Spring pasture growth and rotational grazing decisions

Spring is when pasture growth can get away on you fast. One week you're managing a feed pinch, the next you're trying to keep on top of surplus. Getting the rotation right through this period makes a real difference to how the rest of the season plays out.

Why spring is different

Once soil temperatures lift and moisture's still good, grass growth rates can climb quickly often outpacing what stock can keep in check. That's good news for feed supply, but it also means:

• Pasture can get away and go to seed or become stemmy if it's not grazed in time
• Quality can drop faster than volume, so more grass doesn't always mean better feed
• Rotation length needs to shorten as growth speeds up, or you end up grazing pasture that's past its best

Watching cover, not just the calendar

Rotation length in spring should be driven by pasture cover and growth rate, not a fixed number of days. A few things worth keeping an eye on:

• Pre-grazing cover – Aim to graze before pasture gets too far ahead and quality starts slipping.
• Residuals – Leaving the right amount behind after grazing keeps the plant recovering well and sets up the next rotation.
• Growth rate vs demand – If growth is outpacing what stock are eating, that's the signal to either shorten the rotation, add stock, or take a paddock out for silage or hay.

Dealing with surplus

Spring surplus is common, and it's usually better to deal with it early than let it compound:

• Taking paddocks out of the rotation for baleage or hay keeps quality in check across the rest of the platform and banks feed for later in the year
• Adjusting stocking rate or bringing in extra stock temporarily can help match demand to growth
• Skipping paddocks that have gotten ahead and coming back to them, rather than grazing them too late, avoids compounding quality loss

Feed pinches can still happen

Even in a strong spring, cold snaps or wet weather can slow growth right down. Having a plan for a short-term feed gap, whether that's held-back baleage, a sacrifice paddock, or simply tightening the rotation , means you're not caught out if growth stalls for a week or two.

Keeping the rotation flexible

The rotation that worked in August won't be the same one that works through peak spring growth, and it'll change again as things level off toward summer. Walking paddocks regularly and adjusting on what you're actually seeing, rather than sticking to a fixed plan, is what keeps pasture quality and stock performance both on track through the season.

Spring pasture management is as much about staying ahead of the curve as reacting to it. A bit of regular walking and honest assessment of cover goes a long way toward avoiding both the feed pinch and the surplus scramble.