Mob grazing: extending the grazing season
Durie Farms on extending the grazing season
The first step towards fully outwintering (if that's one of your goals) is to extend the grazing season. This can lead to huge savings on winter housing and machinery costs.
Doug Christie from Durie Farms explains how he’s been able to increase the forage productivity and carrying capacity of the land through mob grazing with long rest periods.
All the infrastructure costs to start mob grazing were less than £15,000, which is what it was going to cost him to reseed 100 acres.
Durie Farms on the value of mob grazing to reduce winter housing costs:
Durie Farms on why they decided to start mob grazing:
Balbirnie Home Farms on extending the grazing season
Johnnie Balfour from Balbirnie Home Farms says: “The first thing to get our outwintering plan right, is to get our summer plan right. Next year we’re looking to extend our rest periods in the summer for up to 100 days.
"The key message for us is that summer grazing, and making the most of that, makes any winter plans as short and as easy as possible.”
On the cost savings, Johnnie says: “For us, outwintering cattle and becoming Pasture for Life certified has meant we have been able to sell kit, because we don’t need it anymore.
"Therefore, feeding cattle outside for us is cheaper than feeding cattle indoors.”
Balbirnie Home Farms on extending the grazing season: