Photo from NRCS

Range and Pasture Management

Lets talk about grazing Benefits of grazing

management How grass grows Steps to effective grazing

management Estimating carrying

capacity Monitoring your pasture Grazing systems

USDA-NRCS

Questions to ask yourself: Animals – number and type Water – irrigation and/or rainfall Resources – $, equipment, neighbors Pasture condition Expectations Soil type Time

Why manage grazing?

Prevent pasture from deteriorating

Improve grass health and productivity

Increase grazing capacity

Improve soil condition Help control weeds Be a land steward

USDA NRCS

Why manage grazing? Reduces erosion Improves water quality Improves range or pasture condition

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

What crop are you managing?

Your pasture plants, of course!

These little guys need lots of food!

Key points: Graze to the desired stubble height. Don’t regraze a pasture until your key

species has reached the desired height. Ensure adequate regrowth - preserve

growing points on your plants. Reserve leaf area for plants to

manufacture carbohydrates Allow adequate rest periods for grass

regrowth. In an irrigated pasture, don’t let seed

heads form.

Lets ask the right questions!

How many animals can I graze?

NRCS

Matching animals to available forage

This is not determined by local zoning! Amount of forage varies by:

◦ season, ◦ climate, ◦ soil type, ◦ water availability◦ length of growing season,

Animal needs vary by age, condition, amount of exercise, pregnancy, etc.

You need to know: CARRYING CAPACITY:

◦ the number of animals a pasture can accommodate without overgrazing

STOCKING RATE:◦ the amount of forage

livestock are going to eat

No matter how many animals… some things are the same

Forage Needs: (2.5-3% body weight)

30 lbs forage/day or 11,000 lbs/yr

Forage Production:900 lbs of forage/ac/yr

30% Utilization: (trampling, manure piles, wildlife)

900 lbs x 0.30 = 270 lbs of usable forage/yr/ac270 lbs / 30 lbs forage/day =

11,000 lb forage needed / 270 lbs usable forage

9 days of grazing

NRCS

~ 41 acres needed per animal!

AUM – Animal Unit Month Animal Unit:

◦ the forage consumption of one 1,000-pound cow plus calf

Animal Unit Month: ◦ the amount of forage required for one animal

unit for one month (AUM) All other animals are compared to one

1,000-pound cow plus calfSpecies AUM Species AUM

Cow 1.00 Sheep 0.20

Bull 1.30 Goat 0.20

Weaned calf 0.50 Llama 0.30

Mature horse 1.25 Deer 0.17

Yearling horse 0.75 Elk 0.50

1 AUM equals:

1 cow and calf OR: 2 weaned calves 5 sheep 5 goats 3 llamas 5 deer 2 elk Etc.

All require 1,000 pounds per month of air-dry feed

Most pastures in CO cannot support many animals

If you don’t have irrigation water, plan to buy all your feed.

Use pastures as exercise area No grazing allowed until grass is 8” Feed animals before turnout Be careful not to overgraze

When to graze? Don’t ask… Are my animals ready to graze?

Do ask… Is my grass ready to be grazed?

Overgrazing occurs two ways: Leaving stock in a pasture too long

OR Bringing them back too soon

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

Prevent overgrazing! Move animals between

pastures Create and use exercise areas

and paddocks (install fencing)

Stocking rate vs. Stock density

The stocking rate of both paddocks is identical: 100 animal days per acre

However, the stock density is much greater in the pasture on the right, so the effect will be much different!

Walk to Manage Look BEHIND:

What rest period do my pastures need? (Varies)

Look AHEAD: Has the pasture had enough rest?

Look NOW: Where is the stock, is the stocking rate correct?

Be observant and use common sense

Calculations will only get you so far in managing your grazing system

What did your monitoring tell you?

NRCS, Bozman, Mont.

UNCE, Reno, Nev.

Bare ground

UNCE, Reno, Nev.

Good cover

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

WSU Extension

Key Strategies

1. Create a Sacrifice Area

2. Subdivide to create more pastures

Farifaxcounty.gov

1. Sacrifice Area Areas of bare soil or sand/soil mix

with little grass or other vegetation

Avoid sacrifice areas on slopes to avoid erosion

WSU Extension

2. Subdivide Pastures

Considerations: Layout Animal access Water availability Type of fencing Costs Time Existing facilities Quality of forage

Grazing Systems

Season-long grazing

Rotational grazing

Rapid rotation Cell grazing

Season-long grazing is not a good strategy

UNCE, Reno, Nev.

Partial-season grazing

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

Rotational grazing

USDA NRCS

Rapid rotation or short-duration grazing

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

Rotational Grazing

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

Cell or strip grazing

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.

Another pasture configuration *Before*

Explanation

Bare

Buildings

Fences

Lawn

Property

Streams

Trees

Water

Weeds

Another pasture configuration *After* Explanatio

n

Bare

Buildings

Fences

Lawn

Property

Streams

Trees

Water

Weeds

Keep Records Grazing order of your pastures Start grazing and stop grazing dates for

each pasture Seasonal variations and weather Number of animals on the pasture General health and productivity of the

pasture

Southernstates.com

What Should I Do Right Now?

Control weeds and undesirable plants in pastures and adjacent areas

Prevent or reduce differential or selective grazing

Mow pastures, especially those dominated by bunchgrasses, if selective grazing has occurred

Be adaptive in your management

Do not allow 24/7 access to forage areas; two to three hours during morning

and/or evening will suffice Divide or subdivide grazing areas into

smaller blocks, where feasible Improve waste management so that

forage is not lost or damaged by manure

Be observant monitor your land

Pasture Management Tips

Dealing With Drought

Resist urge to graze after semi-dormancy this summer as it greens up.

Weed control this fall (if we get moisture) and next spring.

Poisonous plants may be abundant

Conduct a soil test Be patient as

grasses recover to ensure long term survival

Drought ResourcesCSU Extension Drought websitewww.ext.colostate.edu/drought/

CSU Extension Range website http://range.colostate.edu/

National Drought Mitigation Centerhttp://drought.unl.edu

Current drought monitor http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?CO,W

USDA Drought Page www.usda.gov/drought

Legend

House

Barn

Barn

Barn

Grasses present = blue grama, crested wheatWeeds present = Canada thistle, redroot pigweed, common mulleinWell

TreesWeedyBare GroundMarshyStreamWater TroughGateFenceSepticManure Pile

Homework Walk your pastures and determine if they are

overgrazed, underutilized, etc. Identify grasses and weeds. Develop a grazing management plan for your

property.

Acres = 25Animals = 2 horsesPasture = 15 acMonths animals graze=5Soils = sandy clay

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/sust-homestead.pdf