Cost benefits of rotational grazing Remember, if grass is allowed to get ahead of cattle, reproductive growth of stem and seed head will inhibit fresh growth and lead to much poorer daily liveweight gains. The time and effort required to construct a paddock system will be well rewarded. Rotational grazing on a perennial sward over the grazing season should give an additional 18-20kg liveweight gain on finishing cattle. At current prices this would be worth 15- 20 per head which on a batch of 30 cattle would amount to between 450 and 600. As grass growth increases one or two paddocks can be taken out of the grazing cycle in mid May and cut for silage.
Early grass is a great benefit on any beef farm.
It is the cheapest source of high quality feed. The cost to produce 1kg of liveweight gain from grass is approximately 25 pence per day compared to 90-95 pence per day on silage and meal. Fertiliser Fertiliser should be applied to the driest fields first with the aim of turning out some stock as early as possible. Work at Greenmount College has shown that there is very little leaching of nitrogen after mid February and depending on soil type and altitude the first sowing can safely be made as soon as practical after that date. The remaining fertiliser should be applied equally in May, June and late July.