Implement Rotational Grazing for Cattle
At 9:05 in
Dangerous situation!
What happens here
Proceed to the cattle pasture, driving the ATV carefully to avoid disturbing the land. Open the main gate, drive through, and securely close the gate. The farmer notes the importance of keeping cows within 400 feet of their water source to encourage consistent drinking habits and prevent mob-drinking, which can lead to dehydration during heat stress. He explains that cows are not always proactive in seeking water during hot weather, standing instead under shade trees. To address this, an electric fence line, running for approximately 400 feet, needs to be disassembled. The fence consists of white poly wire attached to pigtail posts. The farmer demonstrates detaching the wire from each post and placing the collected posts on the ATV's front rack for transport. The end of the poly wire is then tied with a simple loop and attached to a geared reel for quick retraction. This action allows the cattle to access a larger section of the pasture, including shaded areas and a water trough, promoting better grazing and reducing heat stress.
Goal: Relocate cattle to a new pasture section with access to water and shade, mitigating heat stress.
Tools and materials
- Electric Poly Wire — Creating temporary fence lines for rotational grazing
- Geared Reel — Winding up the electric poly wire
- Honda Foreman 4x4 ES ATV Honda — Transporting the farmer and fence equipment across pastures
- Insulated Gate Handle — Creating a temporary gate opening within the electric fence
- Main Pasture Gate — Controlling cattle access to different pasture sections
- Pigtail Posts — Supporting the electric poly wire
- Rhino Grips Rhino — Securing pigtail posts to the ATV rack
- Water Trough Tarter — Providing fresh water to cattle
- Wire Cutters — Cutting poly wire (if needed for repairs or adjustments)