Techniques for limiting feed to mature oxen

[Andy Carson]

I am on my last rotation of my big pasture today. I got 20 days of grazing for two 1700-1800 lb oxen off this pasture running through it this time. I am amazed. This same pasture, not rotationally grazed, held a light and draft horse for only a week at most. The horses did have spots they didn’t graze, but that was substantially less that a quarter of the pasture. The horses also had some spots that they ripped up running around, but that seemed small too. I think the biggest difference was the rotational grazing technique. I am absolutely amazed at how much more productive this type of grazing is and the thought that it actually improves the pasture in the process is a wonderful bonus. The only downside is moving the fence everyday, but that seems a small thing for such huge improvements.

[Tim Harrigan]

Moving the fence every day is an opportunity to see how the cattle graze, what they prefer, what they avoid, how the sward recovers and how it changes throughout the seasons and over the years. It is a good opportunity to learn about grass and forage production. Don’t think of it as a downside.

[Andy Carson]

True, it is good information to force yourself to know. Funny thing is that my boys eat everything in the new piece of pasture, including weeds, bushes, and small trees. That is except for thistles, which I cut myself when they expose them. Other than that, there are no noticable preferances… I felt bad for the boys in the nearly 90 degree heat and got them a shade, it was an old picnic-type shelter that I got for cheap. It folds down easily so I take take it to the next pasture. I thought they would really appreciate the shade, but they largely ignore it. Go figure… My next pasture is my biggest challenge b/c I have to haul water to it. They are really swilling the water now that it’s hot… The way it’s going, I can get a week off that pasture that I used to get two days off of. I am going to be able to use my old sacrifice area as a source of pasture too, as it has gone back to grass after being stripped bare for years. With everything together, I am ending up with too much pasture to get to. It’s really making me think about getting some beef calves that I could run in with the oxen (and perhaps creap feed?). It seems silly to have grass go uneaten, and with the rotation style I have too much for the critters I have….

[Tim Harrigan]

@Countymouse 35118 wrote:

… It seems silly to have grass go uneaten, and with the rotation style I have too much for the critters I have….

That is a good problem to have.

As far as observing the pasture, it will change over time, you will find it quite interesting.

[Baystatetom]

I also use polywire and fiberglass post, I fence about a acre at a time and leave them as long as I can, basically because I just don’t have time to move fence every time I turn around. I started using a hose reel to wind up the fence and it works really well. I have also got good at locating my solar fencer so I can move my fence in squares around it, hence avoiding the time to move the post and ground rod every time. I have not put up a permanent fence because the property belongs to my uncle I don’t know his long term goals for the land. I would hate to spend the time and money on a good fence then not be able to use it for more then a year or two.
I have heard folks out west split up their pastures into pie shaped wedges with a water source in the middle so they can easily move the cattle from one section to another and still have a permanent water source. I use a 100 gallon sap gathering tank to fill a stock tank in my pasture. It is a bit of a hassle but it works. We had hazy hot humid weather over the week end and my two steers and a pony drank the entire 100 gallons in a day!
~Tom

[Kevin Cunningham]

Andy,

I really recommend getting some poly pipe, a small 30 gal trough, a float valve, and moving the trough daily instead of hauling water. I used to haul water in 55 gall drums like you do and quickly burned out my body and my time. Right now we have about 1500 ft of 1 inch line and that allows us to water almost all of forty five acres. And with a hudson float valve we don’t see any reductions in flow from our domestic water system. Super easy and it has revolutionized watering our animals. We always talk about moving animals daily but the limiting factor I see is the water situation. I hardly ever see anything about watering systems in rotational grazing information except that it is important, so we made up a system that works really well for us. And don’t forget that the best fertilizer is the farmers footsteps.

[Andy Carson]

That’s a good tip with the line, Kevin. I kinda like my barrel wagon, but a long hose of some sort makes more sense. I wonder if big cattle will break poly pipe if they step on it. Thoughts?

[Kevin Cunningham]

I run over the poly line with my tractor, truck and other equipment all the time so it should not be a problem. Check out the hudson float valve from Premier One, they have it, but I know that our local feed store also stocks them. They work at almost any pressure and are super easy to set up. It has saved me so much time by setting up an automatic system, I would never go back to hauling water unless the power was out, which happens for us from time to time, so don’t get rid of the barrel truck either.

[Peace of Earth Farm]

Hey Andy, We follow our ox paddocks with chickens about a week or so later to take advantage of the fly larvae. The pigs follow the chickens about 2 weeks later and they can really plow up a space(and fertilize at the same time). We have 2 pigs every year and we move them through about an acre in about 6 months. Then you could use your oxen to harrow the pig paddocks and then seed. It has been mostly working for us, but we haven’t tried harrowing yet. In the past we have raked the pig paddocks smooth (which is a lot of work by the way), seed, and cover with hay mulch. I don’t think just the oxen could graze and act as a plow, it seems you would need at least pigs in the mix to plow the land without an actual plow. Good luck, Jeffrey

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