Diverse Pasture

[inyati13]

I was looking at my pasture in detail today. I was identifying the grasses and legumes. I have not seen grasses do as well as they have this season. Conversely, clovers are not as abundant but are beginning to come on. Here are some pictures. My cows have been in this pasture all spring. I have a south pasture and a north pasture. Probably 25 acres in this pasture. The south pasture is about 30 acres and is untouched so far except for about a two week period the last week of March and the first week of April.

This pasture is about 25 acres and there are 16 cows and 7 calves in here. They have barely dented the pasture. I was able to identify the following grasses and legumes: fescue, orchard grass, brome grass, blue grass, rye grass. Ledino clover, lespedeza, and red clover. There were other grasses and plants I see cows eat but I don't know what they are.

 

[bigbull338]

your pasture looks real good.we shredded a pasture yesterday evening that had gotten way ahead of the cows.

 

[skyhightree1]

Ron great pics and good looking place you got there. BB i can understand that as well.

 

[Nesikep]

very nice looking! I have a field I was going to put my cows into, but the alfalfa has grown way to fast and lush, and there's not much in the way of grasses there either, so I'm going to have to put them in another field for a couple weeks until it ripens up a bit.. a bit of a pain since after they won't do a good job of grazing it... the alfalfa is about 2 feet high and hasn't started to bloom yet.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Pasture looks good Ron. Here my clover is doing great, better than I can ever remember actually. The fescue headed out very early and with it barely half of the normal height. Undergrowth is thin. I've been hearing reports of anywhere from 60-75% of normal hay yield.

 

[Chuckie]

Ron, you are in a great area to plant Durana clover. It would only take 2 pounds to the acre with established grass. 6 pounds to the acre for a pure stand. But I will say with the 2 pounds to the acre, it will slowly start spreading. It is invasive. It takes over my complete pasture and my cows are back to their obese selves. It really fattens up the calves.
Your pastures look great by the way.

 

[inyati13]

Ron, you are in a great area to plant Durana clover. It would only take 2 pounds to the acre with established grass. 6 pounds to the acre for a pure stand. But I will say with the 2 pounds to the acre, it will slowly start spreading. It is invasive. It takes over my complete pasture and my cows are back to their obese selves. It really fattens up the calves.
Your pastures look great by the way.

Thanks, Chuckie. I like clover but right now I am hoping my cows don't get fatter. I am concerned about the way they are putting on fat this summer. I am only using one half my pasture this year in an attempt to hold them back.

Question: Do you want a clover that to take over? Isn't the diversity of grasses and clovers together the objective?