Current IssueGrasses, Grazing, &

Pastures

System is created by grasses, management, and animalsEach system is uniquePastures serve as a source of food, exercise lot, and area to receive nutrients.Water. Provide alternative or utilize a stream?

Pastures

Always Best Crop ABC’sProtect soil from erosionConserve rainfallUtilize nutrientsWhen done properly, you will save moneyMust produce a product

4 Steps to a Productive Pasture

Learn how plants grow & animals grazeEstablish your GoalDetermine Needs & InputsPractice. There is an art to grazing

The Growth Cycle

Phase 1 - first growth after dormancy or winter.

Phase 2 - green leaves are big enough to use energy from the sun.

Phase 3 - growth rate slows as the plant produces seeds and plant decay begins

Factors of Growth

RainfallTemperature,Soil fertilityLength of daySpecies or mix of forage

Grazing Management

Do you allow them to eat the grass down?What is left? What do you see?Grass? Clover? Weeds?Animals eat the best tasting firstAllow the grass to have a rest period

How Animals graze?

Dairy cows consume vast amounts of forage

Horses, sheep, & goats can eat down to the dirt

As above – So below

Fencing

Use PA Onestop to layout your pasturesPortable? - electricStationary? – wire, boardSell your escapee’sWill you need a catch pen?

Water

Stream AccessPortable water tank Pasture Pump

Multispecies Grazing

Diversify farm incomeUtilize pastures of different ecological

types on the farmManipulate the plant community to meet

the production goals of the farmInterrupt parasite life cycles

Plan to achieve your Goals

StockpilingNeed to look aheadDon’t wait til the last minute

Five Steps in Developing a Grazing Plan1) Create an inventory2) Define goals3) Determine grazing units4) Develop a grazing schedule5) Develop a monitoring and evaluation

plan

STEP 1Determine the number of animal units in the grazing system

1300-lb cow with calf = 1.6 AU, 2000-lb bull = 1.7 AU1.6 AU X 30 cows = 48.0+ 1.7 AU X 1 bull = 1.749.7 (50) AU of herd

STEP 2Estimate how many acres will be needed throughout the grazing seasonThe herd will be grazing medium producing

orchardgrass and white clover pasture.

May (0.7 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 35 acresJune (0.7 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 35 acresJuly (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acresAug (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acresSept (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acresOct (6.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 310 acres

STEP 3 Estimate how large each paddock should beTo calculate paddock size, multiply the

suggested acres per AU by the AU in the herd.

The herd will graze each paddock for 3days when 1000 pounds of pasture are available.0.1 acre/AU X 50 AU = 5 acres in each paddock

STEP 4Estimate the number of paddocks needed(Maximum days rest divided by number of

days grazing) + 1 = paddock number

The herd will graze each paddock for 3 days, and the maximum rest period between grazings will be 35 days.(35 days rest divided by 3 days grazing) + 1 = 13 paddocks

Rest Periods

Spring Cool, moist Fast 10–14 daysSpring Warm, dry Medium 14–20 daysSummer Hot, moist Slow 30–35 daysSummer Hot, dry Very slow 40–60 days

Practice

You will not get it right the first timeBooks only give informationExperimentDoes the grass grow back? Quickly or

slowly?Are the animals content? Hungry animals

get out

Problems?Drought & Plant Toxicity

Grass Tetany Bloat Prussic AcidFescue ToxicosisNitrates

Grasses - Legumes

AlfalfaRed CloverWhite Clover

Grazing Legumes

Full access to alfalfa will damage the stand and make animals sick

Introduce them with brief initial grazing and gradually lengthen time

Use smaller paddocks

Grasses – Cool Season

RyegrassSmooth BromegrassTall FescueTimothyOrchardgrass

Grasses – Warm Season

SwitchgrassLittle BluestemBig BluestemIndiangrassEastern Gamagrass

Stream Bank Fencing

We All Live Downstream Protect Water Quality Stabilize stream banks and reduce

soil erosion Control runoff and absorb nutrients Support the "good neighbor"

approach

Stream Bank Fencing - Other Farm Benefits

Protect herd health Improve habitat for birds, small

mammals, and fish Enhance the landscape

Ask for Help

Utilize the experts in your areaNRCSCooperative ExtensionConservation District