The better your pastures, the fewer supplements you’ll need to give your cattle as they’ll be able to get most of their nutrients straight from the forage they’re eating. Pasture grass is both high in vitamins and roughage – two important components necessary for cattle health.
Though grass-fed cattle can be more labor intensive, consumers are willing to pay a higher price for grass-fed meats. To some, the taste may be different, providing consumers with a sense of gourmet flavor and an exclusive beef product they will pay a premium for. Good pasture maintenance includes:
- Ensure the right seed mixture is used to produce grass that is high in minerals and nutrients for optimal nutritional value. You can also place mineral feeders in the pasture filled with additional vitamins and minerals to ensure your cattle are receiving the nutrients they need.
- Resting, reseeding, raking, and cutting pastures when necessary. You can also spread manure through the pasture to help the grass grow.
- Checking for weeds that will reduce nutritional value and/or poison cattle. Some weeds are merely a nuisance, whereas others, such as Jimsonweed, White Snake Weed, and Water Hemlock.
- Ensuring gates and fences are up-to-date, and there are no holes that allow cattle to escape. The last thing any rancher wants is their livestock to be missing or injured, so keep those chances lower by making sure your equipment is in top condition.