Producers need to be cautious about overgrazing forages. Try to keep the grazed forage height at 4 to 6”. Notice the coffee cup in the picture showing that the orchardgrass is over 4” tall.
Producers need to be aware of the bloat potential of lush spring growth in pastures. Any legumes (except birdsfoot trefoil), but especially ladino/white clover can cause frothy bloat in cattle.
The following practices will help you avoid bloat in cattle:
Avoid paddocks with large amounts of legumes, especially white/ladino clover.
Use bloat blocks.
Turn animals out on pasture when dew is off and forage is dry.
Turn animals out with full bellies, not when they are hungry.
Offer free choice low quality hay to animals while on new spring pasture.
Reduce paddock size to make animals eat the more fibrous parts of the plants, not just the lush top growth.
Check cattle often for the first week to ten days of grazing.
Be aware that white/ladino clover growth can take off after a rain and that the bloat potential is still there even after animals have been on pasture for a while.