I moved cattle yesterday in my rotational grazing system to a fresh paddock that had been clipped on June 7th right after moving them out the last time through. so this paddock has had about 36 days to recover. It also had a pretty severe infestation of thistles when I mowed it last time. I tend to mow low at about 3 or 4" which leaves some leaf surface area on the grasses to recover but nails most of the thistle trying to set seed.

They had been on their last paddock for a long time while I was traveling and needed to resort to eating hay the last few days.  So they were really ready to move to this fresh grass.

Here are some pictures of what clipping/mowing a pasture can do...along with adequate rains.The strip tilled corn on corn side dressed on 60" centers in the background has really taken off also. That will be grazed by steers starting in January.

Jim at Dawn

(IMG_1427_Moving_into_fresh_grass_071310_1.jpg)

(IMG_1439_here_is_a _clipped_grass_pasture_2nd_time_through_071310_1_1.jpg)

(IMG_1459_Looking_West_6_2_1.JPG)

IMG_1427_Moving_into_fresh_grass_071310_1.jpg (72KB - 119 downloads)

IMG_1439_here_is_a _clipped_grass_pasture_2nd_time_through_071310_1_1.jpg (88KB - 126 downloads)

IMG_1459_Looking_West_6_2_1.JPG (82KB - 120 downloads)