When to Return to a Paddock While Rotationally Grazing a Cow/Calf Herd

[@practicalsheepman]

Every thing you are doing makes sense. I think that total grazing might be the best way to manage grass. I run sheep. We manage the grass but also have to manage parasites. Coming back to paddock #1 when it is ready might not give most of the barber pole larvae time enough to die off.

[@Plan_it-Farm]

Awesome advice thank you for this information, Ben. Putting content out like this you're managing more ground than just your farm I really appreciate it. I love that if you know exactly where you will be in 2 weeks your probably not doing it right.....That was me all last year hahaha. And I made a weeds farm out of a few spots because of it.

[@grazing365]

Happy to help!

[@BigBucks191]

Another great video. From the "take 1/2, leave 1/2" camp, and this video addressed some of my concerns/questions. Keep spreading the knowledge!!

[@grazing365]

Thanks! Will do

[@tickcreekranch]

Outstanding advice! I struggle with not completing a rotation, it kicks my ocd up a notch.

[@grazing365]

I with ya!

[@robinsonjohn4975]

This was very helpful. I had not heard this type of rotation described before and it makes total sense. I would have just kept rotating and left whatever had grown back until I finished my rotation cycle. I also would like to point out that the cattle look even better (fatter) than they did 2 weeks ago! 😎

[@grazing365]

Thanks!

[@ebonyandtucker7061]

Thank you so much for teaching me on ideas I’ve not thought of. I’m learning with the herd. ❤ Hi from north Texas.

[@grazing365]

You are so welcome!

[@aarprice]

I would love to see a video that talks about how you determine that a paddock is properly recovered. Is it that the plants have a pointed tip again? Look for the majority of the grass being in the boot stage? Number of leaves on a grass plant? Thanks! Love the channel and content.

[@PerennialGrowth]

Great video, really synthesized the essence of total grazing and it’s benefits . More grazers need to see this so they can really start maximizing the carbon cycling and herd efficiency.

[@grazing365]

Many thanks!

[@mikeevans3034]

It makes total sense when you explain it like you do.. Top man Ben 👍

[@grazing365]

Glad you think so!

[@NeedMoreCattleCo]

Great to have had you show up on my feed! I’m also in Central Arkansas raising cattle and looking to become a soil man and not a cattlemen. Within our area and with angus, when would you feel like it would be too late in the season to start rotational grazing like this? I run a 20 acre, 7 acre, 1 acre pastures and have been flipping them back in forth all spring so far.

[@peterclark6290]

Great growing seasons with an undersized herd would probably require an management adjustment to larger cells and allow them to continually go after the best feed first. One definition of over-grazing is when animals are forced to take a second bite from the plants and reduce the number of solar panels required for recovery. You previously mentioned you were open to the idea of trimming the residue which will help legumes like clover. Congrats on making this a full time job btw. Maybe now you have time to study compost/extracts/teas to increase your plant density and quality. You probably could teach yourself with just the microscope and all the hints Elaine gives in her videos. Equal fungal/bacteria ratio in the soil is the anti-weed goal. Cheers.

[@grazing365]

We actually try to take all the leaf and stem both. The year of recovery every other year more than makes up for removing the solar collector for a brief time. That’s the best way to improve leaf:stem ratio for the next pass (even more solar collector)

[@peterclark6290]

@@grazing365 A bit risky? It would work when the soil is fully restored and no droughts happen. Elizondo's fallow method limits the bottom line, especially when there are available the tools and amendments we've already discussed. TBF I know nothing about your market realities so it may well be that yours is the best approach.

[@masonlearns]

Just had the overgrazing conversation with someone, and i basically got told thats my definition and most people agree grazing more than 50% of the plant will leave bare soil and is overgrazing. I told them its important to separate the definition of regrazing an unprepared plant and how severe or low you graze the plants in a single graze and there is a huge time of impact difference. I just gave up on that one they basically said i was nitpicking words

[@grazing365]

Some folks can’t be taught

[@AudrieCarter]

So what is your plan for paddock #80 if you go back to #1? Strip graze #80? You said something about drought protection but is it not too early to stockpile for winter? Interesting what you're saying about grazing a plant short is not "overgrazing". Have you ever tried leaving a longer leaf? and have you noticed a difference between pasture performance in the amount of leaf you leave?

[@grazing365]

I’ve tried grazing tips (top 1/3), take half/leave half, etc. in my opinion non-selective grazing with 90% utilization is the best for the soil, herd performance and forage in every envronment

[@jae878]

Great advice on regrazing a paddock as soon as it’s ready. I was like you focusing on grazing everything once first. But I see your point and it does make sense. What are your thoughts on the paddocks that have gone to seed? My understanding is that you want to get the seed heads off by sometime in June to “reset” the plant to the vegetative stage. I guess the plant will stay in the vegetative stage the rest of the growing season? The grazing school I went to harped on take half leave half. Never graze below 4”. I’ve tried explaining this to the cows but they are not getting it. I’ve even given each of them a ruler and they just leave them on the ground. 🙄 lol. All jokes aside it seems impossible to keep them from grazing the good stuff shorter than 4”. Thanks for sharing.

[@grazing365]

Imagine that!?!? Cows take all the good stuff before they hit the veggies. Take everything and increase the recovery time vs take/leave half. Your soil and cows will appreciate it!

[@bonsukan]

Excellent advice Ben. On those Uruguayan gate posts, are they 5’ length?

[@grazing365]

6 footers

[@MikeMatthews-uc3ff]

Love your videos, Ben. If given the same herd size in two circumstances, would you say it takes more land to do this high density grazing vs the 1/3 concept, since half the land is idle for you? Or does it all even out because in the take a 1/3 model you cover ground much faster?

[@grazing365]

MUCH MUCH higher stocking rate doing the non-selective grazing. We carried 200 pairs on 200 acres from April-November last year with no feed supplements of any kind. So theoretically we could keep 200 pairs on that plus 200 acres of stockpile.

[@drumhillerfarms6858]

How do you feel about paddock shapes? I feel like the shapes make a difference on the way they graze

[@grazing365]

They do make a difference. Rectangles tend to encourage trampling (the narrower the better). Squares encourage more forage intake in my experience

[@Berry1124]

Yes, faster moves during the growing season.

[@grazing365]

It’s not so much faster moves as much as faster rotations. We still want them to take it all every day/season

[@whitechurchfarm]

Any relation to Norm Caton in south central MO?

[@grazing365]

Afraid not

[@kfhlsctt]

You planning on putting in underground watering system? Closer water points?

[@grazing365]

Yes. As a rule, we don’t put any permanent or semi-permanent infrastructure until we’ve grazed a farm at least one full rotation (2 years in this case since 1/2 the farm won’t be grazed until next year)

[@alanwesterfield4254]

I like it.

[@grazing365]

Thanks!