Tackle wet soils with on-off grazing

FARMERS FACING wet soil damage should consider using on-off grazing according to an article in the Dairy News.

Pasture and Fodder Conservation Specialist Frank Mickan, who works at the Victorian DPI's Ellinbank facility, says many soils around the country are now saturated with water and are susceptible to severe pugging damage.
In Gippsland alone, pasture growth during the following two to three months might be reduced by 20-40%, Mickan says.
"These are sizeable reductions in pasture in-take, which could result in a drastic loss of milk production or increased cost of supplementary feeding."
Mickan says on-off grazing usually involves the cows grazing pastures for two to four hours and then removing them before severe pugging damage starts to occur.