Dragging of a cattle field or pasture is a practice that’s not very common among Midwest livestock producers. But the practice could be a benefit for a cattle farm if a few variables are considered.
First of all, dragging a field, according to Darrin Henderson – Madison County Arkansas Ag. Extension Agent – is merely, “hooking up some kind of implement or tool to drag behind the tractor to help disperse manure across the field. These tools can range from a harrow, a livestock panel, a gate, an old cedar tree, chained tires, etc.” Anything with a surface area that is wide enough to spread manure as it drags through the field. He added, “Just use your ingenuity to create a drag that works for your farm.”
Eldon Cole, livestock specialist for the University of Missouri Extension Office in Lawrence County said the practice is often done after the winter-feeding season when areas have highly concentrated manure and even remnant clumps of hay from the winter feedings. For other times of the year, it is most effective when you are dragging an area that has had a concentration of animals for a period of time… a smaller pasture or paddock, for example, in an intensive grazing system. Anywhere there is a concentration of manure is a good area to drag. And you want to drag from the paddock outward into the rest of the field or surrounding area.
If fencing prevents you from dragging out into the surrounding areas, then just drag within each area or paddock to even out the manure and compiled organic matter in that paddock.
There are a few purposes for doing this. According to Henderson, any effort towards spreading the manure and hay is going to be beneficial. He noted that when you drag a pasture you are spreading the manure out into thinner, more uniformed layer across a broader area. The manure then dries out more quickly and is not – in turn – a breeding ground for parasites (which require a wet area to thrive).
“Particularly certain larvae of flies,” added Cole.
Another benefit of dragging an area is that it’s a natural and recycled fertilizer. Henderson noted that this also helps with even growth of the grass. When you can disperse the nutrients over an entire area you’re going to eliminate areas with high levels and low levels of nutrients so this will help maintain an ideal grazing situation with even clumps of grass throughout.
Cole noted that if the farmer wants to avoid the need for dragging the field, and if it’s possible, he could try to space out the rolled hay rows (or move the hay rings) during the winter months instead of doing it all in the same area so that the manure and hay is evenly distributed across the field. This could possibly allow for a natural means of even dispensation of the organic materials.
Henderson concluded with, “More people should probably do it as there are a lot of benefits to the producer and his land.”
