Pros Cons of Mowing Pasture?

wi_buff_farmer · Jul 17, 2015

Just wondering pros and cons of mowing pasture? i raise buffs in northern wi and they are picky eaters! they prefer grass and will eat right around the red clover and trefoil. I have thick spots that are ungrazed and they prefer to mow on the small regrowth when they are let back in... I am worried about the laying hay choking it out in spots?

mj · Jul 17, 2015

Mine is mostly brome and orchard and I have used a bush hog on it several times with no ill effects.

notjustair · Jul 17, 2015

When the seed on the grass is mature (end of June ish) I mow the pastures. It shatters that seed down to reseed any thin spots. I also mow it just low enough to take a little off of the leaves. It promotes continued growth rather than it going dormant. It is usually at least 14-16 inches tall after I mow it.

If you leave it too tall they will avoid it when it gets big and rank. Next year all you will have is a bunch or thatch to deal with in those spots.

Cory Schmidt · Jul 17, 2015

if you mow it into rows, or if big patches are mowed to one big pile, then it might be to heavy. If you can see through the cut/mowed down part, it won't hurt much. If not, its to heavy. Grass needs light more light it gets the better.

If you have a small chopper take the wagon fill spout off and just blow the "garbage" plant material up in the air and let it fall back to the ground. This disperses the material more then leaving the chute on.

bison · Jul 17, 2015

(quoted from post at 17:07:18 07/17/15) Just wondering pros and cons of mowing pasture? i raise buffs in northern wi and they are picky eaters! they prefer grass and will eat right around the red clover and trefoil. I have thick spots that are ungrazed and they prefer to mow on the small regrowth when they are let back in... I am worried about the laying hay choking it out in spots?

ut the patches of clover and bale it,..they'll eat in the winter.
Or spray and kill it.
I never mow my pastures,..would be a full time job.

wi_buff_farmer · Jul 17, 2015

I should mention i am sick of whacking milkweed in my pastures with the weedeater. had 8 hours in them last year taking care of that damn milkweed..

Bison do your buffs eat red clover or trefoil in the pasture? mine will eat it baled but not in the pasture

Dean Olson · Jul 17, 2015

I have portable electric fencing that I move periodically. Forces them to eat everything. I'm dealing with sheep. In spite of the rumors they are very picky eaters given a choice.

bison · Jul 17, 2015

(quoted from post at 17:34:50 07/17/15) I should mention i am sick of whacking milkweed in my pastures with the weedeater. had 8 hours in them last year taking care of that damn milkweed..

Bison do your buffs eat red clover or trefoil in the pasture? mine will eat it baled but not in the pasture

i don't have trefoil or red clover in my fields.
I do have white and alsike clover depending on the year, they don't eat that either,neither do they like alfalfa unless it is in hay.

WIZZO · Jul 18, 2015

In grazing areas of Britain is normal practice to run a rotary mower [topper] over the pasture at least once a year.

It cuts off seed head stems and old tough clumps of grass which the cattle & sheep wont eat. It also encourages the existing grass plants to produce new paletable grass stems.

Red Clover is sometimes grown as part of grass seed mixtures to provide extra nutrition in hay or silage only - Red Clover grazed by sheep can cause Bloat.

Its normal to include White Clover in all grass seed mixtures for grazing & for forage. It is a plant which transfers nitrogen from the air into the soil.

Dell (WA) · Jul 18, 2015

Farmer........what most people don't realize, the ONLY reason fer grass to grow is $3X. You keep cuttin' their $3X off, it will continue to grow. (assuming enuff moisture) As fer why yer buffs (buffalo?) don't like clover and trefoil, dunno. Maybe it needs to be cut and dried first? Maybe you need to "ration" it by ELECTRIC fence wire. Move it 3-ft everyday so they haffta eat everything including clover and trefoil. Called "intensive grazing". .......Dell

Wheatfarmer · Jul 18, 2015

This pasture was bush hogged June 3 and again July 5. I need to find some old haying equipment and get the cut grass off of it. Lot of weed at this time, but several cutting and I should have some nice grass.

Texasmark1 · Jul 18, 2015

Around here is a lot of acreage that is ignored. Weeds take over and it's just a big mess, especially milkweed. Some of those who do mow, do it in the fall after the weeds have spent their annual seeds for the next year. Beats me why they don't do it earlier in the year before the annual seed pods have developed.....just occurred to me.....because they would have to mow it again with the regrowth they don't get in the fall.

L.Fure · Jul 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 01:34:50 07/18/15) I should mention i am sick of whacking milkweed in my pastures with the weedeater. had 8 hours in them last year taking care of that damn milkweed..

Bison do your buffs eat red clover or trefoil in the pasture? mine will eat it baled but not in the pasture

Milk weed is a important plant for monarch butterfly's. There are getting to be fewer monarchs due to loss of good habitat for them. Read up on them on the web. Their life span and migration is pretty interesting. So, if you can leave some milk weed for them it would help them out.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/me...story.csp?cid=2192318&sid=555&fid=181

Pros Cons of Mowing Pasture?

wi_buff_farmer

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mj

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notjustair

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Cory Schmidt

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bison

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wi_buff_farmer

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Dean Olson

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bison

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WIZZO

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Dell (WA)

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Wheatfarmer

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