Spring turnout: move cattle to grass and adjust the ration
Turn cattle out over a gradual ten-day changeover to keep the rumen stable. Lush spring grass is only 15 to 20 percent dry matter and its protein breaks down fast, so give dry hay before the morning turnout. Work out supplementary forage and minerals in HerdMobile to keep the rumen buffered, butterfat steady and milk yield high.
Compiled from open-access scientific sources.
Why does spring grass need a gradual changeover?
Young spring grass holds 80 to 85 percent water and more than 20 percent crude protein in the dry matter. Lush leafy grass digests fast, speeds up rumen passage and drops rumen pH unless animals also get structural fibre. Penn State Extension advises bringing cattle onto pasture over seven to ten days to keep rumen fermentation stable. Feed two to three kilograms of coarse grass hay or straw in the morning before you open the gate. Animals that go out with something already in the rumen graze steadily instead of gorging on soft clover or young ryegrass.
How many hours should cattle graze in the first days of turnout?
On the first day, allow one to two hours of afternoon grazing once the morning dew has dried. Add one more hour each day while the rumen microbes get used to the sugars in fresh grass. Keeping three kilograms of dry roughage in the diet alongside grazing supports normal cudding and milk butterfat. Make sure clean mineral licks and plenty of fresh water are in the paddock. Watch grass height: turn stock in when the grass reaches 20 centimetres and move them on when it is grazed down to eight centimetres.
How does HerdMobile help adjust rations at grass?
Enter your fresh grass in the HerdMobile feed library, with its own analysis if you have one, and the ration calculator shows how pasture, hay and concentrate together cover energy, protein and mineral needs. On lush pasture, rework the concentrate in HerdMobile to add starch energy and magnesium where the grass falls short. Record daily milk next to your feeding changes so you can see straight away whether a change pays. Milk records, rations and the cost per head per day stay organised on your phone, offline.
Questions from the farm
How long should the move onto spring pasture take?
Plan seven to ten days of adaptation, adding one more hour of grazing time each day.
Why feed dry hay before turning cows out onto lush grass?
Dry hay adds structural fibre, slows rumen passage and prevents the digestive upsets that watery spring clover can cause.
How does HerdMobile help during the grazing season?
HerdMobile brings pasture and barn feeds into one daily ration, records daily milk production and shows the cost per head per day.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
