Practice Patience Before Turning Out!

By Victor Shelton

Some pastures that were grazed too tightly last fall may appear greener than those with adequate residual. However, this “greener” appearance can often be misleading. In many cases, it signals that the plants are struggling to survive, pushing out new growth as a last-ditch effort to recover.  If this is the case, these pastures urgently need recovery time. Overgrazing in the fall leaves plants facing several challenges, including depleted energy reserves and weakened root systems, which hinders their spring recovery. There is a lot of this in areas that were droughty.

When pastures are grazed too closely in the fall, especially before plants have gone dormant, essential plant material—particularly photosynthesizing leaves—are removed. These leaves were vital for energy production through photosynthesis. Without them, plants can’t replenish energy reserves for dormancy, leaving them with minimal resources to survive the winter. As a result, they enter spring with low energy stores, making it harder to bounce back. Without sufficient leaf material to conduct photosynthesis, plants are unable to produce the energy necessary to not only survive but to strengthen their roots, which are critical for long-term resilience. With diminished reserves, plants are also less resilient to environmental stresses like drought or extreme temperatures, which further slows recovery. This sets the forages up to be behind the eight-ball come spring.

Early spring grass that’s short typically has less dry material and may be very watery.  Though livestock may enjoy the lush grass, it often lacks the fiber necessary for healthy digestion, which can lead to digestive issues and disrupt nutrient absorption.  Cows rely on a balance of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates for efficient digestion.  Overly lush spring grass can cause digestive issues and disrupt nutrient absorption.  To avoid this, pastures should be allowed to develop more structure, or supplemental hay should be provided to balance out the rumen.

In contrast, leaving adequate residual—about three to four inches of grass after grazing—supports faster and more robust recovery. When enough leaf material is left behind, plants can continue photosynthesizing, producing energy even before visible growth starts—true any time of the year.  This enables quicker recovery and strengthens root systems, making plants more resilient to drought and temperature fluctuations.  A strong root system also improves nutrient and water uptake, benefiting long-term pasture health.

Adequate residual also improves soil health.  Leftover stubble protects against soil compaction, allowing better water infiltration, which benefits plant health and ensures a more consistent forage production system.  Healthy soil gives plants better access to nutrients, supporting sustainable and productive pastures.  Soil type also plays a role in pasture recovery.  Sandy soils may need more frequent and longer rest periods to recover, while heavier, clay-based soils might require more careful management of water infiltration and compaction.

It’s important not to graze pastures too early in spring, especially if they were heavily grazed the previous fall.  Pastures need time to regenerate.  The ideal start grazing height is eight to ten inches for cool-season grasses, allowing plants to rebuild energy reserves, strengthen roots, and ensure healthy growth.  Grazing too early can reverse recovery, prevent strong root development, and hinder high-quality forage production.  Maintain those previously mentioned stop grazing heights – basically grazing half and leaving half.   I’d much rather take less and keep animals moving to the next allocation than have forages get too far ahead of the livestock.  Once those fields there were grazed first are ready to graze again, stop where you are at in the rotation and start over.  The remaining can be stockpiled for later use.

While closely grazed pastures may green up faster in the spring, this is often a sign of stress rather than healthy regrowth.  Plants are using their stored energy to produce new shoots, leaving them vulnerable to further stress.  Over time, this results in weaker plants and slower recovery—so they need additional recovery prior to being grazed.

Pastures with adequate residual may not appear to have rapid growth initially, but they often have a mix of new growth and residual, providing a balance of fresh forage and dry material.  This combination supports rumen health and consistent growth, leading to higher yields and better-quality forage throughout the season.

By implementing these grazing practices and allowing adequate recovery time, you’ll help ensure your pastures remain healthy, productive, and resilient for the long haul—creating a sustainable system for both your livestock and the land.  Grazing management is often like a chess game; strategic moves are needed and planned to balance grazing length, the amount of forage removed and recovery time—each decision impacting overall forage production and sustainability throughout the season.

I’ll end today with a thought on magnesium.  It is a good idea to move to a high magnesium type mineral supplement (usually 10-20% instead of 1 or 2%) and continue with it until we are past the early flush of new forage.  The issue with insufficient magnesium is more of a problem where nitrogen and/or potassium has been applied recently or in excessive amounts.  For more detailed information about grass tetany, contact your local extension service or large animal veterinarian.

It’s not about maximizing a single grazing event but optimizing the entire grazing season.  Keep grazing!