As September draws to a close, grazing managers should be asking a simple but important question: How much feed do I actually have available for the months ahead? While it is tempting to make decisions based on what the pasture looks like from the truck window, successful grazing operations rely on a more careful forage inventory.
Just as grain producers monitor yields and grain inventories, livestock producers should know how much forage is available before winter feeding begins. Taking inventory in the fall can help identify potential shortages, avoid costly emergency feed purchases and create a plan for extending the grazing season. This process can start with four simple steps.
Step one: Measure what’s growing.
The first step is determining how much forage remains in your pastures. One of the easiest methods is to walk or drive through paddocks and estimate average forage height. Grazing sticks, pasture rulers or forage measurement tools can help turn height measurements into estimates of available dry matter per acre. While not perfect, these tools provide a much better estimate than simply guessing.
Producers should pay particular attention to pastures that have been rested for stockpiling. Tall fescue and other cool-season grasses often make significant growth during September and October when moisture conditions are favorable. Knowing approximately how many pounds of forage are standing in those fields allows managers to estimate how many grazing days they may have available later this fall and winter.
Step two: Calculate livestock demand.
Next, calculate livestock demand. A common rule of thumb is that cattle consume approximately 2.5 to 3% of their body weight in dry matter each day. For example, a 1,300-pound cow will consume roughly 32 to 39 pounds of dry matter daily. Multiply that by the number of animals in the herd and then by the number of days you need to feed them. Each animal group (mature cows, young cows, replacement heifers, bulls, weaned calves, etc.) should have balanced rations formulated for them. In some cases, many groups may need more than one ration.
Think about the cow herd that enters different stages of gestation and how their nutritional requirements change. Seeing those numbers on paper often helps explain why feed inventories disappear faster than expected.
Step three: Compare and inventory stored feed.
Once forage supply and animal demand have been estimated, compare the two. If available forage is sufficient to meet projected needs, the focus can shift toward utilizing it efficiently through rotational grazing and strategic allocation. If a deficit appears likely, producers still have time to make adjustments before winter arrives.
Several options exist when a shortage is identified early. Additional acres may be available for grazing crop residues or cover crops. Stored feed inventories can be reviewed and tested for quality. Hay purchases can be arranged before winter demand increases, and culling decisions can be made while market conditions remain favorable. The key benefit of inventorying forage now is that it allows producers to make proactive decisions rather than reactive ones.
An accurate forage inventory should also include stored feed. Count hay bales, estimate bale weights and calculate total tons on hand. Many farms discover that the number of bales in storage differs from what they assumed earlier in the season. Weighing a few representative bales can improve accuracy and provide a clearer picture of available feed supplies.
While quantity is important, quality matters too. Fall is an excellent time to collect forage samples and submit them for analysis. Knowing the protein and energy content of hay allows producers to develop feeding plans that meet animal requirements and avoid unnecessary supplementation costs. The information gained from a forage test is often worth far more than the small investment required.
Step four: Make a plan.
Finally, remember that every additional day of grazing reduces the need for stored feeds. Extending the grazing season by even a few weeks can result in substantial savings. However, those savings are only possible when forage supplies are managed carefully and protected from overgrazing.
As we move into October, now is the time to take stock of what the farm has available. A few hours spent measuring pastures, calculating livestock needs and evaluating feed inventories can help ensure adequate forage supplies throughout the winter months. In grazing management, knowing your inventory is often the difference between reacting to problems and preventing them.
To make this process easier, download the Forage Inventory and Needs calculator from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Before winter feeding begins, take the time to inventory your forage supply and let the numbers guide your decisions.
