Maximising results from autumn grass with strip grazing
Autumn is once again upon us. This means the days are getting shorter and wetter. As a result, grass growth slows down and stops altogether later in the season. After a dry summer with little grass growth and limited nitrogen uptake and leaching, grass growth picks up once more when autumn comes with more precipitation. Due to the abundant nitrogen in the soil, the grass has a high protein content. This makes autumn grass very valuable.
To get the maximum results from autumn grass, it is important to graze all the grass in the pasture evenly. Grass that is left standing stays wet and becomes unpalatable. This can also cause it to rot, which negatively affects grass growth in spring. In addition, the soil gets wetter in autumn. This causes the grass to be trampled faster. This leads to lawn damage and reduced grass growth.
Strip grazing maximises the yield of autumn grass, both for animal productivity and grassland quality. Strip grazing is a grazing method used particularly for cattle, sheep and horses. With strip grazing, cattle graze in a narrow strip between two mobile wires and are thus offered the pasture to be grazed in a very dosed manner. This strip is moved one to several times a day. This limits the risk of overgrazing and reduces the pressure on the soil, giving the grass a chance to grow well or go into winter grazed.
Strip grazing allows livestock farmers to make the most of autumn grass. It ensures that all the grass is grazed off, leaving no unwanted residue. In addition, the soil and turf are protected as the animals graze for a shorter period of time on a particular area. As a result, grass growth in spring is not adversely affected.
Moreover, strip grazing has other benefits. It allows livestock farmers to better control and direct the grass intake of their animals. This allows them to optimise the cattle's energy supply and better balance the diet. In addition, strip grazing contributes to more efficient pasture utilisation, resulting in higher grass yields per hectare.
