[TestValleyDevons]

Hiya, I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice please!

We're new into small-holding with 4 lovely Red Devons down in Hampshire.   The cattle grazed their winter fields nicely through to the end of July when we moved them to their summer water-meadow.    Their winter fields have now grown back vigorously.

The question is, can we leave the grass in the winter fields until the cattle return end October/early November or do we need to top it?  I'm hoping the answer is 'no' as we don't have a topper(!), but will the grass come to harm if we let it just carry on growing?

Many thanks,
Max

[Steph Hen]

They'll enjoy it. Call it a standing hay crop and then sounds good 

[Still playing with tractors]

Leave it till spring, then top and harrow and roll as normal, that should start growth and get rid of any winterkill.

[TestValleyDevons]

Excellent - thanks Steph and 'Tractors'.   I was hoping it would be fine.  They'll be back on it end Nov and will hopefully be grateful for some decent length grass!  A standing hay crop is class.  I'll have to remember that one!
 

[landroverroy]

The grass won't come to harm if you are going to graze it in October/Nov as it will stop growing shortly and you will be glad of what you have to see your cattle through to about Christmas.
It's too late now to top it anyway as you won't getting it growing back in time for when your cattle return, and you haven't got a topper anyway!


If you weren't planning to graze it then it would have been worth getting it topped now as you can't keep a grass crop indefinitely. By spring it would be long and fibrous and wasted and topping it then would just smother the new spring growth.

[TestValleyDevons]

Great - thanks for the feedback Landroverroy!  We'll have happy cows!