A different grazing strategy worked

<p><strong>Many ranchers are familiar with the rotational grazing concept, where pastures are divided into sections, or paddocks. Only one paddock at a time is grazed by a herd, allowing the other paddocks to rest. The rest allows the grass to recover with stronger growth and deeper roots for better long-term production. The practice also allows the soils to build up organic matter and boosts beneficial microbial activity.</strong></p>

<p>When he started the practice a decade ago, he had three goals in mind:</p>

<p>• To graze 365 days a year;</p>

<p>• Graze one cow per acre;</p>

<p>• And to eventually not feed any hay.</p>

<p>He has accomplished the first two.</p>

<p>"I think I can do the last one — not feed any hay — this year, but I'm more hesitant because putting condition back on a cow in the winter months is almost impossible," he said.</p>

<p>Law has 120 Brangus mama cows on 240 acres of pasture. The pasture is planted mostly to Alicia bermudagrass with some Tifton 85 bermudagrass. For winter, he drills oats into the pasture and plants clover as needed.</p>

<p>In many sections of the pastures, clover readily re-emerges as the seasonal weather allows.</p>

<p>Over time, his timing on when to move his herd has come down to daily observations and gut instincts on knowing his grass and how his cattle graze throughout the year. That's Blue standing next to Law.</p>

<p>On a cool November morning, he unfastened an electric wire from the mount on the fence post and hooked the wire's end to a large spool he rigged himself attached to his Gator. With a hand-held drill inserted on the spool, he reeled in about 1,800 feet, and the other end of the wire, which he had already unhooked from a fence post across the pasture, wrapped neatly onto the spool.</p>

<p>He reattached the wire to the mount on the fence, which acts as the charging, static pivot point for the wire fence.</p>

<p>He hopped into his Gator, unspooling the wire as he went and stopping every now and again to insert a support and clip the wire. He did this for about 1,800 feet straight across the pasture and reattached the wire's end to another fence post, resulting in a 16-foot by 1,800-foot newly exposed paddock for his cattle to graze that morning. That afternoon, he did the procedure again.</p>

<p>The cows and calves know what to do, and, yes, in places some of the brave and greedy calves easily clear under the wire without getting zapped. No big worry, he said, he figured they can use the extra fodder. During the summer, when the grass is growing well, he may divide the pastures differently with larger paddocks. He learned over time from trial and error on how much to let the cows eat, completing a cycle of grazing in the pasture in 30 days to 60 days or more.</p>

<p>Though his fertility needs are low, he does spread chicken litter, about one ton per acre. He runs a drag over the pasture to breakup and spread the cows' patties because they won't adequately breakdown on their own before the cows come back around in the grazing cycle.</p>

<p>Ten years ago, before starting rotational grazing, he spent upwards of $125 per acre just on fertilizer. This year, his fertilizer bill was $2,600 for all 240 acres of pastures, or roughly $10 per acre. And he isn't losing anything. He's weening 550-pound calves. Once they leave mama, they go to their own 40-acre patch of oats before heading to be sold in lots. 'I feel like this system has allowed the land to heal itself, too," he said.</p>

<p>When you dig through the pasture's thatch, you see a thick dark humus layer, which is unusual for soils in this part of the South. He plans to have the soil tested soon and figures it will hit better than two percent organic matter, maybe even closer to three percent, again unusual for south Georgia soil.</p>

<p>"Kirk's operation is definitely unconventional. He is probably the most innovative cattleman in our area, and his approach to grazing is more labor intensive, but saves thousands on feed and fertilizer. Innovations such as these are what growers need to consider to have a sustainable farm in times with less than optimum commodity prices," said Seth McAllister, right, the University of Georgia Extension agriculture agent in Terrell County.</p>

<p>"For someone interested in starting (rotational grazing), I'd say start small and take your time and build the system from there. I've been able to make it work for me in my own way, and I think others can, too," Law said.</p>