LAUSR

Abstract: Extending the grazing season by maintaining beef cattle on pasture in the fall/winter has been adopted by many producers on the Prairies as it reduces the need for mechanical harvesting and can lower labour and manure management costs relative to feeding cattle in confinement. Annual and perennial forages, alone or in combination, offer the potential for low-input grazing while maintaining animal productivity. Using a range of data sources, this paper will review the methods available for extending the grazing season of beef cattle using annual and perennial forages and discuss level of adoption and the practical implications and considerations for producers. These methods included stockpile grazing, bale grazing, swath grazing, and corn grazing, with the suitability of methods based on a range of factors including the nutritive requirements of the target class of cattle, environmental conditions, and costs of inputs. In an effort to maximise the efficiency of maintaining cattle on pasture in the fall/winter period, the ability to be flexible and adaptive to changing climatic and economic conditions within and between years is essential. Furthermore, a combination of the aforementioned methods may be employed in an integrated effort to enhance the productivity and sustainability of overwintering of beef cattle.