it once but seemed the barley produced more beside it given the same inputs and this was on ground that was heavily fed on for several years previous. Guys around here with a little loamier or sandier soil have better luck with corn. Guys corn this year froze early before the cobs developed enough and they're having to supplement with stuff to bring up the energy. But if it can work for you it is nice way to feed.

 

[bradw]

biggest problem in our area is the late seeding date to have the crop green when you cut in mid September. Some years not a lot of crop if it gets hot and dry. I think the extra yield from an earlier seeding date will pay for the cost of baling. I like to move my green feed fields around to get some non chemical weed control as well. Being in SW sask though we have a pretty long grazing period so not such a big deal to put cows on bales when they come in. Had the cows out on stockpiled forage until Christmas this year.

We have some cicer milkvetch in a pasture close to home that we save for the last stop before starting the cows on feed. it cures on the stem and the cows will forage through snow for it and actually gain weight. the plan is to eventually seed the broke land on the home 1/4 down to cicer and crested wheat for spring calving and winter grazing. No inputs, no need for controlled grazing and no harvesting........

 

[snapper21]

Talked with sask ag the other day and they told me seeding swath grazing late wasn't a good practice because you give up lots of yield. Studies indicate you're better to seed early than late. Weathering from leaving it lay that long are not an issue like we think, and feed quality and palatability are still better. Typically the closer you plant to the solstice the more the plant puts into stalk and less into grain.

 

[Bar D]

That is another problem we fought with was a seeding date, seed it to early and we were cutting in late aug early sept when your supposed to be swathing canola or seed it later than you seem to have a yield reduction and then your watching for frosts in the fall and one year we ended up with every goose and duck in central saskatchewan in it.

 

[CRToney]

I tried some swath grazing one year on a few ac. Hard iced over swaths. I tried proceeding hay on them, driving over them and scraping the snow off of them. Too much work. I had to heavy harrow and still had a mess in the spring. I'll graze as long as I can while supplementing with hay when necessary with my bale truck. If the snow gets too deep I'll unroll bales with the tractor. I'm grazing my tillage radish since late fall. They are getting some hay as well. I like to be able to put the nutrients where I want them. Feeding with my truck lets me do this. It may not be the least expensive way to feed them but it works for me.

 

[snapper21]

I tried some swath grazing one year on a few ac. Hard iced over swaths. I tried proceeding hay on them, driving over them and scraping the snow off of them. Too much work. I had to heavy harrow and still had a mess in the spring. I'll graze as long as I can while supplementing with hay when necessary with my bale truck. If the snow gets too deep I'll unroll bales with the tractor. I'm grazing my tillage radish since late fall. They are getting some hay as well. I like to be able to put the nutrients where I want them. Feeding with my truck lets me do this. It may not be the least expensive way to feed them but it works for me.

Exactly. You do what works for you. I couldn't bear to bale graze after experimenting with it a little. Some guys love it. There is a level of safety and control from bales and sileage. The icing and crusting is reason why I would never bank on swath grazing after December. I seen in another thread you mentioned using red clover in your feed. Please elaborate I am planning throwing some in my greenfeed. I need some tips.

 

[CRToney]

I under seeded our xceed canola to red clover as a green manure crop. I plan to spray it out at 10% bloom and seed fall rye into the stubble. We have used yellow clover for silage before. We underseed barley or oats for silage and then the following year silage the clover works good. A buddy NE of Saskatoon does it too. He'll get 12 ton/ac of barley silage the first year then 10 ton of clover silage then he'll get 4 bales per ac on his second cut on the clover. He gets a lot of rain and has 2 ft of black dirt. He only needs 160 ac to feed his cows and calves for the winter. I think it pays pretty well.