Bob KinfordOwner, 2lazy4U Livestock & Literary Co · Owner at 2lazy4U Livestock & Literary Co

Grazing where cattle "won't graze"

16 Feb 2013 · 2 min

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1:48

In this on‑site monologue, a rancher explains a low‑tech grazing strategy for converting a rarely‑used draw into productive pasture. He drove about 180 head of cattle up the draw, allowing them to graze the grass that had been avoided for 30‑40 years. He notes the visible tracks and manure that will help the draw recover. By placing salt on the hilltop and water at the base, he creates a circular movement pattern that encourages the herd to return to the area day after day, effectively harvesting grass that would otherwise be wasted.

Chapters

This is one of these places that they say cattle won't graze. And what I did is I had approximately 180 head in here, and I drove them up this draw and just let them set until they started grazing out. And as you can see, the draw right here where we drove them up, you've got a lot of tracks, a little manure here and there, going to help this draw out. And then we've got grass up here that these cows would never touch. Cattle have never been put up in here, so chances are there hasn't been more than 10 or 15 head of cows in this whole thing for the last 30, 40 years. But now we're getting to use the grass that we wouldn't have utilized otherwise, other than just herding these cattle around a little bit. And chances are these cattle are going to come right back up in here again Today, their salt's right over the top of that hill, so when they graze on over, they're gonna go ahead and come right down on their salt. Their water's right there. They'll just make this circle again tomorrow.