Rotational grazing: Options keep farm running when water doesn't

Jim Bradford knows he might get second looks when he puts cows and calves in an Iowa pasture to graze on stockpiled forage in the middle of March. But this Guthrie Center beef producer knows that his new calves are in a clean, protected environment. His rotational system also can keep him ahead of the game, even during periods of drought.

La Niná and long dry spells last fall and winter worried many Midwestern farmers as they looked to the current growing season. Despite late-spring rains throughout Iowa, farmers in many parts of the state are bracing for the effects of drastically reduced row crop and forage yields. However, managing crops, forages and livestock as a year-round system may be exactly what Bradford and other producers need to get through seasonal problems.

"It's amazing that in the dry years you are ahead with rotational grazing because this system is easier on forage," Bradford explained. "By moving livestock every few days, the plants get the rest and recovery they need, which really helps plant viability."

Bradford grazes 500 cows on about 1,300 acres, and raises corn on 150 acres for feed. Nearly 160 acres has been divided into smaller paddocks for a rotational grazing system in which livestock are moved every four to five days, depending on forage growth. His bigger concern this year are sources of water for each paddock, because many of the areas supplied by ditches and ponds were running very low all winter and spring. Dry conditions also may change the grazing time in each paddock, and force Bradford to move some herds to a dry lot where he can use existing water supplies and haul in hay.

Bradford is practicing some of the methods studied during the past eight years by the Leopold Center's Animal Management Issue Team. The team has looked at a number of systems, including rotational grazing, various herd combinations, winter grazing on crop residues, and developing the best mix of forages for productivity and Iowa conditions. Ultimately, grazing management decisions can be an effective way to minimize risk.

Jim Russell, Iowa State University animal scientist who heads the research team, says producers have many choices in a year-round system.

"How we put these systems together is based on risk management," Russell explained. "A farmer can look at all acres in a system-used for hay production, grazing and raising other crops-and manage it appropriately to bring the best returns."

Dry year options
In dry years, Russell said, those decisions might be to extend the grazing season one to two months by feeding on crop residues. Corn crop residue grazing is a key to profitable cow-calf production in Iowa in any year, he added. He says that with the hay acreages that might be used to supply summer grazing, and the likely high cost of hay this winter, corn crop residue grazing may be even more important. He also said that the additional acreage required for year-round rotational grazing becomes an advantage during a drought, because hay acres can be converted to pasture as needed. According to Russell, many Iowa producers who used conventional grazing had to provide supplemental forage in 1996 because of the drought.

Bradford said he appreciates the flexibility, both in the systems approach and the issue team's approach to research.

"Seeing it in the real world has more sway with me," Bradford said. "A lot of my decisions are made from the basic research, because I don't want to make the same mistakes."

Farmers help direct research
Bradford is one of six farmers on the 28-member issue team that meets twice a year to review results of various projects and suggest new directions of study. Russell works with the rest of the team members-all researchers or demonstration farm staff-to collect and analyze data, and write up the technical reports. The team, however, sets the research agenda, Russell said.

"Farmers have had a major contribution," he added. "They have led us to get involved in research areas that we probably wouldn't have done. I can remember the meeting where one farmer told us that grazing in July was easy, 'but you tell us how to graze in February,' and that was the beginning of our winter grazing research."

Another former team member agrees that the approach is unique. Jodi Hitz works with 60 producers in a 10-county area through Iowa State University Extension's Cow Herd Improvement Program (CHIPS). She also worked on the Center's issue team while earning a graduate degree.

"For several years, farmers on the team told us that neighbors wouldn't let them graze cornstalks because they were worried about compaction," she said. "Now the team is looking into this question."

Hitz also is using the information she helped develop. She and her husband are setting up a rotational system on about 200 acres, putting in fences for 10 to 12 paddocks, trying to control weeds and add legumes, and provide water to all areas.

Goal to extend season
"Our goal is to extend our grazing season by 10 percent, which I think we can do," she said. "People are interested in learning how to extend their grazing season and get the most out of their grass, but they want to see it being done first. That's the unique part about this issue team, having farmers help you see the practical and applicable side of things."

The issue team currently operates on-farm projects in Atlantic and Nevada. Other research is being conducted at the ISU Beef Nutrition Research Center near Ames, the Rhodes Research Farm, and the McNay Research Farm at Chariton.