Managing Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
7.5.3. Managing Winter Grazing
It is essential that cattle begin the winter grazing program in good body condition, at least BCS 3.0, that they are able to maintain good body condition throughout winter, and that shelter, water and feed are always available. Planning, management, close monitoring and responding to the environment are absolutely critical. To maintain body condition, cattle should be segregated into ‘like’ groups for grazing; for example old cow groups, heifer groups, and steer groups. Before winter grazing commences, the quality of the feed should be tested to determine the energy, protein, and ibre concentrations in the feed. This will help understand whether the feed will meet the nutritional needs of the cattle, and therefore whether the cattle will need to be given supplements while grazing the particular forage. It is also a good practice to provide the cattle with access to a source of supplementary minerals, salt and vitamins. Throughout the winter grazing period, the cattle need to be checked daily. Although the cattle are grazing in paddocks, bedding is still required for the cattle, and this should be placed in the sheltered area set aside in the paddock to provide protection against extreme cold and unpredictable bad weather events. Bedding straw will ensure that cattle have insulation against the freezing efect of the ground when they lay down. Also, in freezing conditions, cattle cannot be allowed to get wet to the skin, as the water in the hair coat will freeze and can rapidly lead to hypothermia. Contingency plans Plan B need to be in place whenever a winter grazing program is implemented, as bad weather can quickly impact on feed accessibility and cattle condition e.g. where the snow becomes too deep, an ice crust forms on the swath, or when a ield turns to mud when the snow melts. If the snow is icy or crusted over, animals can wear the skin of their noses and the hair of their lower legs. In these circumstances, the cattle need to be removed immediately and an alternative feeding and management strategy applied; such as feeding in coninement or bale grazing.7.5.4. Grazing Stockpiled Forage
Parts
» LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Importance of Planning LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Timing Trained Staff Planning for Arrival
» Quarantine Facilities Water on Arrival
» Management of Health on Arrival Feeding on Arrival
» Winter Feeding Planning for Arrival
» Monitoring In Quarantine General Health and Husbandry
» Arrival Checklist Planning for Arrival
» Paddocks and Fencing Developing the Property
» Cattle Yards Developing the Property
» Raceways Loading and Unloading Ramps
» Laneways Gates Developing the Property
» Yard Posts Electronic Scales Crush and Head Bail
» Water Troughs Developing the Property
» Modernising Traditional Winter Facilities
» Winter Confinement Feeding Sites
» Confinement Yards Winter Facilities
» Planning Requirements On-Farm Fodder Storage
» Ruminant Digestive System LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Feed Intake The First Limiting Nutrient
» Digestibility Fibre Concepts of Nutrition and Feeding
» Vitamins Nutrient Balance Essential Nutrients
» Water LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Moulds and Mouldy Feeds Cold Weather Impacts on Feed
» Body Condition Scoring Observational Skills
» How to Recognise Sick Animals
» Healthy Animal Behaviour Reading Manure Early Diagnosis and Treatment
» Prevention Rather than Treatment Nutritional Stress
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Features of Sight
» Flight Zones Education and Training
» Moving Animals Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Euthanasia Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Preventing Injury
» Features of Suitable Cattle Transport
» Preparing Animals for Transport Loading
» Loading Density In-Transit Care
» Unloading Transporting in Extreme Weather
» External Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Internal Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Diseases Affecting Reproductive Performance
» Clostridial Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Other Important Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Bloat Common Cattle Diseases
» Australian Health Status Developing a Breeding Objective
» Selecting the Most Appropriate Breed
» Crossbreeding With Local Breeds - Beef and Dairy
» Physical Evaluation of Bulls
» Structural Soundness and Body Conformation
» Penis and Prepuce Scrotum and Testicles
» Semen Sample Ability to Mate Serving Capacity
» Bull Management and Preparation for Mating Bull to Cow Ratio
» Reproductive Organs Oestrus Cycle and Heat Detection
» Mating After Calving Using Artificial Insemination in the Reproductive Cycle Pregnancy Detection
» Preparations for Calving Calving Management
» Abnormal Calving Calving Management
» Failure to Conceive Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Failure to Produce a Live Calf Failure to Raise a Calf to a Healthy Weaner
» Cast-for-Age Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Selecting Replacement Breeders Heifers
» Targets for Heifer Development
» Selecting Appropriate Sires for Heifer Mating First Calving
» Relationship Between Feeding LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Animal Identification Calf Processing
» Castration Dehorning Calf Processing
» Early Weaning Feeding Weaner Cattle
» Adaptation of Australian Cattle
» Winter Management Essentials LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Bedding Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Water Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Feeding in Confinement Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Managing Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Grazing Stockpiled Forage Swath Grazing
» Bale Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Developing a Winter Feed Budget
» Traditional Indoor Winter Backgrounding
» Finishing LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Plant Adaptation Forage Species
» Legumes Forages in Farming Systems
» Grasses Forages in Farming Systems
» Selecting the Right Species Anti-nutritional Factors
» Preparation for Sowing Seed Quality
» Area Required Stocking Rate Grazing
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