By Margaret Parsons, AAg, Agri-Environmental Specialist, Humboldt
January 2025
Extensive wintering of cattle on perennial cover or annual cropland stubble can be a method to reduce environmental impacts while still meeting production requirements. Upon arrival of warmer temperatures, post-winter site management is recommended. If livestock are returning to the same wintering site every year or every second year, there may be issues with manure and feed residue buildup that can impact soil and water quality.
Frequent use of the same wintering sites may create additional management issues such as:
- Loss of natural shelter or loss of vegetation ground cover
- Soil erosion and bare patches
- Manure runoff into nearby waterbodies
If these issues are observed, a change of location or adjustment to management may be required.
Healthy vegetation growing over the entire wintering area in the following summer is a good indicator that manure was distributed evenly.
Rotating wintering sites each year will reduce nutrient build-up and allow vegetation to recover, reducing bare ground and using nutrients more effectively. This can improve the following crop or forage yields. Moving livestock often will help to distribute manure over the wintering site, enhancing soil fertility and allowing subsequent crops to use those nutrients. This can also result in a reduction in commercial fertilizer requirements. Obtaining a soil test prior to the growing season is recommended for a more accurate representation of nutrient levels available.
Preventing nutrient run-off into waterbodies and riparian areas can help to maintain or improve water quality. During wet conditions, there may be a higher risk of water flowing offsite and into environmentally sensitive areas. Avoid spreading manure on land prone to erosion from surface water or areas that drain directly into waterways.
Methods to improve livestock distribution may be:
- Use of portable windbreaks, and moving the windbreaks several times during the winter
- If rotation to an alternate wintering site location is not viable, moving the feeding area frequently within the wintering site is recommended
- Increase the size of the wintering area to provide more land to spread nutrients more effectively
- Remove and spread manure early in the spring to minimize risk of run-off into nearby water sources
- Remove manure build-up more frequently from high traffic areas, such as around bedding, feeding, and watering areas
The Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP) provides funding through the Extensive Wintering Site Management BMP to assist livestock producers in improving their management of livestock winter-feeding sites. To learn more about the program and how you can be eligible, contact your local agri-environmental specialist or the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.