1. Pasture management and output
Dr. Dan Morrical
Iowa State University

2. Survival and Profit Sheep industry competitors
New Zealand and Australia
Range operators
Beef cattle producers
Swine producers
Dairy producers

3. Survival and Profit Feed costs are single largest cost
Enterprise records
Pasture cost/ewe/day $.056
Drylot cost/ewe/day $.166

4. Increasing pasture output
Change forage species
adding legumes
Increase fertility
goal dependent
timing and amounts
Rotational grazing

5. Grass Growth is Not Uniform
Manage supply
Increasing paddock # in summer
Warm season grasses
Hay field re-growth
Change stocking rate
Not very practical
Example short duration stockers

6. The relationship between paddock number and plant rest

7. Why rest is needed
Grazing animals are selective in what they eat especially sheep
Preferred species are over comsumed
Weakens vigor and reduces composition
Allows invaders
Root system dies back with grazing
Sheep are very selective graziers

8. How Often Should I Rotate?
Factors to assess
Animal needs
Feeder lambs, lactating ewes or dry ewes
Time
Cell location, human resource
Stage of growing season
Fast growth - fast rotation
Slow growth - slow rotation

9. Utilization Rate
Defined by the % forage consumed vs. forage available at turn in
Example 2000 lbs at turn in
1000 lbs remaining at removal
1000/2000 = 50% Utilization rate

10. Utilization Varies from 0-100% More paddocks = higher utilization rate
Without balanced utilization
Over use - slow re-growth and long rest
Under use - forage accumulation
- decreased quality

11. Utilization Rates by Grazing Intensity
Length of % Utilization
Grazing (days) of DM Available
.5 75
1 70
2 65
3 60
Continuous 30

12. Paddock Layout No perfect system ideal is square
1. Improved uniformity
2. Less fence
3. Less distance traveled
4. Makes for easier clipping or baling

13. Examples
Improper
gate location
Central
Watering
Hub
Central
watering
hub
Center over utilized, light shaded area is correctly utilized and perimeter area is under utilized.
Gate placement and watering design.

14. Examples
Water
Water
Darkest shaded area is over utilized, light shaded area is correctly utilized and the white area is under utilized.
Alternative to wagon wheel design with poor water location.

15. The grazing pattern and distance to cover paddocks of different shapes.
Gate
Gate

16. Fencing sloped areas Incorrect method of fencing slopes
Water lane
Ridge
Slope
Bottom
Correct methods of fencing slopes

17. Getting Started with Paddock Layout
Step 1 Pencil and paper and aerial or soil map
Step 2 Flag proposed system
Step 3 Check gate location and animal flow
Step 4 Seek input
Step 5 Modify
Step 6 Build fence

18. Successful Systems = Excess Early Forage
Layout paddocks with areas that are hayable separate
If three or four hayable paddocks lay together, subdivide with temporary fence post harvest

19. Sacrifice Paddock (s) Why Abuse small area vs whole pasture
Weather is not always perfect
Easy to get to
Easy to renovate
Many recover with more rest

20. Water Best situation is water in all paddocks
Eliminates lanes grazing area
Reduced animal travel performance
Water holding device is smaller
with paddocks less than 10 acres
Reduces coccidia contamination
Sheep are low water consumers

21. Water precautions MIG success leads to increased carrying capacity
do not under build water system
50% over capacity

22. Taking Water to Sheep 1. Pressurized buried system
Locate new well on high ground
2. Pressurized above ground
3. Gravity flow from pond
4. Pump from pond or stream

23. Water Development Ponds Wells $2000 and up Location for gravity flow
Fence to keep flock out
$20-30 per ft.
Pressurized
Location to allow gravity assist

24. How Earthen Return Fences Work
Single wire system with circuit completed through hoof contact with ground.
Two wire system with circuit
completed by cow contacting hot
and ground wires simultaneously.

25. Reasons Electric Fences Fail
Conductor wire mass
too small
Energizer
too small
Induction Coil
HOT
Poor
insulators
Lighting
arrestor
HOT
Lead Out wire too small
HOT
Poor
connections
Poor connections
Faulty insulation on lead out wire
Ground rods too short
or close together

26. Success with Cornstalks
Strip graze to maintain nutrient quality
Adjust ewes gradually
May require protein supplementation

27. Keys to stock piled grazing
Ration or strip graze
Late summer nitrogen
40-60 pounds
Precautions
Ice
Monitor ewe condition

28. MIG Success Flexible Productivity increases over years
Labor is only an issue with location
Change mind set
Pasture is the cheapest feed source