When you determine available forage in your pas-
ture, don’t be fooled by a big number. As much as 75 percent of the measured forage does not make its way into the cow’s digestive system, says Ferguson. “That’s why it’s important to calculate the harvest effi ciency.” He suggests fi guring harvest effi ciency at 25 percent
of the total pounds of forage. Here’s why: The plants’ physiology requires leaving approximately 50 percent of the forage to keep the plant and soil healthy. If you remove more than 50 percent, the roots stop growing and the plant ceases production and regrowth. Another factor in harvest effi ciency is waste by the
cow. “Watch a cow graze,” Ferguson says. “They grab a bite, and half of it drops to the ground. They walk on that, urinate on that and defe cate on that. You also need to account for other animals and wildlife eating some of it. So of the amount a cow is allowed to graze, only half is actually consumed and digested by the cow. For example, let’s say there was 5,000 pounds of
clipped (to ground level) forage. Half of that is 2,500 pounds (leave half for the health of the plant). Divide the remaining amount in half to account for waste and droppage, and you have 1,250 pounds of available forage. “Not fi guring harvest effi ciency is where a lot of
people make a big mistake,” he says. That’s the science of range management. The art comes by knowing the best way to maximize the forage.
The art Monitor cattle and available forage at least 2 times a
week, says Ferguson. “When you think you’re getting close to the point of needing to move, move them. You can always go back. If there’s a doubt in your mind, move them.” With a rotational grazing system in place, good
management and adequate rainfall, the forage will recover and be ready again in 45 to 60 days. Ferguson also suggests spreading your risk. “I try
to get the point across to someone raising cattle, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Keep a solid herd of momma cows if that’s what you like to do, but only stock about 50 percent with momma cows. Use the other 50 percent to raise replacement heifers or year- lings, so when you do get in a drought, you can dump those extras and keep your base herd. “Everybody wants to load up to the max, and then
when it gets dry they say they’ve invested too much money in their cows to sell them. So they go buy feed. You can’t feed yourself out of a drought.” MORE
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February 2014 The Cattleman 75
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