Making the most of winter greenfeed for sheep

Seasonal differences in feed production are a given and it is therefore important that livestock producers plan thoroughly for periods when the waning quality of natural pastures can negatively impact animal production.

- By Carin Venter

“While the nutrient content and quality of feed varies throughout the year, a decline is often more noticeable in the summer rainfall areas during autumn, winter, and spring,” says Gideon Jordaan, a grazing specialist from Cradock in the Eastern Cape. “When the nutritional value of grazing starts to decline during the latter part of the year, livestock can easily lose 10 to 15% of their summer weight. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to bridge this nutritional low, which is why producers need to plan.”

Good management measures

The secret to bridging or partially eliminating these deficiencies lies in a combination of one or more of the following measures: Maintaining conservative long-term grazing capacity on the farm, optimal use of cultivated winter pastures, storage of high-quality summer crops, and putting out licks.

Bridging a nutrient reduction will differ from farm to farm, based on the availability of irrigation water and arable land. By shortening or eliminating these low-nutrient phases, one can even increase animal production and reproduction, which will have a positive effect on the overall enterprise. The purpose of cultivated pastures is to increase animal production through increased feed production and improved feed quality.

“Currently no single crop can meet animal requirements in all circumstances. Choosing the right grazing pasture to achieve the desired outcome depends on certain factors that include the climate in the area, the availability of irrigation, and the availability of suitable land for feed production.