Managing a small beef herd in wet conditions

Running a small beef herd during a wet season is difficult, especially on smaller properties with limited space, equipment or time. You may not have: 

• access to dry ground
• machinery to move or feed stock
• time each day to manage animals effectively. 

Use these tips to help manage feed, agistment and pasture during extended wet weather.

Review your budget for cattle feed

Your reasons for running cattle will influence the decisions you make. If your cattle are a hobby or kept as pets, making a financial return may not be your priority. In contrast, if you run your cattle as a business, you may need to make harder decisions, such as selling stock or agisting them elsewhere, to manage costs.

Regardless of your reasons, it’s important to set a clear budget for hand feeding. Understand how much you’re willing to spend and estimate the full cost of a feeding program. Then consider how practical it is to feed your herd in ongoing wet conditions.

Some questions to ask:

• Can you get feed to your cattle every day?
• Can cattle access the feed without becoming bogged or stressed?

When cattle are uncomfortable, wet or covered in mud, they are less likely to eat well. Mud also increases heat loss and disease risk, including foot problems and lameness.

If your budget won’t cover feed for all your animals, consider selling or agisting some. Keeping only your best or favourite stock can help you focus resources and maintain condition. But even this approach has limits, if the season does not improve, you may still need to sell or continue feeding.

In many parts of coastal New South Wales, paddocks may not recover until late September or October. This means hand feeding could be required for 5 to 6 months.

Consider agistment

Agistment is when you move your cattle to another property for feeding and care. It can be cheaper than hand feeding for long periods.

Before choosing agistment:

• talk to your stock agent about availability
• act early, as demand increases in winter
• ask about short-term options on winter crops.

Always have a written agistment agreement. This helps avoid misunderstandings about length of stay, payments and responsibilities.

Feeding cattle during wet conditions

If you decide to feed your cattle, make sure you understand the work involved. You may need to buy 100% of your herd’s feed if no pasture is available.

Some things to think about:

• How much time do you have to feed cattle every day?
• Can machinery access paddocks without causing damage?
• Where will you store hay, grain or bulk feed?
• Do you have feeders to reduce waste and access issues?
• Do you know how to safely feed new types of feed, such as grain?

Feed quantity and quality

A 500kg pregnant cow needs a minimum of 8kg of hay daily, with an energy content of 8.5 megajoules (MJ) of metabolisable energy. That means a herd of 30 cows needs at least 240kg of hay every day.

Quality of feed is important. Poor quality hay will require more volume or supplements to meet nutritional needs. Lucerne, oaten, barley and ryegrass hay are usually good. Couch, cane tops and mature tropical grasses are generally poor. Always ask your supplier for a feed quality test.

How many bales you will need

Depending on bale type and feed quality, a 30-head herd needs daily:

• Around 10 small square bales
• 1 round bale (1.2 m x 1.2 m)
• 1 silage bale (same size, higher moisture content)
• Half of a large square bale (depending on weight and density)

Silage bales contain more moisture, not more feed. Moisture content (often 55%) doesn’t replace the need for clean drinking water.

Using hay feeders can reduce feed waste. Without a feeder, up to 20% of a round bale can be wasted. Feeders need to be moved frequently in wet weather to prevent bogging and damage. <image of feeder>

Feeding requires regular effort. Even with machinery, it can be labour-intensive. Without equipment, you may need to rely on smaller bales, which are more expensive per kilogram.

Calculating feeding costs

Understanding feed costs can help you manage your budget more effectively. Start by working out the cost per kilogram for each feed type. Divide the total price by the weight, then multiply by how much each animal eats per day.

Example:

• Grain at $600 for 1,000kg = $0.60 per kg. If each cow eats 3kg per day, that is $1.80 per cow per day.
• Hay at $125 for 280kg = $0.45 per kg. If each cow eats 8kg per day, that is $3.60 per cow per day.

In this example, the total feed cost is $1.80 (grain) + $3.60 (hay) = $5.40 per cow per day.

Keep in mind this is just one scenario. Feed prices and availability will vary by region and season. It is also important to factor in freight, storage and waste.

Monitor cow condition

Keep an eye on body condition. If cows begin losing weight, it may be time to increase feed or reduce herd size. This protects animal welfare and avoids long-term health issues.

Monitor pasture

Make decisions early to avoid long-term pasture damage. Seek expert advice or visit the Meat and Livestock Australia website for pasture management resources.

An adult cow with a calf needs 15kg of dry matter per day, or 2,250kg over 5 months. If your paddocks have less than this amount available per hectare, you need to reduce stocking or supplement feed.

As a guide:

• With 1,125kg/ha available, allow 2ha per cow.
• Below 700kg/ha, cattle can’t eat enough, regardless of space, because pasture is too short.

Sowing winter pasture and ryegrass 

Ryegrass is a popular option for winter forage on the NSW North Coast. It is a high-quality feed that can help maintain cattle condition when summer pastures are dormant. 

Ryegrass can be difficult to establish in very wet years. When paddocks are too wet to access with machinery, sowing and fertilising may not be possible. This limits establishment and growth. 

To get the most from a ryegrass crop, consider the following: 

• Sow early. Ideal sowing time is late March to April. Planting later than June reduces yield and may not be cost-effective.
• Use a soil test. Apply fertiliser based on test results, ryegrass needs nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to thrive.
• Choose the right paddock. Avoid areas that are still waterlogged. Ryegrass requires well-drained soil and good seed-to-soil contact.
• Prepare to feed in the meantime. It takes 6 to 8 weeks after sowing before ryegrass is ready to graze. Supplementary feed will still be needed in the short term. 

Be aware that even under good conditions, ryegrass may not provide enough forage for your entire herd. It's best used as part of a broader pasture and feeding strategy. 

Seek advice from a local agronomist or livestock officer if you're unsure about whether sowing ryegrass is suitable this season.