Maximizing profits even during high markets requires paying attention to input costs – specifically, feed costs. Extending grazing seasons and reducing days spent feeding hay or supplementing can be low-hanging fruit for many ranchers with this goal.
“Hay is one of the most expensive feeds that you can feed, whether you’re buying it or baling it yourself,” shares Chance Tynes, ranch manager for the Noble Research Institute’s Oswalt Ranch.
The Oswalt Ranch is approximately 5,100 acres of native grass on rough, rocky terrain. Bulls are turned out around June 1 for 60 days, which times out for calves to be big enough to navigate the terrain of the summer pastures.
Tynes’ strategy for extended grazing focuses on avoiding overstocking and providing grass with adequate rest time.
“We connect all the way around, it’s kind of a horseshoe,” Tynes says. “We start on one end and graze through the summer, and then usually we start back over during the winter feeding.”
Most winters, the Oswalt Ranch can go without feeding hay; however, they do supplement protein for several months to ensure the nutritional needs of their cows are met.
The Power of Rest and Rotation
This strategy for extending grazing seasons works because cattle are moved every one to three days, depending on paddock size, grass is measured monthly and the grazing plan is created early on.
“Most animals are going to graze their favorite parts of the pasture most of the time,” explains Tynes. “We usually try to split those off so you can make sure that you get a pretty common graze across the whole paddock.”
Prior to rotating, forage is measured to ensure proper days spent grazing and rest periods. Tracking these measurements can even signal when hay or other feedstuffs need to be purchased.
He says, “We measure our grass each month, so we know what we can run till the end of the year or till the next growing season.”
Planning Ahead for Stocking Success
Tynes emphasizes that extending grazing seasons starts early on, not in the late summer or fall.
He says, “I think knowing the stocking capability of your place is the main key that you have to start off with at the first year to know how many days you can graze the pasture you have.”
Weighing the Risks of Cover Crops
Outside of extending grazing on pasture, ranchers can also consider cover crops when it makes sense. Tynes warns that cover crops can be rewarding but risky to rely on without irrigation.
“When you buy the hay, it’s there. But with cover crops, unless you have irrigation, that could be an expense that you’re gambling on the weather,” says Tynes.
Using Hay as a Soil-Building Tool
When the weather goes awry, and it’s time to feed, still keep soil health top of mind. Setting up bale grazing grids and processing hay strategically are great ways to add nutrients back to the soil.
“We ground hay on some spots where it was really rocky, shallow soil, and didn’t have much growth,” says Tynes. “It’s really good for your soil and helps keep a cover over the top of the ground.”
These options only scratch the surface of methods for reducing days spent feeding. Run your own numbers and visit with other ranchers about what works for their operations and environments to learn what might work for you.
Listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.
