Rotational grazing for store cattle case study

Rhidian JonesSheep and beef specialist

SAC Consulting

22

From set stocking to paddocks

Set stocking Rotational

Paddock

Set stocking

33

Grazing system, yield and utilisation

System Annual Yield (t DM/ha)

Utilisation(%)

Usable yield

(t DM/ha)

Percentage increase

Set stocking

8.5 50 4.3  

Rotational 10.2 65 6.6 56%

Paddock 10.2 80 8.2 92%

44

Assessing pasture cover

1500 kgDM/ha4-5 cm

2000 kgDM/ha6-8 cm

2500 kgDM/ha8-12 cm

3000 kgDM/ha>12 cm

55 5

Rotational grazing of cattle for cattle

• Objective was to add value to store cattle at grass at South Mains, Sanquhar- 2009-2012

• Stabiliser bullocks and spare heifers

• Principles of management– Dry Matter Intake of 2.5% of liveweight – Pasture cover and grass growth rate measured with rising plate

meter– Group demand calculated– Cattle moved when residual height ca1500 kg DM/ha– Compromise between livestock intake and grass growth

66

Basic feed budget

• Size of paddock 1 ha• Pasture cover 2700 kg DM/ha• Desired residual 1500 kg DM/ha• Available DM 1200 x 1 ha = 1200 kg DM• Group size 40 bullocks of 400 kg• Group demand/day 40 x 400 x 2.5% = 400 kg DM/d• = 3 days grazing (1200/400)• Also allow for grass growth with longer grazing periods but

3 days is optimum• Variables - grass growth, paddock size, grass potential,

cattle getting bigger, fertiliser etc

6

77 7

Typical residual

88

Infrastructure

• Permanent electrified wire on top of dykes and fences• These will last 10-15 years +• Temporary electric fencing that is hooked onto the

permanent hot wires• Good layout of fields, i.e. four central fields can be

accessed from different sides to add flexibility• More water troughs installed in 2010/11 (and 2012) allowing

further subdivision of fields – pipes laid on surface and disconnected in winter

• Decided on 3 groups of ca 40-45 cattle – nearby handling facilities not able to cope with more than 50 cattle

8

999

101010

111111

Map Maker Gratis www.mapmaker.com

A B

CD

121212

A B

C

D

1313

Results

• 2009

– Bullocks averaged 1.08 kg/hd/day

– Mixed groups averaged 0.94 kg/hd/day

– Overall average 1.00 kg/hd/day

• 2010

– Bullocks averaged 1.10 kg/hd/day

– Heifers averaged 1.00 kg/hd/day

– Overall average 1.07 kg/hd/day

• 2011

– Bullocks averaged 0.97 kg/hd/day

– Heifers (15) averaged 0.86 kg/hd/day

– Overall average 0.95 kg/hd/day

• 3 year average 1.01 kg/hd/day

• 2012 0.92 kg/hd/day

• 2013 no data but best prices ever!!13

1414

Consistent results

• Compensatory growth effect?– Ca 0.6 kg/hd/day in winter seems optimum

• Cope with different seasons– Early & late spring– Drought and (very) wet conditions

• Flexible– Take silage/reseed if surplus grass– Apply fertiliser if deficit forecast

• Quiet cattle– Get used to moving- only takes 5-10 minutes to shift

• Provides selection data – Select breeding stock that perform at grass 14

1515

Gain at grass against winter lwg

15

1616 16

Flexibility to take surplus grass as silage

1717

Quiet cattle

17

1818

Why do it?

• Cheapest liveweight gain– Grazed grass £25 to £50 per tonne of DM– Need 10-15 kg grass DM/kg gain– Therefore costs 25p to 75p/kg gained at grass if well

managed, quality is high and unrestricted

• Easy to set up and manage• Maintains grass quality for longer• Stock need checking anyway and are easy to

move• 200 kg at grass is achievable with a 6 ½ month

grazing season and 1 kg/hd/day 18

1919

Winter grassland management to get more early grass in spring

• Set stocking depletes grass reserves– Productive grasses regrow and get eaten!– Allows weed grasses to flourish– Late grass in spring- more concentrates required

• Move sheep around in blocks- 1 day to 1 week– Allows flexibility– Remove from wettest fields when conditions unsuitable– Grass does grow in winter (use a cage and you’ll see)– PRG given a chance to recover reserves– Earlier grass in spring- stop feeding concentrates to

sheep sooner and can get cattle out earlier

2020

Effect of continuous winter grazing on spring growth

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Spring grazing yield First cut silage yield

kgD

M/h

a

Winter grazing

No winter grazing

Supplementary feeding

required

Reduced feed

requirements

Thank you for Listening