It sure is nice to walk out on pasture and see your cows at least ankle deep in spring forage growth. However, also walk around back and take a look there. If there is a fan of manure from their tail, they still need some hay. Spring grass growth can be so moist and lush basically what happens is it flushes through them without their getting the full benefit of it. Providing some hay for bulk or fiber will assist in this respect. Just give what they will clean up in say one-half hour. That's probably about a 3" thick flake per cow. Here quantity may be more important than quality.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 24, 2002

Answers

My pasture isn't ankle deep yet, but the horses are still picking around and finding grass. I'm still putting out small amounts of hay daily too. The first lush grass will give some horses the runs, and leaves "grass rings" on their hooves. I like to turn them out on grass when it's first growing so they don't get an overload and founder.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), April 24, 2002.

We also provide hay for them when their let on lush growth. Usually the first couple days we just let them graze during the day at first, and not at night. Since there is no biting bugs yet. Some summer pasture will be very lush also.

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), April 24, 2002.