Description
Bale grazing is a novel winter-feeding method where bales are set out on pasture, typically in checkerboard fashion, and fed in a planned, controlled manner, much like rotational grazing. So far, the concept has not been widely adopted in the eastern US, but offers an improved alternative compared to conventional winter-feeding systems for beef cattle, which all too often results in wasted nutrients, polluted waterways, degraded soils, and unhealthy conditions for cattle. With good management, bale grazing can solve all of these problems, and also requires less labor and machinery use than conventional hay feeding. However, climatic conditions in the eastern US require different management considerations compared to conditions in the Great Plains, where many people have been introduced to bale grazing.
Citation
Halich, Greg, "Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay on Pasture Using Rotational Grazing Techniques" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1997-2023). 25.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/XXV_IGC_2023/Livestock/25
Included in
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Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay on Pasture Using Rotational Grazing Techniques
Bale grazing is a novel winter-feeding method where bales are set out on pasture, typically in checkerboard fashion, and fed in a planned, controlled manner, much like rotational grazing. So far, the concept has not been widely adopted in the eastern US, but offers an improved alternative compared to conventional winter-feeding systems for beef cattle, which all too often results in wasted nutrients, polluted waterways, degraded soils, and unhealthy conditions for cattle. With good management, bale grazing can solve all of these problems, and also requires less labor and machinery use than conventional hay feeding. However, climatic conditions in the eastern US require different management considerations compared to conditions in the Great Plains, where many people have been introduced to bale grazing.
