1. DGM:ISU:2013 Sheep and Pastures Dr. Dan “Grumpy” Morrical Sheep Extension Specialist Animal Science Department 515-294-2904 morrical@iastate.edu

2. DGM:ISU:2013 Uniqueness of Sheep Small mouth size allows selective grazing Mobile lips allows selective grazing Higher intake a % of bodyweight compared to cows Can be controlled by electric fence

3. DGM:ISU:2013 Uniqueness of Sheep Diet preference GrassForbsShrubs Sheep503020 Cattle701515 Goats301060 Van Dyne et al. 1980

4. DGM:ISU:2013 Sheep and Pastures Dr. Dan “Grumpy” Morrical Sheep Extension Specialist Animal Science Department 515-294-2904 morrical@iastate.edu

5. Challenges Assessing status Intake Diet Selectivity Nutrient content of forage

6. Status Body condition Fill Contentedness

7. Factors that impact intake Forage available Bite size and bite rate Feed quality & rate of passage 48-96 hrs Grazing time and weather

8. Increasing intake Rotational grazing Stocking rate vs output per acre Manage feed quality Intake levels 2.5-4.5% of bodyweight

9. Animal selectivity Just because it is there does not mean animals will eat it. Diet quality is higher than average Must have adequate dry matter available

10. Pasture sampling Grab samples easy accurate ?? Clip area labor accurate Number of samples Using and interpreting reports

11. Stockpiled grazing Forage quality Forage quanity When to stockpile Nitrogen fertilization Grazing and growing seasons are not the same

12. Grazing weaned lambs Quality of forage is more important Lambs have limited intake Higher protein requirements gains generally highest on legumes Why? Parasites control is more critical Supplementation What nutrient is likely short?

13. ISU Work with Supplemention Lambs on cool season grass pastures continuously grazed Supplemented at 2% of bodyweight Control was straight corn conversion of extra corn was 10-1 Experimental diets were fortified with various protein sources ( SBM, Fish, Blood, CGM) gain response to escape protein.35 vs. 25 NOT ECONOMICAL

14. Forage Budgeting in Grazing Systems by Integrating Plant and Animal Management Goals of Grazing Program Convert sunshine into lean tissue Individual vs group Sustain or improve pasture

15. Rumination Time Amount of time relates to grazing time Much occurs at night Diurnal patterns and Seasonal patterns Fiber level

16. Forage plants Think of them as biochemical factory Goal is to capture and convert solar energy into plant energy

17. Factors that impact output Fertility/soil Water Sunshine Temperature Species

18. Factors that impact output Fertility/soil Water Sunshine Temperature Species

19. Factors that impact output Fertility N 40-200 pounds per acre P and K soil test Legume vs grass

20. Factors that impact output Fertility N 40-200 pounds per acre P and K soil test Legume vs grass

21. Factors that impact output Water Drought Root depth Most droughty forage?

22. Factors that impact output Sunshine weather density of forage leaf area Temperature cool season warm season

23. Factors that impact output Species productivity poorest bluegrass intermediate brome highest reed canary warm season vs cool season

24. Most common problem too little growth too many animals pasture and animals not in balance

25. Forage growth How fast? First cutting hay 2 tons per acre assuming 60 day accumulation 67 pounds per day 3 horses or 2 cows

26. Forage growth Concerns with my logic ? uniform growth 100% utilization complete rest

27. Animal selectivity Just because it is there does not mean animals will eat it. Species differences goats sheep horses cattle

29. More paddocks means more rest, more productivity.

31. Can my pasture provide forage needed to meet grazing needs? ISU Beef Teaching 54 acres of pasture primarily bluegrass and bromegrass, some white clover ( ~ 30%) 10 inch brome

32. Ewe Grazing Days Per Acre BFT: KyBG14291973 BFT: SBG14742122 BFT: OG14462028 Cost $40.00/year 2 of 3 years were drought DGM:ISU 2 of 3 years were drought DGM:ISU Peter Woods, WI a a 3 Year High AverageYear

33. DGM:ISU