Every farmer wants to maximize the number of kilos of dry matter their animals get from the field. With strip grazing, they can do that, while enjoying lower cost prices, better animal health, and higher growth and production. Innovations as the Tumble Wheel make it easy for farmers to use this method.
What is Strip Grazing?
Strip grazing is a grazing method that mainly suits cattle, sheep, and horses. This method involves offering the animals pasture in a very controlled manner. The animals graze in a narrow strip between two mobile wires, which are moved once or several times a day, giving the animals fresh grass to graze on every day.
Advantages of Strip Grazing
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Healthier Animals: Strip grazing leads to lower disease spread, as the animals are offered fresh strips of pasture every day. It can also have an anthelmintic effect, thus reducing the need for medication. Grazing also contributes to the health of claws, hooves, and udders.
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Healthier Pasture and More Grass: With strip grazing, the grass is only grazed for a very short period, and it will grow back faster from its root reserve. As strip grazing involves less movement on the pasture, less grass is trampled, and the soil is less compacted. Animals won't be able to graze selectively and less desirable grasses will also be eaten. Fresh droppings will also be grazed more evenly.
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More Consistent Grass Intake: Since animals get a fresh strip of grass each time, grass intake is more constant, not just in quantity but also in composition. Fresh grass stimulates the intake and animals need to make less effort to ingest the grass, leading to higher production or better growth and therefore higher returns.
Strip Grazing with Tumble Wheels are the easiest way to strip graze. A single person can move a fence within minutes by rolling it across the pasture. Current is applied to the tumble wheel except on the two protrusions touching the ground.
Strip Grazing with Reels and Mobile Posts, Tumble wheels are not necessary for strip grazing. For sheep and horses, it's not even suitable. Farmers can use mobile fence posts and a geared reel to strip graze without tumble wheels. By placing the geared reel on a quad, farmers can set up a mobile fence quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strip Grazing:
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Why Should I Use a Rear Wire? - For optimal results, always use both a front and rear wire. Strip grazing without a rear wire will lead to more grass being trampled, and regrowth is poorer.
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Do I Need Another Energiser to Start Strip Grazing? - In most cases, this is not necessary, provided the current device is not already at the limits of its capacity. Gallagher's iSeries energiser automatically adjusts the power when the pressure on the grid changes.
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How Do I Grant My Animals Access to the Strip of Grass? - Livestock farmers can create a temporary path across part of the pasture by placing a reel corner post with roll-angle insulators at the beginning of the rear wire about two meters from the field boundary.
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How Do I Handle the Water Supply When Strip Grazing? - Farmers must move the water troughs regularly to offer the animals fresh water every day. They can save time by placing water troughs at the edge of the front wire, so they'll be at the edge of the back wire after moving the strip.
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How Many Tumble Wheels Do I Need to Start Strip Grazing? - Electric Fence Online recommends a distance of 20 meters between the tumble wheels for optimal results.
In conclusion, strip grazing is a practical and easy-to-use method that ensures healthier animals, pastures, and increased yields for farmers. With the help of innovative tools, farmers can achieve maximum yield and healthier animals with minimal effort.
