With pastures experiencing a lot of heat stress this year, livestock producers may need to get a little creative in feeding their cattle in the coming months.

Karin Lindquist, Beef and Forage Specialist with the Ag Info Centre, says even though it will be harder this year, try not to graze pastures so they look golf greens.

"There is always the common misconception of wasting grass. Sometimes you have to not be afraid of wasting grass. When you think you're leaving too much grass behind, you're probably leaving enough behind. And when you think you're wrong about moving them, that's probably the right time to move them."

She say's water positioning can also play a key role.

"If you can station water points around the pasture, so they're not travelling so far, that's also important. And I've found those producers who actually save their dugouts or their wetland areas by fencing them off, those areas provide a really good source of emergency forage when they need to."

To cut down on grazing, producers may also want to take this opportunity to cull cattle and wean early.

Lindquist says, producers should definitely be thinking about feeding hay early instead of over grazing pastures this year.


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