Reducing Pasture Damage During Winter Feeding

There is no "one size fits all" answer to reducing pasture damage during winter feeding. Each individual producer should analyze their operation and determine if there are small steps they can take to reduce the damage incurred annually while feeding in winter.

1. Create a sacrifice pasture or lot.

Designating one area on a farm for use during undesirable weather conditions saves the other pastures from damage. This can be a site that is permanent and may or may not have a stabilized feeding area, or one that is rotated annually with the intention of restoring the pasture in the spring. Feed your stored feedstuffs only in the designated sacrifice areas during the late fall, winter, and early spring – or until your pastures have acquired enough growth in the spring to be grazed. This area should be located away from open surfaces and groundwater, easily accessible by livestock and producers, and have good drainage characteristics. You should also consult with local conservation district staff to determine any applicable rules or regulations for these sites. 

2. Split your sacrifice area into two or more sections.

This further allows for control over where your livestock can be during winter feeding. By splitting an existing area into smaller sections, changes in weather patterns and precipitation can cause less destruction. This is because livestock are confined to a "muddy" area, then allowed to move to a drier area that they were not previously on, after the ground freezes or dries.

3. Target Feeding

Move hay feeders, mineral feeders, or feed bunks to different spots in the sacrifice areas to "lure" livestock to different, unpopular parts of the area. This can help to reduce damage and mud accumulation in the heavily traveled and highly popular areas of the sacrifice lot. This is also a good way to distribute manure and urine nutrients more evenly across the area and to prevent contamination of feedstuffs by mud or manure. 

4. Bale Grazing

Strategically placing bales or rolling out hay can be a unique way to feed livestock while reducing the high-traffic area of a permanent hay feeder. This practice helps distribute nutrients back to the soil, while also providing livestock with a better opportunity to select the highest-quality forage within a bale, leaving undesirable material behind, increasing fertility and organic matter. However, it comes at a cost. Rolling out bales of hay for livestock to eat can lead to an exorbitant amount of forage waste – anywhere from 15–50%, depending on the quality of the hay, how much forage is available for consumption, and the grazing habits of the livestock. This practice is most effective when feed resources are plentiful and when feeding a lower-quality forage than ideal for the class of livestock targeted. It can be used in combination with other feeding techniques, such as feed bunks or ring feeders, to supplement the higher-quality forage. Another consideration for bale grazing is the pre-planned placement of bales during a dry time of year to prevent pasture damage from equipment. 

5. Ring Hay Feeders

In contrast to bale grazing, feeding round bales in ring feeders or grinding and feeding in bunkers can result in less waste. Ring feeders can be moved across the sacrifice area to help reduce mud and wet conditions in one area of the field, or they can be placed on a concrete slab, making the removal of mud and manure easier. While some rings can be moved by hand, others require equipment and it's important to evaluate the field beforehand to prevent damage to the field from the equipment. When possible, move bale rings periodically throughout the feeding timeframe to prevent extensive damage in a concentrated area. Utilizing feeders often results in less forage waste, but if placed in one area of the field, it can lead to more pasture damage over time. 

6. Stockpile forage for deferred grazing.

Stockpiling pasture for deferred winter grazing can be an excellent way to extend the grazing season, keep livestock "out on pasture" and out of the sacrifice lot, feed higher-quality forage than harvested forages, and encourage nutrient distribution. Allowing the forage to grow 70–90 days prior to the end of the fall growing season after the application of 40–80 lbs of nitrogen ensures maximum forage accumulation for winter grazing. A managed strip grazing technique is necessary to optimize the utilization of the stockpiled forage and minimize trampling and waste. Although the forages are in a dormant state, we recommend still maintaining a 3-inch residue height; remember that forage will need to regrow in the spring. Carbohydrate reserves are stored in the lowest portion of the cool-season perennial plant, just above the soil surface. If the livestock graze too low and eat the plant's reserves, it will take longer to regenerate and regrow the following spring. More information on stockpiling cool-season perennials.

7. Select hardy forage species for your sacrifice pasture.

Selecting forage species that can withstand harsh, unideal conditions with dense root systems and high tolerance to frequent grazing and heavy trampling, do the best at withstanding year after year of winter feeding. The most common and ideal cool-season perennial forages are Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue.

8. Feed on concrete or a structured feeding pad.

Feeding livestock on concrete or another hard surface allows for the concentration of manure and urine in a centralized area, making the removal of these nutrients easier. If livestock are then able to go to a dry area for leisure and bedding, this further improves the benefit of the area. Another option would be to have a roofed heavy-use area to use during times of inclement weather or when pasture forages are depleted, where livestock can be housed indoors on concrete with feeding areas and completely off of pastures until conditions are suitable. 

Following winter feeding, reseeding severely damaged pastures with annual forages is an excellent way to optimize forage production in that area, while also suppressing weed pressure. Keep in mind that some light tillage or discing may need to occur to smooth the field. Planting a warm-season annual, such as Sudangrass, sorghum x sudan, or pearl millet, directly into your sacrificial pasture will allow for pasture productivity in an otherwise lower-producing field due to the winter damage it incurred. This annual crop can be mechanically harvested or grazed and then followed up with a planting of a perennial cool-season grass in the fall. 

Careful management and planning can help reduce winter damage resulting from livestock feeding. Each producer should analyze their past winter issues and assess the possibilities for overcoming severe pasture damage this upcoming year.