Winter Grazing Considerations on Native Grasslands
Winter Grazing Considerations on Native Grasslands
Winter has hit full force in much of Saskatchewan and for many ranchers that means bringing cattle closer to home or areas that are more accessible for feeding. Each ranching operation has a different system when it comes to feeding animals throughout the winter but if you are planning to winter graze native pastures there are multiple considerations to factor in before making a decision.
If you do have access to native grass pastures for winter grazing, they can be an incredible asset to delay or reduce using stock piled feed. Some native grass species are more resilient when grazed during their dormant period in the fall and winter and this is because when these grasses are dormant, the plant will store its carbohydrate reserves in their root systems. For example, on a healthy rangeland that is populated by cool-season grasses such as Western Wheatgrass, Northern Wheatgrass and Western Porcupine Grass, they are able to provide excellent nutrition in the colder months. Western Wheatgrass itself has high protein levels in the spring, up to 18% but will decrease down to 3-4% as the plant matures through the growing season. As the protein levels fall, the digestible carbohydrate levels will increase by 40-50% late in the season, making it a desirable forage in the fall and winter.
When you are planning your grazing rotation for the year, it’s all about balancing your tame and native grass land bases. Utilizing your tame grass at the start of the year is a great way to defer your native grazing to later in the year. Tame grasses tend to be less sensitive to early season grazing and their nutrient value and palatability will decline earlier in the year compared to native species. Tame grasses are usually the first to green up in the springtime while some native grasses don’t emerge or actively grow until June or July. For example, Winterfat, also known as the ‘ice cream plant’, is incredibly sensitive to grazing April through July but it is an extremely beneficial plant to utilize in your winter or fall grazing because the crude protein levels remain between 9-14% in the colder months. Making it able to support both pregnant and lactating animal requirements.
Ideally, your winter grazing site is rested for the majority of the year to allow for a build of vegetation. If you do graze the site early in the year and receive little to no precipitation, the pasture may not have a chance to recover before being grazed again. One of the best ways to increase range health is by resting pastures or creating a rotation that allows for at least one pasture to be rested every year for a full year. A single year of rest can allow for the plant community to recover from previous grazing pressure, increase litter amounts and stockpile available grazing. Keep in mind that if the land has been consistently over grazed or was stressed by environmental factors such as drought, it can takes years to recover with even small amounts of grazing pressure.
Winter grazing on native grasslands must have an adaptive and practical approach. If a freak snowstorm was to hit, do the cattle have shelter from the elements and access to water? Are they able to access the grass if it’s under snow? We must also take into account the condition of the animals because even if it is an easy winter, most animals will need to supplemented in order to keep body condition. A pregnant cows nutritional needs will greatly increase as she gets closer to calving so ensuring you are meeting her needs is key to keeping a productive cow herd.
Depending on the operation, how you supplement will also look differently. Some landowners may choose to feed a grain ration, pellets or hay bales, in addition to the access of native grass. Where you feed or supplement cattle can also have an impact on your native grasslands. Grasslands are known for their incredibly diverse plant communities that have evolved over hundreds of years. Feeding grain or hay can risk introducing seeds of plants that aren’t typically occurring on native grasslands. Ideally, any sort of grain or pellet should be fed in a trough or feeder off the ground. If you are feeding directly on ground, try to pick an area that is already subject to disturbance, such as close to corrals. When picking a feeding site, also keep in mind spring runoff and how that may introduce unwanted seeds to other areas of your native grasslands.
When considering whether or not winter grazing is a viable option for your ranch, the questions may seem endless. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation (SSGF) have Range Technicians that can come out and assess your grasslands to get a benchmark of how healthy they are and their ability to support grazing. This includes looking at the plant community and seeing if the grasses that are present would be suitable for late season grazing. These assessments give both us and the landowner more information to see if changes are needed to increase grassland resiliency.
As ranchers plan for the upcoming grazing cycle, the SSGF can be looked at as tool in their toolbox. Rangeland assessments can be done on your native grasslands to help you make a more informed decision on your grazing rotations moving forward. If you are interested in having an assessment done on your land or have an idea for a project to improve you grasslands health, do not hesitate to contact us for the upcoming 2025 field season!