I try to look on the bright side of things, but I have to admit that I do not care much for January. The presents have been opened, and may have been lost already. The cold has generally set in for our area of the world, and the wind can be harsh.
Water tanks need to be checked more often, and new babies who may be on our farms need extra attention. I know the daylight hours have started to get longer, but I have not noticed it yet.
Most folks have packed up the cheery lights that made the snow glitter, resulting in mounds of greying slush that never seem to melt fully. BUT, I am trying to look on the bright side this year and make sure I plan to be ready for the rest of the year.
To help pastures be ready to grow and thrive when the time is right, there are several things that can be done right now.
Forage testing
Testing the hay you have stored does not seem like it would help current pastures, but knowing what you are feeding will allow you to implement winter feeding strategies to protect your pastures in the long run.
Recent research from Ohio State University Extension Beef Specialist Garth Ruff found that of 180 hay samples submitted last summer, only one met the energy or Total Digestible Nutrients needs of a full-grown lactating beef cow.
Knowing what you are feeding and if supplementation is needed will help keep animals in good condition to endure the winter months until pastures are growing and available for grazing.
Soil testing
Soil tests can still be conducted in winter. As long as the ground is not frozen, samples can be taken to ensure your fertilization plan is ready.
Some areas have opportunities to lock in fertilizer prices, but that can result in wasted money if you do not know what your pasture needs. Many extension offices offer hay and soil testing options or can provide resources and assistance reading reports as needed.
Ensuring animal movement, if you do not have a heavy use pad or sacrifice/winter lot, will keep damage to pastures lower.
Spreading feed bunks and water sources out (while making sure that both are still accessible), rolling hay and moving that area with each new lot and rotating pastures or using more to decrease animal numbers in any one pasture can avoid damage to root systems during the winter.
If you see that pastures are sustaining too much damage to start growing well, it may be time to investigate options. If you do use a heavy-use pad or sacrifice/winter feeding area, it is vital to continue to check conditions as waste can pile up quickly.
Move feed, water and minerals as much as possible to ensure animals are moving, even in a small lot setting. And be sure to check for fence damage and runoff issues often.
When the weather does not cooperate and the outside work needs to be put on hold, be sure to plan to learn for the coming year. OSU Extension has several online offerings over the coming months to help you prepare.
Extension webinars
The OSU Extension Beef Team has an upcoming winter Beef Webinar series on Thursday evenings, with Hay Quality Challenges in Ohio being the topic for Feb. 5. Information can be found at u.osu.edu/beefteam.
The OSU Small Ruminant Team will be offering the All About Sheep! Webinar series with Feed My Sheep: Nutrition 101 scheduled for Feb. 17.
For information, visit go.osu.edu/allaboutsheep26. Check with your local office about local events that may be planned.
Finally, tax time will be here before we know it. Now is a great time to update and organize tracking of farm-related income and expenses, in whatever system works for your farm.
If you are looking for information or resources regarding taxes, check out the Farm Office Team resources at farmoffice.osu.edu. The monthly Farm Office Live segments are great for improving farm management strategies.
For more information on managing your pasture resources, you can also check out forages.osu.edu. If you would like to discuss your management strategies on any of the above topics, contact your local extension office.
