Here is a picture of forages in one of our paddocks on one of our rented properties. This is 5 weeks of regrowth after the cows and calves were rotated off this paddock. This field was growing limited forage that was of marginal quality prior to our taking over management three years ago. We repaired the irrigation structure so that we could start irrigating the field and also put in electric fence so that we could implement a rotational grazing system. During the first winter, I fed hay that had red clover, white clover, and birdsfoot trefoil seed in it over a wide area of the field. All three of those legume species are pictured above. Birdsfoot trefoil is the plant with the yellow flower and is comparable to the clovers in nutrition and palatability for grazing purposes. Our ability to produce this quality of forage during the entire grazing season is a primary reason our yearlings can grow to a nice weight and finish at 18 months of age.
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