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SPRING HEALTH TWELVE STEPS The Midwest Cattleman · April 23, 2020 · P29
continued from page 19 continued from page 21 with low pH or low nutrient imals have a high level of re-
parasites and keep animals cational demonstrations and levels, you will need to correct spect for temporary electric
performing their best. This workshops, so take advantage them to get the system work- fence. Electric fence is only
will keep cows eating more, of those opportunities to lead ing. From this systematic ap- a mental barrier, and that
milking better and ultimate- and expand your network. proach you can start to bet- is played out to the extreme
ly produce a heavier calf. ter understand your with a single strand of poly-
Research shows that a de- pastures, what the wire. However, once animals
worming program using fen- balance of desirable are well trained to it, it opens
bendazole will consistently and undesirable spe- up a whole new world based
reduce fecal egg counts by cies is, identify weak on “The Power of One Wire“.
more than 90%. When used and strong spots, Those benefits include im-
in combination with an iv- and which pastures proved forage management,
ermectin product, producers will give a bigger re- easier movement and gath-
achieve near 100% efficacy sponse to improved ering of animals, ability to
and help to avoid parasite management or com- flexibly exclude sensitive
resistance. Work with your plete renovation. areas within pasture, and to
veterinarian for the diagno- Step 3. Do a preliminary respond to perimeter fence
sis, treatment and control of analysis of your system re- Step 4. Upgrade your elec- damage resulting from natu-
internal parasites. sources. tric fences and electric ral disasters.
7) Control pinkeye to keep Start with aerial maps of fencing skills. To train the animals, set up
cattle healthy your place. You can get these a single strand of polywire on
Pinkeye causes significant off the web or from your FSA tread-in posts about 18 inches
health challenges in cattle or NRCS office. Evaluate the inside of a pen or a small pas-
across the country, but it can acreage in each pasture and ture. It is probably better to
be controlled through on- evaluate pasture condition. use a small pasture because
farm fly-control management The best way to evaluate your it is more the setting where
and a vaccine that induces forage stand and pasture con- the animals will first encoun-
protection against bacterial dition is to do a “point step” ter polywire cross fences. The
infections of the eye. In areas analysis which involves ran- key to the training period is
with heavy fly pressure, fly domly walking the pasture, that there is plenty of power
tags in cows and calves can periodically writing down the This is a critical step be- on the wire. We would rec-
also provide significant pro- species of plant you are step- cause Adaptive Grazing Man- ommend a minimum of 5 ki-
tection from corneal damage ping on (or bare ground), and agement requires animals lovolts. You might do some
due to flies. writing down a preliminary that are well trained to tem- feeding under the wire so an-
Not only will implement- condition score from 1 to 5 (1 porary fencing. You’ll need imals are close to it, and you
ing these turnout strate- = bare width almost no pro- high power levels and good also might use the trick of at-
gies mean healthier cattle ductive forage and 5 = as good fence trouble shooting skills taching a strip of aluminum
through the summer, but as it gets with a diversity of to make that happen. With foil with peanut butter on it
they will also result in added strong and desirable forages traditional management and to the wire to attract deer and
value when marketing calves and no bare ground). Do this multi-wire perimeter fences, teach them what polywire is
in the fall. Providing buyers on at least 100 points and get having some power on the too. It will take a few weeks
with a signed certificate, es- the average for the pasture. fence some of the time may for this preliminary training
pecially one verified by your Were you able to identify all have worked, but it will not period, and then the training
veterinarian, documenting the major desirable and un- work with Adaptive Grazing goes to the next level with a
the health history of your desirable species? If not, then Management. You need to un- single strand cross fence.
calves will result in a premi- reviewing the common weeds derstand the theory of how
um paid by buyers. This doc- and pasture plants would be electric fence works, and how
umentation should include advised. Was it easy for you to use a fault finder to find
products and practices used, to call out a condition score? shorts and keep power on
including vaccinations, para- If not, then take time to learn the fence high. Bluntly, if you
site control and other treat- more about this topic. Condi- don’t maintain power on elec-
ments, and application dates. tion scoring can be a complex tric fence, animals will not
subject, but also it is a simple respect temporary fence and
concept you can learn to mon- you will likely abandon the
itor continuously once you re- journey to Amazing Grazing.
ally know your pastures.
Take soil sam-
ples from each Step 6. Start cutting in-
pasture to de- dividual pastures in half
termine the pH with polywire.
and soil nutrient The place to start with
levels. Once you Adaptive Grazing Manage-
are practicing ment is to divide each perma-
more intensive nent pasture in half, with cat-
forms of Adap- tle entering the half with the
tive Grazing water source whenever you
Management many of the ma- Step 5. Train your animals rotate pastures. This change
nure and urine nutrients will to respect a single strand alone will lead to being able
cycle and reduce your need of wire. to double your stocking densi-
for fertilizer, but, if you start It is critical that your an-
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