Menu
Selection
 | |
| |
|
17. Grazing Land Management
Manipulating the soil-plant-animal complex of grazing land in pursuit of a desired result.
| How it works |
Pasture is divided into several mini-pastures or paddocks with fencing, usually electric. Animals are moved from paddock to paddock based on forage availability and nutritional needs.
| How it helps |
Improves vegetative cover, reduces erosion by promoting even grazing while protecting water quality.
Increases harvest efficiency and prolongs forage production throughout the grazing season.
Maximizes forage quality and production by requiring less energy input, Which improves the economic bottom line for the producer.
Distributes animal waste more evenly, enabling forage plants to utilize the manure as plant nutrients.
| Planing ahead |
Is there ample water with good quality available to your pasture system in order to meet the needs of the livestock
Are current forages adequate for your stocking rates and grazing system? Are they best suited to the soils of your farm?
Does the forage quality meet the nutritional requirements of livestock?
How will you make adjustments for periods of low forage production such as droughts and wet seasons?
| Tech notes |
Plan rest periods so each paddock w ill have sufficient time to recover from grazing during the growing season in order to perpetuate forage production.
Remove all livestock from paddocks that are being rested.
Know the proper grazing heights for the forages in your grazing system. Overgrazing or undergrazing can lower plant quality and quantity in pastures.
| Maintenance |
-Construct and maintain effective fences
-Mow or harvest some paddocks during periods of fast growth.
-Check watering systems throughout the grazing system for proper functioning. Drain tanks and lines, if possible, during winter.
-Adjust rotation schedule to match plant growth.
-Test soil every two to three years and apply recommended amounts of soil nutrients.