Posted: 8th March 2022 | Back to news feed
Spring is the season to help your paddocks recover after the stresses of winter and prepare them for the different kinds of challenges that summer brings. As soon as the grass starts to grow and the ground conditions are favourable, give the grass its first cut of the year.
Grass growth will start to increase typically in March/April (weather dependant) so you might need to mow a little more frequently. As you will probably know, mowing is not just about making your paddocks look nice! There are several really great reasons for mowing your fields. Some benefits of mowing include weed management, enhancing forage quality, and reducing lost grazing areas. Suitable regular mowing of pasture decreases the competitive ability of a weed to survive in a grass paddock and keeping weeds at the same height as grass will give the grass an advantage and prevent weeds from shading and restricting grass growth. Mowing also serves to prevent weeds from establishing seed heads. Eliminating seed heads prevents weeds from reproducing and spreading in the pasture and taking control.
Paddock Mowing enhances pasture growth and quality. A grass plant that is actively growing is constantly producing nutrients that horses can utilize enhancing the health and strength of the horse. The mowing process keeps grass plants in a vegetative or growing state. Mowing prevents the plants from reaching a reproductive state when they develop a seed head and ultimately cease growing. Mowing also keeps plants at a shortened height which increases digestibility and palatability. As grass plants grow tall, they become fibrous and less digestible.
Good “Paddock Maintenance” is ever more important. Regular mowing and “Poo Picking” will both increase the quality of the grass/grazing and increase the grazing area, keeping your horses healthy and ensuring you get maximum grazing from your acreage, saving you money (reduced feed bills).
ATV flail mowers are the perfect machines for mowing paddocks but also for areas that are overgrown with more robust plants like brambles, gorse, and bushes. If your field is growing rushes, bracken, weeds, brambles, or saplings, and even on wet or boggy ground, our ATV flail mower range offer a suitable model for your needs. An alternative can be a Paddock Topper (call us for advice on suitability to your needs – 0333 880 6654).
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