| | Swath grazing of oats or barley can be used to extend the grazing season and reduce feed costs, labor costs and manure handling for cattle producers in western Canada. Annuals are seeded in mid-May to mid-June, swathed in mid-September in the soft dough stage and left for cattle to graze during the winter. High yielding, late maturing forage type varieties or grain varieties can be used. Crops that are swathed in the soft dough stage, when they are green and leafy, will provide the best forage quality for swath grazing. The swath should lie on top of the stubble and be as large, narrow and deep as possible. This helps reduce wastage in deep snow.
Producers find controlling cattle access to the swaths is one of the most challenging and important factors to swath grazing. If the cattle are not confined they will only graze portions of the swaths. Portable electric fences can be used to restrict access. Feed utilization is improved by regulating the quantity of feed being consumed, and preventing livestock from trampling swaths over a larger area reduces wastage.
Cows can graze through two feet of soft snow. If the snow becomes too hard or too deep, open up the swath by driving a tractor down the swath or blading snow off the swath. Placing a portable fence across the swaths also helps by exposing the ends of the swath, as the cows will see the continuation of the swath after each fence move.
Cattle prefer water, but snow can be an adequate water source. However, snow is not a reliable water source in areas that have been trampled, wind blown or where snow has become crusted. Lactating cows and their calves need to have access to a water source, since they often lose body weight while consuming snow.
Straw bedding can be used as part of the wintering ration thus extending the use of the swaths. Cows wasted up to 25% of the available swaths by using the material for bedding.
If wildlife losses are a major concern, other feeding systems should be considered. Local Fish and Wildlife officers may be able to suggest acceptable scaring methods for wildlife.
Research at the Lacombe Research Centre has shown that swath grazing can reduce the cost of wintering cows by 50% through reduction in forage harvesting, winter-feeding and corral cleaning costs.
Spring grazing can be used to clean up swaths that were not accessible during the winter months or specific areas or swaths can be left for spring grazing. When cow calf pairs are grazing swaths after calving rather than grazing perennial pastures, this provides a longer rest period for perennial pastures prior to spring turn out. Supplemental energy should be provided when swath-grazing nursing cows in the spring.
Gordon Hutton, Forage Technology Transfer Specialist, AAFRD, Airdrie
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Duane McCartney, Research Scientist, Western Forage Beef Group / AAFC, Lacombe |
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