A wheat pasture is a valuable resource for many cattle operations. This plant is a valuable source of high-quality forage when most other forages are low in quantity and quality. The unique climate in the Southern plains, like here in Texas, can allow producers to use wheat as both a forage and a grain crop. This dual purpose can potentially increase the overall profitability of many operations.
The fall and winter temperatures in this part of the country typically allow for significant growth before winter comes barreling in. Add to that the relatively few snow days we receive, and producers can extend their grazing season while keeping costs relatively low. Producers can see a grazing season that goes for 120-150 days, usually from November 1 to March 1, as a result.
Putting cattle on a wheat pasture is only sometimes a matter of just turning the cows loose on it. You can do some things to be more efficient when using wheat pastures for stocker calves and even cows. Here are four things to consider to get the most bang for your buck.
Timing is everything
Turning the cows out plays an important role when it comes to grazing wheat pastures. Do not let the animals graze until the plant is at least 6 inches tall. Doing this will ensure that there is enough leaf growth to sustain grazing and development of the plant. The plant should have adequate crown root growth to keep them from being uprooted by grazing animals. Visually, this is the point where you can toss a softball out into the field, and it will disappear.
Along with the height, you must ensure the plant is well-rooted. Just because there may be enough growth above ground does not mean the roots are good. It is essential to sample the whole wheat pasture for root growth before you begin grazing. You can test this by simply pulling on the plant. The roots are developed enough if the leaf breaks off without the plant being pulled up.
Knowing when to take your cattle off the pasture is just as important. You will need to take them off when the first hollow stem appears. This stage occurs after the wheat comes out of dormancy in the spring. It will be about 5/8 inch or roughly the diameter of a dime below the developing head. This time can differ by up to 3 weeks, so the variety that you use will determine when this happens.
Taking cows off during this stage will protect yield potential by allowing enough time to recover. Previous research done in Oklahoma has shown that grazing just one week past this date can lead to yield losses from 8-10%. Grazing two weeks past the first hollow stem can result in an average yield loss of 30%.
Supplement that wheat pasture
Wheat pastures are one of the best feed sources that we can have. But it is not without its drawbacks nutritionally. Since it is high in protein, supplementing energy is very important. Being able to offset the protein with some energy can benefit that calf. Giving them a more balanced diet will also assist them in being more efficient as well.
Because it is highly palatable, you must be careful that cattle do not overeat. One problem that may occur from them overeating wheat is bloat. Bloat is a form of indigestion marked by an excessive gas build-up in the rumen. Under normal circumstances, this build-up is released through things like belching. Still, any interruption of this can cause the gas to build up. The high crude protein and soluble carbohydrates in wheat are believed to cause this to occur. Putting out a bloat block is one way that you can prevent this.
Providing supplements when the forage crop is poor can help to spread the ration. This supplement can be a simple forage like hay or even grains to provide energy. Due to the current conditions, finding things like hay to feed your cows may be a little tricky. I reviewed some potential alternatives to hay in a previous post, “How to replace hay in a drought year”.
High-starch or High-fiber
When supplementing for energy, there are two ways that you can go: high-starch or high-fiber. High-starch supplements are grains like corn. High-fiber feeds are things like soybean hulls and corn gluten feed. The potential for using a supplement like this is good because of how quickly cows can digest wheat. Cattle typically prefer high-fiber supplements and tend to eat them quicker than high-starch. One thing you need to be careful of with high starch is the potential for acidosis.
Use the correct stocking rate with wheat pastures.
As with any pasture forage, using the correct stocking rate is vital to keeping wheat productive. Both growing calves and mature animals can utilize this forage. However, stockers and fall-calving cows can use it more effectively than the other types. This reason is likely due to the fact that they can fully take advantage of the high nutritional value of the wheat forage.
The recommended fall and winter stocking rates can range from 200 to 600 lbs of animals per acre. To give you a better idea, this can translate to about 1-2 acres per stocker, depending on their weight. If you will be having mature cows grazing, this rate will go to 4-7 acres per cow. In the spring, the stocking rates are usually 1.5 to 2 times greater than those for fall. Providing dry feed along with the wheat pasture can also increase the stocking rate.
Overgrazing the forage can result in winterkill along with lower grain production. You should follow the same rule here as you would with any forage: take half, leave half. For the fall and winter seasons, a minimum of 50% of the green canopy should remain in place in order to avoid overgrazing. Avoiding that will make sure that there is plenty of leaf area to allow photosynthesis to keep going.
To avoid damage to forages by trampling, you should provide an area near the pasture for water, salt, mineral supplements, and a loafing area. If the cattle will be traveling for water, you should have several field access points close to the water points. If you cannot do that, provide water and supplements at different pasture corners to promote better grazing distribution.
Be sure to manage your cows correctly.
How you manage your cows while they are grazing will also play a part. Typically, stockers are grazed on wheat pastures, but other types can also be utilized. Cull cows, bred cows, and even cow-calf pairs can benefit.
Because of the potential for massive weight gain, maintaining bred cows or cow-calf pairs will require other considerations. Using limited grazing is one way that you can offset this problem with your herd.
As with any forage during the early spring, grass tetany is a problem with wheat pastures. Providing a mineral supplement with magnesium will prevent this from happening. You will need to supply a mix that contains 12-15% magnesium. This mix will need to be consumed at 3-4 oz per day to be effective. The supplement should be started a couple of months before the period of tetany happens.
