Foggage - tell me all

[Orangehorse]

So I have I got this right? Foggage is a field that is allowed to grow in all year, not cut for hay or mown to keep it tidy, just allowed to grow tall and then the tall grass matures and dies off and looks like growing hay in the field and some new growth grows underneath (there is a corner of my field like this!).

And then in the winter you simply turn the horses out on this overgrown, rather untidy field and let them graze it down until spring time, when it can be rolled and rested and allowed to grow again. Correct, or have I missed something?

 

[meleeka]

That’s pretty much it as I understand it. It’s what I’ve done to the middle of my track in previous years.

 

[Goldenstar]

Correct I tried it once it did not work here .

 

[JillA]

I do it but I don't turn horses into it, they would tread it down and waste most of it - plus the trampled stuff kills what is underneath.

I strip graze into it, starting with a track all round the outside and then as that gets grazed down, move the electric fence into a daily allocation of the foggage. It is fine for fibre but they do need bucket feeds for protein and vitamins because unlike hay, the grass has thoroughly gone past its best and died. In a mild winter there is still plenty of green at the base but again, mainly fibre.

 

[milliepops]

I strip graze into foggage so they don't trample it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I strip graze into foggage so they don't trample it.

Me too, starting in around a month’s time once the grass has stopped growing. The neds all seem to appreciate it, too...

 

[Polos Mum]

I personally don't think the idea is to let it go over and die or all the grass will just rot underneath. I aim to have it hay cutting length when I use it, not over.

So I rest from mid summer and by November when it stops it's long (1.5 feet long) but not lying flat. I turn mine out it on at xmas and then I don't need to put hay out for 4-5 weeks. I would strip graze but sadly mine have no respect for electric. They trample a bit but no more waste than putting hay in the field (IMHO)
They get a nice pick me up from plenty of fresh grass over January and it saves me loads of work in the worst of the weather.

If you rest it from spring then it has a massive flush in April May, reaches hay cutting length in June and by Septembers second flush it's all lying flat and dead. So trick (on my land) is not to rest it too early. I use sheep to tidy after the horses come off in spring and keep it short until mid summer.

 

[Orangehorse]

OK thanks.

 

[windand rain]

I strip graze onto it too it replaces hay pretty much for ours until March/April they do have small feeds with protein vitamins minerals etc every day year round due to very restricted grazing. They are munching there way slowly through an area of white clover. They are not keen so taking their time about it

 

[ester]

we make hay, and it grows back up to foggage by the time they go back on in late october.

 

[paddy555]

Me too, starting in around a month’s time once the grass has stopped growing. The neds all seem to appreciate it, too...

View attachment 36559

I did it like this but found that the grazed area just got so trampled down it basically trashed the field and it took a long time to recover. I thought in theory it was a great idea but in practice it just turned out to be a mess.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I have to strip graze because of the damn bunnies. That way I can check each day as I move the plastic posts that there are no holes hidden by the foggage. I dare not open a large area all at once as I couldn’t check it properly. I do find that the grass grows back ok.

 

[ester]

yeah, we don't have any of those and we do turn them out on it in 2 or 3 large sections over the winter so the long grass protects the soggy clay.

 

[SEL]

We've had no decent rain in my part of the SE so my normal paddock is eaten down to earth and I've started grazing the rested paddock - not cut for hay so foggage.

The big boy is going in first because he needs extra weight for coat change. He's strip grazing for me and generally eating the nice green stuff at the bottom as well as the standing hay. The mare is only allowed to have any when he's taken all the good stuff out - and there's a lot more good stuff than you'd think looking at how brown it is! (excuse for an photo )

 

[HashRouge]

Mine went onto foggage their first winter at current place, and it really helped to keep the field less muddy as there just always seemed to be something covering the ground to soak up the water. Whereas subsequent years the grass hasn't grown as long as the YO has had horses on my field towards the end of summer (not my choice). She's taken over a little yard just down the road now though, where it's just my two and the winter field is a lot bigger. I don't think it will get to the fog gage stage (it was cut for hay in august) but the grass is getting nice and long so I'm hoping for a decent winter with minimal mud and less hay. I have to say I think that is my ideal for a winter field - grass that has got nice and long but is not yet at the foggage stage so still has a bit more goodness to it.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

So I have I got this right? Foggage is a field that is allowed to grow in all year, not cut for hay or mown to keep it tidy, just allowed to grow tall and then the tall grass matures and dies off and looks like growing hay in the field and some new growth grows underneath (there is a corner of my field like this!).

And then in the winter you simply turn the horses out on this overgrown, rather untidy field and let them graze it down until spring time, when it can be rolled and rested and allowed to grow again. Correct, or have I missed something?

correct-only the field I do it in can't get machines onto it so it just gets rested Jan to July-Sept (I've had them on it as early as May, this year it was September). I dont strip graze it, the lay out of the field wouldnt allow it but they do have a corral that I also use for riding. Apart from the corral its not poo picked either. I have no issues with grass dying off and have loads of different grasses and plants for forage-some edible and some not (vetch for example). If you like tidy paddocks it possibly wont work for you but I like rough grazing with plenty of variety for mine. I did it at the last place too which had more traditional paddocks and I section-grazed it (I try and avoid strip grazing although had to resort to it this year) and it worked well-didnt have to feed hay until Feb and cut the mud right down in the paddocks.

 

[Hallo2012]

ive always left mine from April to end Sept and let it go all yellow and manky and they always eat it, dont trample it etc