Cattle Update: Spring Grazing Decisions Affect Farm Bank Accounts
Cattlenetwork.com
Grazing in early spring, prior to pasture readiness, deprives grass plants of needed leaf area and reduces grass growth, herbage production and economic returns. In spring, pasture plants are near the bottom of their food reserves (top of their operating loan). As plants start to grow they use their reserves and just before they reach the 3-leaf stage they max out their “operating loan”. If grazed before the 3 to 3.5 leaf stage they are taken into an “overdraft position”. The interest rate on plant overdraft is a credit card rate. Working on overdraft is a costly financial spot for an operation and a pasture.
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