Dry pasture can be a big problem for ranchers whose cattle feed primarily on forage. In order to ensure that there is enough pasture for cattle to graze on and that it is nutritious and strong enough to help them put on weight, ranchers need to take some action.
This transition between dry and wet periods occurs between September and October, when the first rains begin, relieving the lack of pasture for livestock.
How to Restore Dry Grass After the First Rain
Dry pasture with insufficient quantity and height to feed the cattle.Pasture dries up due to lack of rain, and not all rural producers have financial conditions or adequate infrastructure for irrigation. When pasture is well managed during the rainy and dry seasons, with the first rains, recovery occurs naturally, with the first regrowth of green leaves.
These first leaves do not provide vitamins, proteins, and minerals that are necessary not only for food but also for nutrition, returning to fattening.
The focus here is how much to put cattle in that pasture to prevent regrowth and forage regrowth. And when introducing cattle into this first regrowth, take care that diarrhea will not directly affect the animals. Because the first regrowth lacks fiber, this problem is very common at this time of year. Typically, this occurs in properties that operate above the occupancy rate.
In areas with a lot of wind, the pasture is drier. Planting trees helps a lot to solve this problem. The popular ILPF system brings other benefits, such as heat softening at high temperatures.
With the first rains, pastures begin to flourish. The first leaves are responsible for regenerating those that are in the reservoir. A very common mistake is to restock all of these leaves as well as stock cattle at full stocking rates before restocking. With overgrazing, plants are eaten and die, compromising the entire forage accumulation before the entire pasture can be restarted.
In place of the expected forage, weeds begin to grow, competing with the pasture for light, fertility, and nutrients that must be diverted to the pasture. For this reason, schedule herbicide application for the onset of the rains, when weed pastures are likely to be more abundant as well as invasive plants.
Other practical measures to help speed the recovery of dry pasture include:
- Pasture fencing
- Fertilization right at the beginning of the rains, mainly with nitrogenous fertilizers between October and November, increases the chances of having good pasture throughout the rainy season
- Rotated grazing
- Irrigation
- Pay attention to the stocking rate (during the dry season, reduce the number of animals per hectare)
Why does pasture degrade?
Degraded pasture occurs for a number of reasons. Frequent changes of forage species, higher than ideal stocking rates, a lack of management, misuse of grazing intensity, and low productivity result in open soils, low productivity, frequent weed growth, loss of plant and animal nutrition, and reduction, among others.
Restoration or renovation is possible based on the technical analysis of the location and also on the investment in the property for this work.
The recovery process itself, in addition to being more cost-effective, contributes to environmental preservation by conserving soil, restoring fertility, preserving organic matter, and retaining water when the job is completed. Pasture recovery occurs when the plants present are used and measures that support that recovery are employed. Because it is less expensive than renovation, it is frequently the first alternative chosen by the property owner.
However, not all degraded pastures can be recovered through recovery; hence, reform is the most appropriate option. These occurrences occur when the exposed soil area is quite large, there is a high presence of weeds, and there is insufficient forage used as the livestock's food source.
This rehabilitation is done through the use of desiccant herbicides with a focus on soil preparation and the planting of new species, which can be done in different ways: traditional sowing, seeding, or direct planting.
Before recovering, start researching the best forage species for your soil, climate, and area. The most famous and commonly used are capiaçu, brachiaria, and elephant grass, but there are many others that show good results focusing on the nutrition and fattening of cattle. A consortium is also a good option.
Research the area with your ranching neighbors and even ask local livestock associations for help. The more knowledge you have on the subject, the better it will be.
And it doesn't hurt to remember that pasture alone doesn't work miracles. Nutrient supplementation in the trough, offering small amounts of minerals and protein to the soil, improves livestock performance and even reinforces the additional aruba we need at the end of the harvest.
Mineral salts in water and protein salts in dry seasons That is, the use of salt in the trough throughout the year prevents weight loss in addition to improving the quality of the final product and strengthening the animal's body against diseases that cause suffering.
