Post on 24-Dec-2015
GRAZING FOR
PROFITConsider the impacts of your decisions
Four Primary Process’s to Consider
Water Cycle Mineral Cycle Energy Flow Community Dynamics Resource Concerns
Soil Water Plant Animal Air Human Energy
Water Cycle
Mineral Cycle
Community dynamics is all species or populations living in an area
Aggregate Stability
Energy Flow Through the Ecosystem
Heat HeatSun Producers Consumers
InorganicDecomposers
Minerals Heat
3) Continuous Grazing
2) Rotational Grazing
1) Pasture with Longer Recovery Period
Infiltration Runoff
Rainfall Simulator
Tilled Tilled w/ No-Till 3” Grass 8” Grass
Residue
Manage Soil Temperature with Cover
20 degree difference in area with cover of plant and residue versus tilled soil
When Soil Temperature Reaches (F degrees) :
140 Soil bacteria die, soil sterilization 130 100% of soil moisture is lost through
evapo-transpiration 100 15% of moisture is used for growth
85% of moisture is lost 70 100% of soil moisture is used
for growth
Soil Organic Matter and Available Water Capacity
Inches of Water/One Foot of Soil
Percent SOM Sand Silt Loam Silty Clay Loam 1 1.0 1.9 1.4
2 1.4 2.4 1.8 3 1.7 2.9 2.2 4 2.1 3.5 2.6 5 2.5 4.0 3.0
Berman Hudson Journal Soil and Water Conservation 49(2) 189 194 189-March April 1994 – Summarized by: Dr. Mark Liebig, ARS, Mandan, ND Hal Weiser, Soil Scientist, NRCS, Bismarck, ND
What Are The Benefits of Grazing Management?
Producer Benefits Increased production
per acre- increased energy efficiency
Increased organic matter
More available water Drought tolerance Lower cost Less hay needed More cow comfort
Society Benefits Improved water
quality- lower cost to purify water
Improved soil quality- cheaper than CRP and better soil
Reduced flooding Less CO2 emissions Lower temperature of
environment More energy captured
NRCS
Maintain Forages InVegetative State
Forage Species
Height to begin grazing
Height to terminate graz.
Tall fescueorchardgrassan. Ryegrasssericea lesp.
5-8” 3”
Bermudagrass 5-8” 2”
Native warmseason, sudan
18” 8-10”
Ending Height is
very important!!!
Livestock- Grass- Sunlight- Microbe- Farmer
(NRCShttp://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html )This chart has not included earthworms, snails, slugs, and other soil dwelling organisms.
Above ground 1200 Dairy cow1 or 587 1200 Beef cow2 450 Pasture3 2500
Total 3018Below ground
Pasture roots4 2500 Bacteria 2052 Actinomycetes 2052 Fungi 6244 Algae 219 Protozoa 80 Nematodes 62 Mites 65 Collembola 65 Earthworms 624 Other fauna 40
Total 14003
Adapted in part from Brady and Weil 2002.1. Cow producing 40 lbs milk/day 180 days/acre, 50% of foragestanding crop consumed, 5 rotations/year.2. Cow weaning 600 lb calf 3 acres/year.3. Cool-season grass-clover pasture, 10 inches tall at grazing.4. Roots equal top growth at grazing.
Biomass of organisms above ground in the pasture
and below ground within the pasture soil.
Organisms Standing crop biomass lbs/a
Reading the Land
What’s the Grazing Prescription? Recovery- Rest Disturbance- Impact Cover- Vegetative
and/or Residue Fertility –Manure C:N Ratio
25:1
Bale Grazing-
Creep Grazing Hay
Continue to get benefits of manure distribution outside of the growing season
Creep Grazing allows growing animals more choice.
90 hay ring areas = 1 ac
ORCHARDGRASSGRAZING RESPONSE
Dr. Ray SmithLaura Schwer
Tom Keene
Methods Two similar orchardgrass
plants were chosen from greenhouse.
Both were managed the same for 6 months:Clipped ~once per month Supplied with good fertility
(N,P, K) and water
Methods
Left plant simulates continuous grazing. Initially clipped to a 1 inch height Then clipped weekly for the next 4 weeks
at a 1 inch height
Right plant simulates rotational grazing. Initially clipped to a 3.5 inch height Then clipped again at 3.5 inches four
weeks later
Time lapse photography started at the beginning of the fifth week (day 29) for both plants.
Day 1(24 hours after clipping)
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Day 2
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Day 3
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Day 4
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Day 5
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Day 6
1” Continuous 3.5” Rotational
Seasonal grazing: Buying light weight stockers in December,
Selling heavy weights in August
100 acre Pasture Farm
30 cows, 20 stockers and 30 Goats, 25 tons hay
40 cows 4 day rotation, 30 tons hay
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Apr.
MayJun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
JanFeb
Mar
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec JanFeb
Mar
Livestock-Forage Balance by Month Forage Avai...
Months
Lb.
of F
orag
e
40 cows 14 day rotation, 102 tons hay
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
Apr.
MayJun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
JanFeb
Mar
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec JanFeb
Mar
Livestock-Forage Balance by Month Forage Avai...
Months
Lb.
of F
orag
e
40 cows 7 day rotation, 65 ton hay
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Apr.
May
Jun
Jul
AugSep
Oct
Nov
DecJan Feb
Mar
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Livestock-Forage Balance by Month
Forage Av...
Months
Lb.
of F
orag
e
40 cows 4 day rotation 20% bermuda, 13 tons hay
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar0
10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000
100,000
Apr.
May Jun
Jul
AugSep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan Feb
Mar
Apr. May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Livestock-Forage Balance by Month
Forage Av...
Months
Lb.
of F
orag
e
40 cows 4 day rotation 10% bermuda, 21 tons hay
Basic Steps to Improve Pastures
Fertilize by soil test, hopefully most P and K provided by cycling nutrients through livestock
Control weeds – hopefully out compete weeds or turn weeds into forbs by using high density short duration grazing or grazing multi-species livestock
Top Grazing Practices
Grazing Height Seeding Legumes High Density Short
Duration Grazing Lime: P and K not N Fence
Water Management Stockpiling tall
fescue Multi-Species
Grazing Timing: April 1, July 1
and Oct 1
Farm Considerations and Layout
Corral as hub, fence for flow of livestock
Determine “Acres per Paddock” for location of fence and water
Topography ultimately determines location of Watering Facilities
Permanent fence
Permanent fence
Water point
BASIC PADDOCK LAYOUT16 PADDOCK with 4 WATERING POINTS
(funneling animals)
Temporary fence
corral
Gate Arrangements
16’ gates 90 degree
= 22.5’ gate
openings No post in center
To layout stake with string in center where gates swing
together
2 Gates Four fields if rotational grazed, bungy gates can be different widths
Trails commonly form between water source and feed area
Traditional Pond Potential Diseases
E-coli Samonella Coccidiosis Leptospirosis Foot rot
Anthrax Brucellosis Erysipolis Other
Summary
Most Pastures need Recovery- Rest Disturbance- Impact a tool especially at
beginning of growing season Cover- Vegetative and/or Residue most
abused, how can you grow grass if you don’t capture energy
Fertility –Manure management JUST DO IT!
Comments- Questions Ruminations?