Article Summary: This article outlines practical strategies for feeding livestock year-round on ryegrass pastures. It covers managing spring surpluses, stockpiling forage for lean months, using supplements when pasture is short, meeting mineral needs, and matching livestock demand to pasture growth to maintain both animal and pasture health.
Ryegrass is one of the most productive and nutritious pasture species for rotational grazing systems. In mild, moist conditions, it can deliver abundant, high-quality feed that supports healthy, thriving livestock. Yet ryegrass has a strong seasonal pattern – it flourishes in spring and autumn, slows in the heat of summer, and can all but stall in winter. For farmers, the challenge is to bridge the gap between these highs and lows, keeping animals well-fed while maintaining the health and persistence of the pasture.
Year-round feeding success comes from planning ahead, making the most of surplus growth, and supplementing strategically during lean periods. It is about managing the pasture as much as managing the animals – ensuring that neither suffers when conditions change.
Making the Most of Spring’s Abundance
Spring is often a time of surplus in ryegrass systems. As temperatures rise and soil moisture remains high, growth can outpace grazing demand. Left unchecked, ryegrass will quickly over-mature, producing seed heads that reduce feed quality and palatability. This not only wastes valuable nutrition but also impacts the next regrowth cycle.
A practical way to capture this abundance is to harvest excess growth for silage or hay. By “closing” certain paddocks for a cut, you prevent quality loss and create a valuable feed reserve for later in the year. These conserved forages can be vital during winter or summer slumps, reducing reliance on purchased feed. Planning which paddocks to cut, and at what stage, ensures you balance both immediate grazing needs and future feed security.
Stockpiling for Leaner Months
Another tool in the year-round feeding plan is stockpiling. This involves resting a healthy paddock in late summer or early autumn, allowing it to accumulate feed for late autumn or early winter grazing. Ryegrass – especially when grown in cooler weather – maintains reasonable quality for several weeks, making it ideal for extending the grazing season.
Stockpiled forage can significantly reduce the need for winter hay feeding. Successful stockpiling starts with selecting a vigorous paddock, resting it for six to eight weeks, and then using strip-grazing to control utilisation. This controlled approach avoids waste, maintains sward density, and helps ease the pressure on other pastures.
Supplementing When Pasture Falls Short
Even with the best grazing management, there will be times when pasture supply cannot meet livestock demand. Extreme heat, prolonged drought, or deep winter cold can halt ryegrass growth. In these moments, supplementation becomes essential – not as a last resort, but as a planned part of the feeding strategy.
Options include high-quality hay, silage, or energy-dense feeds such as grain or by-product pellets. Supplements can “stretch” pasture by reducing the rate at which animals graze remaining grass. Feeding should be done with care to avoid digestive upsets – particularly when introducing grain. A useful guide is to limit grain to less than 0.2% of body weight per day for cattle, which avoids significantly reducing pasture fibre digestion. High-fibre supplements such as soybean hulls or beet pulp can provide extra energy without negatively affecting rumen function.
Meeting Mineral Needs on Ryegrass
While ryegrass can be rich in protein and energy, it is not always balanced in mineral content. One of the most critical shortfalls occurs in early spring, when lush ryegrass may contain low magnesium and high potassium. This imbalance can trigger grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) in cattle and sheep – a potentially fatal condition.
To prevent it, farmers should offer high-magnesium mineral supplements in late winter and early spring. Options include mineral licks or fortified loose mixes. Additionally, integrating legumes such as clover or lucerne into pastures can naturally improve magnesium intake. Depending on local soil deficiencies, other minerals such as selenium or copper may also require supplementation. A region-specific free-choice mineral mix is the safest way to meet these needs year-round.
Matching Animal Demand to Pasture Supply
Aligning livestock nutritional demands with pasture growth patterns makes the feeding plan far more efficient. For example, timing calving or lambing to coincide with the spring flush ensures that peak animal requirements match peak pasture availability. Conversely, as pasture growth slows, reducing stocking rates or implementing early weaning can lower feed demand.
Regular monitoring is key. Body condition scoring helps identify when animals are losing weight or failing to meet production targets. At the same time, assessing pasture residuals and regrowth will show if grazing pressure is too high. Intervening early – either by moving animals, opening up new paddocks, or adding supplements – prevents long-term damage to both stock and sward.
Building a Resilient, Year-Round Feeding Plan
Sustaining ryegrass pastures and productive livestock through the seasons is about balance and foresight. By harvesting and storing surplus forage, using stockpiled paddocks, supplementing during feed gaps, ensuring mineral nutrition, and aligning animal needs with pasture growth, farmers can avoid the feast-or-famine cycle.
The result is a more resilient system where animals maintain condition year-round, pastures remain productive, and reliance on costly emergency feed is reduced. With careful planning and flexible management, ryegrass can be the backbone of a profitable grazing enterprise in every season.
Until we meet again, Happy Grazing!
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2025-07-01