This article was originally published in the Spring 2024 edition of Virtual Beef. Pastures in Ontario usually consist of a mix of bunchgrasses and sod-forming grasses. This diversity in plant structure encourages livestock to sort through the pasture, spending grazing time seeking the most palatable plants instead of maximizing forage intakes. Increased forage intake leads […]
Pasture managers can determine the minimum grass growth rate required to feed their herd or flock. Producers who track grass growth rates and compare them to their minimum required rate can make proactive management decisions to avoid running out of pasture. […]
Co-written by James Byrne, OMAFRA Beef Cattle Specialist Grass doesn’t just happen. Maximizing pasture yield requires management, and one of the most important decisions a manager can make is to give their grass enough time to fully recover after being grazed. Pastures have fully recovered from a grazing event when the grass plants have 3-4 […]
Spring is in the air, and livestock and farmers alike are eager to start the grazing season. Timing that delightful move is critical, as spring grazing management sets up both yield potential of the pasture and the amount of gain achievable for young stock. How early is too early? Livestock should go out on […]
With the dry weather this year and low forage yields across much of the province, many producers are looking for alternative forages. There is a lot of stressed corn that could be utilized as forage for livestock. The amount of moisture stress that the corn has been through can affect the quality of the silage […]