What is bale grazing?
Bale grazing is a practical low-cost strategy to winter beef cattle
By John Fike and Kristine Ely
Bale grazing is a winter-feeding method where 1-3 months of hay is set out on pasture (typically late fall or early winter when ground conditions are suitable) and fed in a planned, controlled manner, similar to rotational grazing. Temporary electric fencing is moved every 1-7 days to give the cattle access to a new set of bales. A major advantage of bale grazing is that a tractor is not needed the majority of the winter to feed hay. 
Bale grazing requires a paradigm shift for cattle farmers: Instead of moving hay to the cattle all winter, you will be moving cattle to the hay.
Why Bale Graze?
Planned and executed well, bale grazing will enhance pasture fertility, significantly reduce labor and tractor use, and improve cattle health. We have examples of farms where bale grazing turned poor-growing pastures into high-production pastures in just a few years, where no tractor was needed for over 100 days of hay feeding, and where cattle stayed clean all winter long.
What equipment is needed?
Equipment needs are minimal with bale grazing: just basic rotational grazing supplies such as step-in posts, polywire, and a solar charger (if you don’t have permanent electric on perimeter fences). Hay rings are typically used but not absolutely necessary.
What are the main bale grazing challenges?
Planning is generally the main challenge for bale grazing. Unlike traditional hay feeding, you won’t be able to just set out 1-2 bales at a time as needed. You will need to determine in advance how much hay is needed for the winter, the pastures you want the hay placed on, and the bale densities you want to feed on the pasture. However, once the hay is out on pasture all you need to do is move the temporary electric fence every 1-7 days. You will not believe how easy the bulk of the winter will be compared to traditional hay feeding. Cattle also need to be trained to temporary electric fencing. This is not difficult or time consuming but should be done well in advance of bale grazing.
Will bale grazing damage the pastures?
Anytime you have cattle out on pasture during the winter there is some risk of damage. With good planning and execution, however, damage can be kept to minimal levels with bale grazing. Wet conditions result in the most damage, particularly in the donut-shaped area around the bale. However, the damage is usually shallow because cattle are continually being moved forward to new ground, and any damaged areas will recover during the next growing season. These areas can be seeded down with a hand broadcaster in late winter or early spring, if desired. In the long-run, fertility benefits from well-managed bale grazing will typically far exceed any short-term damage.
Will hay rot while sitting outside on pasture?
Most people assume that hay left out on pasture for 1-3 months during the winter will deteriorate significantly. This has not turned out to be the case, however, at least in the Upper South. The same hay that might have 20% rot if left out for 3-4 months during the summer will have almost no appreciable loss in the same amount of time during the winter. Hay rot requires two conditions: Moisture and warm temperatures. The latter is not present during the winter.
What will my neighbors think?
Be prepared for some pushback from your farming peers. This is common when someone strays far from the herd. Bale grazing is a major paradigm shift for winter feeding, and most farmers will not believe it will work until they see it successfully implemented on another farm. It may take a couple of years, but you will likely open some eyes and minds in the process.
Getting Started
“Bale Grazing: A Practical and Low-Cost Strategy to Winter Beef Cattle” is a multi-state project (KY, VA, NC, NY, and WV) sponsored by NRCS that is focused on helping farmers get started in bale grazing, and using these demonstration farms to provide opportunities for other area cattle farmers to learn about this novel winter-feeding technique. We are looking for farms that would like to start bale grazing during the 2025-26 winter season. Participants will get one-on-one guidance from experienced bale-grazers and funding for bale grazing supplies.
Contact Info
Additional Information on Bale Grazing:
- Bale Grazing: Challenges, Opportunities, and Tips for Getting it Right (Video)
- Bale Grazing Basics (Article)
- Interview With Three Experienced Bale Graziers (Article)