no grazing, what to do?

[asbo]

have pretty much ran out of grazing & the grazing we where supposed to get use of is not going to happen, which leaves me with a bit of a problem.

if we can not find any more grazing locally they will have to stay on bare paddocks

whats the best way to manage them?

jay can not move as he will stress for the 1st month or 2 & not keep or gain any weight, then it will be time to move back home

 

[Shilasdair]

Well, I can't let my TB eat too much grass, or she gets grass colic....so just as all the lovely spring grass comes through, I have to fence it off anyway, and feed my three hay and haylage, just as I've done through the winter.
Once the grass has grown a bit and is no longer so high in sugars, but has more cellulose, I will be able to risk strip grazing it...but until then, I'm in the same position you are - feeding hay!

S

 

[asbo]

see it is just right for little one as she needs nothing what so ever but the 2 big ones need the grass & its just not lasting

not going to help tomorrow when the farmer drives his tractor through the 1st paddock to remove a pig pen

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

I divide mine up and let them trash one big paddock in winter (that now looks like a ploughed field) and save the rest until it dries up a bit - like today I have put them on the good ones.
I let them graze them, then move them off it before it gets too overgrazed, I poo pick and take out any weeds, top it and then rest it.
My paddocks look like lawns! Sad aren't I!

The paddock I use all winter, I will roll it with a Cambridge roller and rest it, it will recover in about a month.
Can't you divide up what you have for now and let some of it rest even though you say there is no grass on it - it will soon recover if you put a little fertiliser on it.

 

[itsme123]

What about feeding something like redigrass?

As long as you maike sure the big ones are kept warm so they're not using up energy / calories keeping warm then you can pretty much replace grass with feed and other types of forage.

 

[Cop-Pop]

We have rubbish grazing all year round

I fence off bits of the field and feed haylage for most of the year. They're both prone to putting on weight tho so I don't really mind

 

[asbo]

only have just over 1.5 acres for 2 horses, a pony & 2 sheep

where supposed to get use of a field next door but its not happening now

it is split into 3 paddocks & we are making a hard standing so they will only use that & 1 paddock next winter but thats not much help right now

 

[DidiR]

My advice would be...

1)keep them dry and warm with rugs, then they will need less feed.

2) I think Redigrass etc is very expensive, so I would stick with good hay, and use an alfalfa product rather than chaff in short feeds.

3) the quickest way for the ground to recover is if you can roll it as soon as it is dry enough to get onto with the equipment.. if you don't have the tools, its definitely worth paying for it to be done, as once rolled, the grass roots can take hold and grow much more effectively.

It must seem a nightmare right now, but it won't be long til the grass is growing again!