The Grazing Association

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This week was again filled with early mornings! We finished trailing the first group of cows. In that group we had about 330 pairs! These cows were kicked out to my hosts grazing association land. I had a lot of questions about the grazing association because I have never heard of one. My host explained that a long time ago they set in rules and guidelines for the association. Every rancher in the society can buy shares for the cattle to graze. The association has had to buy out shares as time has gone by. The cows body size has increased a lot over the past 50 years, so they eat just a smidge more. They still want to have efficient pastures, so they had to buy out shares to ensure that the pastures won’t be overgrazed. The cap for a rancher’s shares are 300 with a 10% leeway, so that’s why we had 330 pair in that group! To control diseases and such, there are only supposed to be pairs grazed on the pastures and no dry cows. This ensures that there wasn’t some disease that took out the calf.

In the past they had to deal with a rancher that didn’t tell anyone that he had a 25% abortion rate and spread diseases. I think a grazing association would be great to be in. It helps you have more pasture to graze and ensures that you have the help you need when trailing as they have hired hands that will help. I was glad I was able to learn about the grazing association. I think that is amazing and helps the ranchers in the association flourish. I think in the future, it would be an amazing opportunity to work for one so that you have the chance to see how different operations work. I also got to ask the question of why not just haul the cows to the ending pasture. My host explained we trail because the grass isn’t ready yet in the end pasture and is already done with their old pasture. It helps ensure that the pastures have enough time to grow and be efficient!

I also questioned my host about minerals and grazing efficiency. In my animal science classes that I took this last semester, I was taught that you want to have your mineral and salt at least three miles from water because that is the distance the cows will want to walk to get it, so that you can have your pasture grazed evenly. I kind of questioned when my host said that the cows will only walk one mile. He explained that to be the most efficient and make sure that the cows will go to the mineral, that it needs to be one mile away because sometimes cows can be lazy!

Even though I learned so much this week, I still have some questions about grazing rotations and the signs that show you when to move pastures and to make sure you don’t overgraze. I think grazing rotations are so interesting and how different animals will graze differently.

I have learned a lot this week about grazing and how to manage efficient pastures. I will keep that in the back of my mind when I have my own operation so that I make sure to have efficient pastures and to ensure that the cows will flourish on the grass! I think grazing rotations are so fascinating and making sure that your pasture is grazed easily. Mineral and salt are a good way to make sure cows graze evenly. You want your mineral about a mile away from water so that the cows will walk back and forth! This week has really expanded my knowledge and I plan to take back everything I learned for my own operation one day and my family operation!

Submitted by: Danielle Wadsworth
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team