WOOSTER, Ohio —Mud sucks; it sucks the energy out of livestock and it sucks the productivity and viability out of the pastures, according to Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator, The Ohio State University Extension, Wayne County.

Mud is a real challenge for livestock producers this time of year, according to Lewandowski. 

“The simple explanation is too much moisture beyond the holding capacity of the soil combined with heavy livestock pressure on the pasture creates muddy pastures,” said Lewandowski. “Pasture damage isn’t a concern for saturated pastures with little grazing pressure”

But a soggy pasture with poor soil structure and grazing pressure is a different story.

“The damage to the pasture depends on the thickness of the sod cover and the amount of livestock pressure,” said Lewandowski. “Research by the University of Kentucky Extension shows cattle can put more pressure on the pasture than a 50-ton bulldozer because their weight is concentrated in a relatively small area.”

He added that pastures with poor soil structure and lots of hoof action see a breakdown of the sod base and damage to the plants.  

In this situation, several things can happen. Along with the destruction of the sod base, comes the breakdown of the plants. 

 “This can reduce the growth and vigor of the plants or damage the crown,” he said. “Whenever you open up the sod, you increase the likelihood of weed pressure and you lose productivity in the pasture. Any time you wound the plant you increase the potential for some type of disease to enter the plant.”

Lewandowski said producers should be more concerned with losing grazing potential in the pasture over disease pressure.

Managed properly, it takes many years to build up grazing potential and a good sod base in a pasture, but if producers aren’t careful, they can lose that in just a short period of time. 

“If you lose the grazing potential in your pasture, you may have to reseed it or it may take the pasture longer to recover between grazing periods,” he said.

Muddy pastures are especially in environmentally sensitive areas, according to Lewandowski, with the potential for soil erosion and nutrient run-off getting into the water supply. 

Some producers may want to feed hay in the pasture to supplement feed intake for their livestock. “In the best case, if they are rolling out the bales, they can actually see an increase in pasture productivity,” said Lewandowski. “If they are using an area with low fertility, the manure will improve fertility in the pasture. If they are using mature hay, the seed heads in the hay will be deposited and worked into the soil and improve the productivity of the pasture.”

But feeding hay on pasture can also have a downside, he added. With more animals concentrated in a smaller area, there is a chance that there may be some damage to that area of the pasture, breaking the sod and make cause soil erosion and nutrient runoff.

Lewandowski said based on the wet springs we have had over the past few years, it might benefit producers to install a heavy use pad as a feeding area.

Concrete is the Rolls Royce of bases, but the cost of concrete is also a factor. Instead, producers can use a base of geotextile cloth, topped with coarse gravel. Manure can be scraped off as needed.

A measure such as a heavy use pad is becoming more important as producers deal with water quality issues. But Lewandowski cautioned against installing heavy use pads in environmentally sensitive areas to prevent nutrient run-off and soil erosion.

Still, he encourages producers to check with their local soil and water conservation districts and Farm Service Agencies about the availability of EQIP funding.

“Sometimes there are cost-share dollars available through EQIP, especially if these practices are coupled with nutrient management plans,” he said.

Muddy pastures don’t just suck the productivity from the pasture, but they also suck the productivity out of the animals.

 “Muddy pastures aren’t a pleasant subject for producers to deal with,” he said. “Especially when the mud is more than hoof deep and it impacts animal performance and comfort levels.”

A lot of things are interconnected when producers are dealing with mud. 

Lewandowski said muddy pastures have a societal impact.

“What kind of image does this present,” he added.  “What do people who don’t have a farm background think? Muddy pastures don’t promote a popular image of agriculture.”

He added that animal welfare comes to mind when producers and their livestock are dealing with mud issues. Mud impacts performance and comfort levels. Muddy pastures also mean that as the rate of gain goes down, energy requirements go up and feed intake decreases. When feed consumption decreases, it also decreases the immune system, making the animals more susceptible to disease.

“When animals are working their way through muddy conditions, their nutrient requirements increase and they need more energy, he said. “When the hair coat is wet and matted, animals lose their insulation ability and are more susceptible to the cold. We can feed more energy, but we also need to be looking at how to reduce the mud.”

Producers are going to see other health issues as well. “Producers are more likely to see respiratory diseases, scours and hoof health compromised,” he said. “When cows calve in these conditions, calves end up sucking a muddy teat and compromising their immune system. And anytime the hooves are wet and don’t get dried out, you are going to see hoof health compromised and see an increase in problems such as footrot and hairy warts. ”

In the end, Lewandowski said that as the agricultural climate changes, producers need to look at the added expense of raising animals responsibly.