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As we enter into the beginnings of New Zealand’s winter months, it is essential to address the practice of winter grazing your cattle. There are many proven strategies to implement to improve the health of your animals and your pastures during the gruelling winter conditions and navigate your livestock through to a flourishing and thriving spring.
Prepare high quality pastures for winter grazing your cows. Grazing your livestock throughout the winter can pose many challenges and risks to both your cattle and your land. Prepare yourself, your pastures and your livestock for the increased extreme elements of winter for a successful winter grazing season.
Whether you choose to rotate your pasture grazing, initiate a sacrifice paddock or opt for an enviable safe, warm, high performing and cash flow efficient SmartShelter composting barn. Stay well informed to keep your cattle and your pastures healthy during the cold winter months.
Cows are resilient animals in most climates and winter conditions are no exception. Snow on the ground does not always mean the grazing season ends and won’t stop the cows from digging to get to the grass. Cattle have the ability to dig through the snow as long as it’s light and fluffy and not deeper than about a foot. Wet snow or drifted snow is a lot harder for the sheep to get to and iced over snow is a no go. Grass growth comes to a standstill in these conditions however, so available grazing will soon run out.
However, that being said, dairy cattle are more sensitive to weather conditions due to the energy they need to produce milk. Decline in milk production due to cold stress has been proven to be of greater magnitude than that of heat stress .
Be careful to prevent overgrazing at this time of year. If you have too many animals on a small plot of land or allowing them to graze for too long once the pastures have stopped growing can raise many issues such as hungry cows, damaged roots and erosion. This can lead to muddy pastures, nutrient run-off, lameness and higher costs associated with having to provide more hay or silage late into the spring while you wait for the pastures to recover .
While cows can be grazed in pastures into the winter months, it’s a lot safer, warmer and more productive to keep them in a purpose built shelter .
Providing your herd with protection, particularly in often harsh and hostile New Zealand conditions, is best practice for many reasons. This is particularly the case for cows bred for optimum dairy genetics , as the very DNA that allows them to produce such high yields tends to leave them susceptible to weather extremes, as they focus their energy on milk production rather than on hardiness.
What’s more, providing your property with a hub from which to maintain your herd will allow you to maximise your investment.
If your farm is in the lowlands and you’re lucky enough to not be bombarded with numerous feet of the white stuff, it is possible to keep your cows grazing throughout the winter months, or at least until the weather declines past optimal standards. This is an excellent time of year to consider rotational grazing practices or adopting a sacrifice paddock to enable your other pastures to rejuvenate .
Once you are convinced that your pasture has given up growing, bring your cows in from the fields. Our livestock shelters are designed to keep your animals warm, safe and comfortable during the winter months and keep the stress off your pastures and give them the break they need to thrive during the next season.
Your goal in winter is to set up both your cows and your pastures for a productive spring . An effective wintering system supports good animal health and welfare above all but in addition to this it minimises soil and nutrient loss to the environment, protects valuable topsoil and complements the dairy farm system. You can also ensure you have a contingency plan for periods of adverse weather and comply with the regional council regulations.
Having a winter grazing plan creates clear expectations for your whole team, proves best practice and identifies room for improvement. Some key strategies you can implement and prepare for this winter include:
It’s important to choose your paddocks carefully for optimal grazing in the winter months and to ensure a successful winter. Choosing the right paddocks can significantly affect the yield of the crop and the cost of establishing and growing the crop.
Keep in mind the risk factor of each paddock and consider options to mitigate the risk where you can. Factors to consider include:
Critical source areas or CSA’s are parts of the landscape of farms such as gullies or swales where runoff collects into channels of running water which usually flow into streams and rivers. CSA’s can transport large quantities of soil, phosphorus and E.coli into waterways. During the winter months when runoff and leaching are at their peak, it’s important to create buffer zones around these areas to significantly reduce losses to the surface and prevent leaching.
Creating buffers of grass and other forage provide a filter to slow down water movement and allow it time to soak into the soil rather than seeping into waterways.
A lot of New Zealand farmers transition their cattle to crops such as kale, fodder beet, swedes during the winter months. Small grains such as cereals: wheat and rye are major grains used for cattle winter grazing as they have the best cold tolerance of all the grains and grow well with marginal soil temperatures. On top of these grains some of the most well-known legumes for cattle are alfalfa and clover. They grow very well with other grasses and grains. As many legume varieties grow densely, by growing enough of them you can cut down on unwanted weeds while boosting soil integrity and nutrient needs for your cattle.
Whether you choose:
Cows, like most animals living predominantly outdoors, will need to consume a lot more food in the winter months to keep their body temperature at optimal levels for the colder weather. When temperatures reach below freezing cows will likely consume between 3% and 10% more to keep their energy levels optimal for growth.
A common rule of thumb to follow is that during optimal mild temperatures cows will likely consume 2.5% of their body weight whereas during severe cold temperatures they will be more likely to consure 3.5% of their body weight.
During severely cold temperatures such as a wind chill of -28C and below, the feed intake will likely be lower due to the reluctance of cattle leaving any sheltered areas. At this point feeds with higher digestibility or better quality forage should be fed to the cattle to compensate for increased energy needs.
Loss of nutrients and feed intake during cold periods could have significant consequences on their health, especially for pregnant cows. Cows without sufficient feed intake may have difficulty calving and produce lower-quality colostrum, which will affect calf health .
There’s a lot of views out there as to whether pasture grazing is better than animal housing systems during the winter for livestock and in most traditional farm shelter designs there is significant evidence of health risks to your cattle as well as extra costs for replacing bedding .
However, at SmartShelters we have the solution. Our composting barns are designed to improve herd health and productivity rather than compromise it while in the meantime saving you money.
Our loyal clients have tried and tested these major advantages of wintering cows in a SmartShelters barn including:
SmartShelters livestock barns are the ultimate solution to effective winter grazing. Once you are convinced that your pasture has given up growing, bring your cattle in from the fields. A custom built livestock barn will take the pressure off your pastures, decrease effluent run-off and significantly improve the environmental impact of your farm. Likewise, you’ll have happy cows and you can appreciate much higher performance levels due the comfort of your herd.
By SmartShelters | March 28th, 2022 | Cattle Management, Farm Management, How To Guide | Comments Off
Talk to our team about our highly resilient commercial shelters, backed with a leading 12-year guarantee, and generations of experience. Please get in touch with SmartShalters on 0800 580 297.
Heat stress is no stranger to New Zealand dairy farmers, with drier regions of the country such as Northland, King Country, and the Bay Of Plenty each
averaging over 80 sweltering hot heat stress days every year.
In New Zealand, every dairy farmer worth their salt knows just how important it is to look after the welfare of their animals. The health of the herd directly impacts profit margins, which, in turn, determines the viability and sustainability of the farm.
As a nation of farmers with a proud agricultural history, New Zealand is at the forefront of the dairy industry, renowned as a global industry leader with some of the best animal welfare standards in the world.
Protect what matters with New Zealand-made shelters built on 100 years of trusted expertise. Contact us today!
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