Some Americans do graze their dairy cattle

[Dead Rabbits]

have you looked at herbal leys? alot of deep rooted plants might help it drought tolerance?
https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/product/‘herbal’-grazing-ley-four-year-ley

https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/content/herbal-grazing-ley-medium-and-clay-soil

https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/content/ek21-legume-and-herb-rich-sward-whole-field-option

Thanks for the links, I have heard of Cotswold seed.

Always have liked the herbal ley idea, and honestly we pretty much have herbal leys here. Chicory grows like crazy but bolts and goes dormant by end of June. The problem with most of those mixes is most of them are too heavy on cool season plants.

The gap I see here is lack of warm season grasses/legumes. I had forgotten about sainfoin, I do think it would work well here. I really want to try Reed Canary grass and eastern gamma grass. They have the best chance of supplying dairy cow quality nutrition and being drought tolerant.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Since I got some of last years pictures out, figured I would put up some more. Enjoy

 

[Dead Rabbits]

This is the mix planted in the fall of last year. It worked out really well, got two fall grazings off of it and two in the spring.

 

[holywell farmer]

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Since I got some of last years pictures out, figured I would put up some more. Enjoy

Do find cows make mess in long stuff

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Few new pictures. Had a bit of a dry spell for a few weeks. Really slowed growth down. Have had some rain and cooler temps, so things are back to growing.

 

[Clay52]

I put some ryegrass and clover seed in with the fertilizer and spread it on a couple paddocks that need a bit extra yesterday. For an imprecise method it seems to have spread it out reasonably well. I'll let people here know in a couple months if it did anything beneficial.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I just put some straight clover seed on last month and I've had a really good take. I think a certain amount of luck is required, you need a good bit of moisture to get it to germinate and establish if the seed it just sat on the surface and then you need to find a dry time for the first couple of grazings so the cows don't just tread the seedlings into the mud.

 

[Clay52]

I put some ryegrass and clover seed in with the fertilizer and spread it on a couple paddocks that need a bit extra yesterday. For an imprecise method it seems to have spread it out reasonably well. I'll let people here know in a couple months if it did anything beneficial.

Got some rain. Clover has shot. See if it can keep going.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Got some rain. Clover has shot. See if it can keep going.

What variety of clover did you plant?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Visited another grazing dairy. He likes to keep his kids busy. They are very professional in their work, better than a lot of adults I have seen.

 

[Clay52]

What variety of clover did you plant?

White.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

This time of year the cows really slow down, getting them to move is a chore. Pasture is doing well

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Nurse cows and calves grazing failed corn and pig weed. Absolutely love it

 

[Kiwi Pete]

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This time of year the cows really slow down, getting them to move is a chore. Pasture is doing well

What temperature ranges are you enjoying at the moment?
It looks HOT to this guy!
The herd looks well, nice and healthy

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Perfect weather conditions. Topping out at 25-30 degrees. Unusual for us this time of year but we'll take it!

 

[Gerbert]

Really interesting stuff, nothing like that overhere. No such thing as dairyfarmers without a shed either.
What do you do with the grass that's left after the cows are gone?