Don’t Rush the Grass: Spring Pasture Tips That Actually Pay Off

Every April, there’s a moment when pastures almost look ready—and suddenly, turning livestock out feels like a great idea. It’s also usually a trap.

Here in Ashland County, most of our pastures are built on cool-season grasses like orchardgrass, tall fescue, and clover mixes. These species are incredibly productive—but only if we let them get a proper start.

Those early green shoots are still living off stored energy from last fall. Grazing too soon is like cashing a check before payday. It might work today, but it sets you back tomorrow. If you graze before plants hit the right height, you shorten root systems, slow regrowth, and reduce total forage for the season. And in a year with unpredictable spring weather (which, let’s be honest, is every year in Ohio), that lost growth is hard to get back.

A better strategy is to wait until pastures are truly ready, then ease in. If you’ve got a sacrifice lot or heavy-use area, now’s the time to use it. Buying yourself even an extra week or two of growth can mean significantly more grazing days later.

Once you do turn out, keep things moving. Rotational grazing doesn’t need to be fancy. Just dividing fields and rotating livestock helps maintain regrowth and keeps animals from picking the same plants down to nothing. And the best news is, you can give it a test drive for free!

Thanks to a grant through the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, last year Ashland SWCD added a rotational grazing kit to our equipment rental line up. The kit is free for Ashland farmers to try for 60 days.

Our Mohican Watershed Assistant Joe Christner and Conservation Planning Specialist Liz Golias will work with you to develop a grazing plan (for free!) that fits your operation, you’ll put down a $100 deposit and give rotational grazing a try. If you find the kit works for you, your deposit can be applied toward the purchase of the kit at out cost and you can continue using it on your farm without interuption.

Also worth mentioning: mud season is undefeated here in Ashland County. Be sure to protect high-traffic areas now (gates, feeders, waterers), or you’ll be fixing them all summer.

The bottom line is that pring pasture management is a lot like planting crops—you only get one clean shot at getting it right. Be patient early, and your pasture will return the favor all season long.

And if you want help evaluating pasture condition or setting up a grazing plan, Ashland SWCD is always here to help—for free!. Give us a call at 419-281-7645 and ask for Liz or Joe to schedule a site visit and evaluation at your farm.