Have I done the right thing?

[joellie]

I moved the boys today on to a small bit of grazing I had been saving over winter. I knew the grass was starting to come through in the paddock they have been in all winter as they weren't as keen to come in all last week I was thinking the new grass coming through is very short and would be high in sugars, but the grazing I have kept over winter is a bit longer and older some parts are yellow so at least they wont be eating the short grass were all the sugars are stored at the bottom??? Here's a picture of them today on the grass I moved them to. The grass actually looks better in the pic than it actually is lol Hope I have done the right thing as I am trying not to let them gain weight!!

 

[Trewsers]

I always thought saved grass was okay? I save a foggage paddock for ours - and I was told the grass was not as nutritious as short new stuff.

 

[Jessey]

Yup I agree, I have a bit saved for my guys, I meant to put them on it at the weekend but ran out of time to move the fence. My grass is def growing, the track looks bare but the middle is now going greener and its got more grass on so I know they are eating every single new shoot that comes through.

 

[joellie]

Oh thank you Trewsers and Jessey, i did think that is was safer too but just needed someone to reassure me lol Its more the wee one i worry about as he has cushings and can get lgl so I have to keep a close eye on him, but he stresses and scours if he doesn't get turned out its a balancing act The bigger one just puts weight on easily. I was hoping in about a month or so the grass would be long enough in the main paddock?? Would like to eventually leave them out all night and maybe bring them in with soaked hay during the day when the grass is high in sugar levels, from about 10am til about 4pm? Does that sound about right?

 

[orbvalley]

They both look georgeous!
Today one of ours slipped his head collar just like houdini whilst I popped into a stable to fetch something. Found him not far away eating all the lovely new grass thats been sowed

 

[newforest]

Older grass has more lignin.
I thought that growing grass used its sugars to grow. Its late spring that's the highest in sugar as oppose to early?

 

[joellie]

Older grass has more lignin.
I thought that growing grass used its sugars to grow. Its late spring that's the highest in sugar as oppose to early?

growing grass does use up more sugar but when its been almost bare and now just starting to grow it is very short shoots coming through and it produces a lot more sugar so it can grow, Only really over mature grass that has seeded is high in lignin. My grass I kept over the winter hadn't seeded so I hope its ok. It's all very confusing

 

[joellie]

They both look georgeous!
Thank you, I think they are gorgeous too lol

Today one of ours slipped his head collar just like houdini whilst I popped into a stable to fetch something. Found him not far away eating all the lovely new grass thats been sowed

They are like children breaking into a sweetie shop