Wintering out animals all year round -how is it possible?

Peter Stoker suggests using electric fencing to out winter livestock on grass and other forage crops.

- Peter Stoker

Grazed grass is the cheapest and sometimes most underutilised feed on UK farms. Understanding the supply of grass growth and matching demand throughout the season means seeing huge improvements in grazing strategies in the drive to reduce input costs in livestock operations. Electric fencing, (permanent or temporary) is playing a major part in achieving this. A combination of permanent and temporary electric fencing to suit a farm unit gives tremendous flexibility and is cost-effective too.

Every additional day that livestock are grazing reduces housing costs. Outwintering of stock on root crops, brassicas and other forage can deliver large savings (subject to weather and soil conditions), which lowers the cost and reliance on conserved or bought-in feed, such as silage or concentrate feeds.

As grass growth slows, all grass wintering (AGW) can offer potential savings of £15 per ewe per winter and is a form of paddock grazing that meets the nutritional requirements of pregnant ewes during winter mainly from grass. This can be achieved with electric fencing which is highly adaptable as the weather dictates.

CONSIDER USING FODDER CROPS FOR CATTLE