Grazing routine

[Jessey]

I don’t have much grazing which has not been an issue with the 3 fatties as they stay on the track, but Niko could do with it, he’s not skinny but lean despite hay and feed and he’s a growing boy.

My currently available paddocks just aren’t coping with him out for 7-8 hours a day, visiting at lunchtime to get him off it isn’t really feasible so I feel like my options are to turn out alternate days, or just give him 1-2 hours in the evening while I do my chores, but which way is better for him?

The back 1/2 acre paddock is more loamy soil, was grazed over winter and flooded for several weeks and the water table is still only about 18” down. I reseeded it at the end of March and it’s coming back really well but I’d planned to keep it rested until June for the new seed to get rooted properly.

The front 1/2ac and roadside 1/3ac is basically beach sand soil and never grows as well and with this current lack of rain the 1/2ac is turning to a crisp and brown the 1/3ac is very shaded so has been growing better, but it’s also half nettles (I sprayed them 3x last year but the grass just never grows on that patch and they take back over) so just won’t last long.

I’ve got someone asking their landlady about a 3 acre paddock that’s just become available, but LL wasn’t planning to rent it out immediately as the fencing needs some work (which I’ve offered to do). It’s about 2 miles from my current place but I could use it on rotation, but that’s not a sure thing yet so I need a plan for now.

 

[chunky monkey]

My only other worry for you would be that flooded area, if its still wet you could risk liver fluke. Only use if its dry enough.

Do you think hes lean or just growing having a growth spurt before going outwards again.

Id go for the turnout whilst your there option. Especially if your there for a few hours each day. I think the others might get jealous if he was on it all day. You might find some escapees.

 

[Jessey]

My only other worry for you would be that flooded area, if its still wet you could risk liver fluke. Only use if its dry enough.

Do you think hes lean or just growing having a growth spurt before going outwards again.

Id go for the turnout whilst your there option. Especially if your there for a few hours each day. I think the others might get jealous if he was on it all day. You might find some escapees.

Yep I’ve been very careful not to put them on it while it’s wet, I had the bottom of the track shut off completely until this past week (that runs between the river and ungrazable wet acre and the bottom paddock) and the bottom half of the paddock has been shut since it flooded at Xmas.

The others have been fine with him separated during the day but it’s hammered the front 1/2ac paddock in just a couple of weeks and it can’t tolerate any more grazing until it gets some rain.

He’s lean, Im not panicking but think a bit of grass would do him the world of good. I’m totally in the young stock shouldn’t be fat camp, so not looking to have him in ‘show condition’ or anything, but his top line is lacking and I’d just like to see a little meat on him. He’s the same on the weight tape as he was in October, a gain from early February when he’d dropped to 15kg less, despite having grown an inch up and his chest has broadened. He’s not ribby or anything.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Gosh he looks in gorgeous condition.

I agree with @chunky monkey that it will be a lot easier to manage the others' reaction to him being allowed to have grass if you are there! I would definitely go for the 1-2 hours/day option.

 

[Jessey]

He’s liking getting some grass! Even just a couple of hours a day seems to be making a difference, he is growing like a weed

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

He does look better on it. At the other end of the age scale I've been letting Mattie into the long grass during the day and he is picking up a bit. Nothing like Dr Green.