Managing a shorter grazing season

To say that the grazing regimes on Irish farms have been difficult to implement this year would be an understatement. Most farms are six weeks, or more, off where they would normally be in terms of grazing. However, on a more positive note, it is great to see the return of some milder conditions and, hopefully, this will help kick-start the grazing season with the help of some drier spells. Extended winters can be somewhat difficult to manage, particularly where forage supplies are limited; if sufficient forage can’t be supplied, there can be a negative effect on animal performance and profitability.
Even when winter feeding ends, farmers face another challenge: conserving enough forage for the coming winter. A point to note here is not to compromise on quality grass silage, particularly with first cuts, by delaying harvest dates to increase total yield. It is best to harvest the first cut as soon as possible even if yield is lower; a ‘bulkier’ second cut can be taken later in the season. Due to a delay in letting cows out to grass this year, it is inevitable that animal performance has suffered as a result, particularly on farms where low-energy, low-protein diets were utilised pre-turnout.
The focus now should be on maximising grass growth, utilisation and animal performance. Not only will this help gain some of the ground lost due to bad weather, but — depending on farming systems — it can allow more cattle to be finished on grass rather than having to be rehoused later, which uses more forage. Maximising the performance potential of cattle during the grazing season is essential. Three important areas are:

• Grassland management;
• Animal health; and
• Supplementation.

Grassland management

Grass is always mentioned as a way to boost returns on beef farms – it is a crop that we can grow and utilise in large quantities. It is also a relatively cheap crop to grow and provides cattle with a great source of energy and protein.
In a normal year, I would be highlighting the benefits of an early turnout and leafy spring grass, mainly due to the nutritional value of spring grass relative to other feed options. Leafy spring grass can have an energy value as high as 1.05 UFL per kilogramme of dry matter, a protein content of 18 per cent to 22 per cent, and a digestibility value greater than 80 per cent. When we compare this to the average grass silage in use on beef farms, with an energy value of approximately 0.7 UFL per kilogramme of dry matter, a protein content of 12 per cent and digestibility value in most cases around 65 per cent or less, it is easy to see that performance levels greater than one kilogramme (kg) per day can be achieved at grass, as opposed to a typical liveweight gain of 0.6kg per day indoors.
This year, it will be important to graze down to a height of 4cm where possible. This will ensure that all the dead material is grazed and that top-quality leafy grass will be produced for the next rotation.
As the summer progresses, ensure that high-quality leafy material is presented to the cattle. Grass that is allowed to become too ‘stemmy’ will seriously reduce animal performance. Stemmy paddocks like these should be used for silage, rather than trying to get cattle to graze the sward down to the required height. To maintain grass quality during the summer, aim for a pre-grazing grass height of 8cm to 10cm. Topping may be necessary to clean out paddocks and ensure high-quality regrowth. Working off these points will help ensure that the grass presented to your cattle will be of the highest possible quality, which should lead to maximum performance.

Animal health   

Parasites such as worms and liver fluke can have negative effects on performance at grass, so it is important to put an appropriate plan in place to reduce these effects. It is worth noting that parasitic infections can build up over the grazing season. The period of greatest risk is during the second half of the grazing season, up to housing, especially if no mid-season control measures have been utilised.

Supplementation
As the grazing season progresses into the autumn, grass growth often slows, and in some cases, quality can deteriorate. On many beef farms, concentrates are then introduced. Supplementation with concentrates at this stage has many positives, particularly where grass supply is limited and quality may not be adequate to provide enough energy to successfully finish cattle on.
In most cases, supplementing cattle with 2kg to 3kg of concentrates per day will help supply the additional energy required. The benefits of this additional supplementary feeding include cattle achieving higher carcass weights; it can also increase kill-out percentage and conformation. There is also the potential to finish cattle earlier and subsequently miss the main supply of cattle being finished off-grass, thereby achieving a higher market price.
In terms of concentrate inclusion and its formulation, be sure to consider the quality of grass in the diet. Grass in the autumn period is often high in protein, and dry matter can be variable, while effective fibre may be low in some cases. To balance this, concentrates need to contain a good level of digestible fibre, such as beet pulp or soya hulls. They should be low in protein – 12 per cent is sufficient – and energy dense. A concentrate like this, with a balanced supply of energy and protein along with digestible fibre, will help avoid the loose manure issues commonly seen at this time of year. Without concentrate supplementation, excess amounts of protein being consumed through grass, with a low level of fibre in the diet, often lead to loose manure in the autumn period.
You may want to consider the use of a live yeast technology (such as Yea-Sacc), which has been shown to improve rumen function by boosting rumen pH, ensuring that the rumen bacteria work more efficiently. Such improvements result in an increased conversion of both grass and concentrate, leading to higher animal performance. Research from Teagasc – Grange Animal & Grassland Research Centre – has shown that the inclusion of this product in beef diets can improve performance by over 10 per cent (Figure 1).

Managing each of these key areas will help to support overall performance of cattle during this grazing period. Cattle should reach target weights faster, be easier to finish, and essentially leave a higher margin. The technical team at Alltech can offer nutritional support and advice and help you address any negative issues your cattle may be experiencing.