Current Issue Grasses, Grazing, & Pastures System is created by grasses, management, and animals Each system is unique Pastures 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’s Protect soil from erosion Conserve rainfall Utilize nutrients When done properly, you will save money Must produce a product

4 Steps to a Productive Pasture Learn how plants grow & animals graze Establish your Goal Determine Needs & Inputs Practice. 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 Rainfall Temperature, Soil fertility Length of day Species 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 first Allow 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 pastures Portable? - electric Stationary? – wire, board Sell your escapee’s Will you need a catch pen?

Water Stream Access Portable water tank Pasture Pump

Multispecies Grazing Diversify farm income Utilize pastures of different ecological types on the farm Manipulate the plant community to meet the production goals of the farm Interrupt parasite life cycles

Plan to achieve your Goals Stockpiling Need to look ahead Don’t wait til the last minute

Five Steps in Developing a Grazing Plan 1) Create an inventory 2) Define goals 3) Determine grazing units 4) Develop a grazing schedule 5) Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan

STEP 1 Determine the number of animal units in the grazing system 1300-lb cow with calf = 1.6 AU, 2000-lb bull = 1.7 AU 1.6 AU X 30 cows = AU X 1 bull = (50) AU of herd

STEP 2 Estimate how many acres will be needed throughout the grazing season The herd will be grazing medium producing orchardgrass and white clover pasture. May (0.7 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 35 acres June (0.7 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 35 acres July (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acres Aug (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acres Sept (1.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 60 acres Oct (6.2 acres/AU) X 50 AU = 310 acres

STEP 3 Estimate how large each paddock should be To calculate paddock size, multiply the suggested acres per AU by the AU in the herd. The herd will graze each paddock for 3 days when 1000 pounds of pasture are available. 0.1 acre/AU X 50 AU = 5 acres in each paddock

STEP 4 Estimate 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 days Spring Warm, dry Medium 14–20 days Summer Hot, moist Slow 30–35 days Summer Hot, dry Very slow 40–60 days

Practice You will not get it right the first time Books only give information Experiment Does the grass grow back? Quickly or slowly? Are the animals content? Hungry animals get out

Problems? Drought & Plant Toxicity Grass Tetany Bloat Prussic Acid Fescue Toxicosis Nitrates

Grasses - Legumes Alfalfa Red Clover White 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 Ryegrass Smooth Bromegrass Tall Fescue Timothy Orchardgrass

Grasses – Warm Season Switchgrass Little Bluestem Big Bluestem Indiangrass Eastern 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 area NRCS Cooperative Extension Conservation District