Green Grass: It's Just Around the Corner

As the grass and wheat begins to green up here in northern Missouri producers will start to think about turning their cattle out to grass as soon as possible. Many producers will have to work their cows and calves before turning them out and some will need to go around their fence to make sure the cattle stay in once they are turned out. Others may think about using a harrow to break up some of the manure left on the field from the previous year and spread it around as a form of organic fertilizer. Whatever the situation may be one thing for sure is producers should hold out until the pasture is well established before turning their cattle out to graze it.

Harrow

Wide temperature swings here in Missouri can have grass growing like crazy one day and the next day it may be below freezing and not grow at all. I know last year when producers were short on hay many turned out to grass too soon and when the whether got cold(it also snowed) their cattle were out of grass which resulted in feeding hay again and a shortage of grass for the summer. Also the grass was exposed to extreme cold temperatures this winter which may have stunted any growth or progress it might have made through the winter. According to Duane Dailey, from University of Missouri Extension, "Producers should wait for grass to reach a minimum of 4 inches of new growth before turning cattle out to graze on it." I believe this is true because once it gets around that height it is normally tall enough to stay ahead of the cattle for the grazing season. Overall, I believe producers should hold out as long as possible when turning their cattle out to grass to make sure something doesn't change where they may run out of grass.