Winter grazing challenges underscore importance of pasture management

“Knowledge is power — the power to make decisions and better decisions more often.”

—Woody Lane

As we wrap up January, I hope you — and your farm critters — are all weathering this stretch of bitter cold as best as possible. Like many of you, winter has a way of reminding me which farm projects didn’t quite make it to the top of the list during the nice weather. While I installed three new automatic waterers this past year, two older ones really should have been replaced. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen this summer/fall, and this winter’s extreme temperature swings have made that clear. Checking water, running water trickles and breaking out the torch to thaw frozen lines — especially at the horse waterer — has not been my favorite chore. I hope your equipment and livestock are faring better than mine and that frozen water isn’t something you’re battling daily.

Despite the cold, last week brought a welcome opportunity to talk grazing and forages at the Forages and Grassland Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. Ohio was well represented, and it was energizing to hear diverse perspectives from producers and professionals passionate about improving grazing systems across the region. The shared goal was clear: better management through better understanding.

When we talk about forages and grazing, one topic always rises to the top — understanding animal forage demand within a grazing system. Key considerations include: carrying capacity, nutritional requirements of different livestock species, ruminant digestion and factors that influence forage intake

Speakers emphasized that when producers understand these fundamentals, they can more effectively manage grazing to meet animal needs while maximizing forage utilization.

Ohio State University Extension offers many pasture and grazing resources available at forages.osu.edu/pastures-grazing. You are also welcome to contact me at the Extension office if you would prefer printed materials sent directly to your farm.

One particularly valuable resource is the fact sheet Giving New Life to Tired Pastures by OSU Extension educators Dean Kreager, Christine Gelley and Theodore Wiseman. The section on managing forage removal highlights how controlled, managed grazing can improve forage quality and productivity while also helping with weed management. Many pastures show noticeable improvement when allowed periodic rest.

Grazing management that minimizes seed head development helps keep plants in a vegetative stage, where nutritional value is highest. Rotating livestock through smaller paddocks at appropriate intervals can extend to this stage. It is equally important to remove animals before forages are grazed below critical levels. Determining the correct “grazing residual” is often considered the art of grazing management, with general recommendations to leave 4-6 inches of forage, depending on your goals.

Overgrazing creates several long-term challenges. Excessive removal of leaf area limits photosynthesis, forcing plants to draw from stored energy reserves. Over time, this weakens plants, slows regrowth and reduces root mass. As roots die back, soil becomes more exposed to sunlight, encouraging weed germination and reducing moisture retention. By managing when to start and stop grazing — based on forage height, regrowth and adequate rest periods — producers can improve both the quality and quantity of their forage stands.

Along with overgrazing, weeds can dramatically reduce pasture productivity and quality, and in some cases can be poisonous to livestock. Cultural, mechanical and chemical options should be used as components of an integrated pest management (IPM) plan. As previously mentioned, grazing management practices can be useful in reducing weed pressure.

In 2021, a group of Extension educators concluded a three-year study evaluating timed pasture mowing. Mechanically mowing pastures is one method producers can use rather than spraying herbicides. The purpose of this project was to determine if weed populations in pastured forages could be changed or reduced by varying the timing of mowing throughout the late spring and summer growing period without the use of herbicides. Mowing height for this experiment was targeted at 10 cm from the soil surface. This study measured various treatments. Under the conditions of this study, mowing monthly reduced the total quantity of weeds. Mowing this often would not be a realistic or economic option for most producers. This treatment also had the lowest quantity of forages. Mowing only in July or September had similar results for the single mowing treatments.

The Holmes County Extension Office will soon have grazing sticks available for purchase, and the Holmes County Soil and Water Conservation District continues to offer soil testing services. Both offices are here to help answer pasture questions and support any improvements you’re hoping to implement in 2026.

Stay warm, and as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to help. For more questions, information, or a farm visit, please reach out to Janessa at the Extension office at 330-674-3015 or email at hill.1357@osu.edu.

We have a few exciting upcoming events we hope to see you at as well:

—Cull cow evaluation class: Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. at Sugar Valley Meats. Call the office to RSVP for this free class.

—In-person fertilizer private applicator certifications: March 4, 17 or April 21. Call the office to RSVP and for more details.

—Horse webinar series: Register at go.osu.edu/equinezoomseries25.

—In-person recertification for private pesticide and fertilizer: Call the office to RSVP for this Jan. 27 event.

Janessa Hill is an ANR educator with Holmes County OSU Extension.