draggin pastures--who does it and with what?

[shaz]

I think the general idea is that you can drag pastures but don't go out of your way. It's not really worth it.

 

[Banjo]

Draggin your pastures isn't anything that's detrimental and it could "possibly" be beneficial if it were timed just perfectly with say, right before a significant rain that would help get it down in the soil. But draggin it and then it turns a little hot and dry, especially with not much ground cover....its just gonna dry up.
If you are in a continuous grazing situation then it looks like pasture dragging would be an on going thing year round.
I have stopped making hay on my land so its not an issue for me in making hay. I could see doing it in a horse lot or something where its really piled up all over, but to just go out and drag the back forty to knock a few manure piles down isn't gonna really improve your pasture. But to each his or her own.

 

[greybeard]

Just dragging pastures for the sake of dragging to "spread out manure piles" is a waste of time and fuel IMO. That manure pile is a habitat for all kinds of soil life especially earthworms. When you drag or scatter them out, you turn it into lots of tiny little pieces that become exposed to sunlight, and wind, that will just dry up.

I think fellas you might have to take into consideration the location of afore mentioned cowpaddys. Theirs a heap of difference between cowpie in your neck of the woods and mine. What we feed for hay would be considered bedding for you. A 8 percent protein hay fed here can make a cowpile that can last a very long time.

I dont know about the cows in your part of the world but mine did not like the grass around a cow turd. That could mean the loss of a lot of grazing area.

Same here, and they won't touch it for a couple months either, but I'm not sure if dragging would alleviate that problem.

On another note.......
My hat is bahia and lots and lots of seeds this year. What's the chance the seeds in there are viable and will germinate when it warms up? I change locations a little every time I put out a new round, which means the cows use what was left from the old bale to lay on. I been thinking about running a bush hog over those spots to scatter the stuff out some if there's a possibility the seeds are still good after freezing so many times. Worth the trouble or not worth it?

I think my question has been answered:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=89922

 

[houstoncutter]

I have put seeds in my loose mineral for years.

 

[greybeard]

The birds would eat them all up around my place. Especially crows--I see them picking thru fresh cow piles every morning, and in the feed troughs all the time.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Just dragging pastures for the sake of dragging to "spread out manure piles" is a waste of time and fuel IMO. That manure pile is a habitat for all kinds of soil life especially earthworms. When you drag or scatter them out, you turn it into lots of tiny little pieces that become exposed to sunlight, and wind, that will just dry up.

I think fellas you might have to take into consideration the location of afore mentioned cowpaddys. Theirs a heap of difference between cowpie in your neck of the woods and mine. What we feed for hay would be considered bedding for you. A 8 percent protein hay fed here can make a cowpile that can last a very long time.

I dont know about the cows in your part of the world but mine did not like the grass around a cow turd. That could mean the loss of a lot of grazing area.

I drag my bottom pastures every year with a root rake. I drag to bust up and aerate the soil as it really gets compacted by the cows.
Drag with a homemade root rake.

These are the bahia pastures drug every year.



I just drug the pasture in the top pic a couple days ago I will try and remember to get a pic of what it looks like now.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Top pasture I drug the other day from about the same angle.

 

[jrn28]

I saw this post and thought I'd show my drag. It's made of scrap square tubing and angle iron, the only expense on this was the tines and the pins. It slices it dices, flings and scatters the patties.

 

[Tim/South]

I drag with a chain harrow. If I do not bust up the piles they will be there all year. Once broken up, they break down and become fertilizer much quicker. I drag around the feeding areas every week.

 

[JWBrahman]

[

I drag my bottom pastures every year with a root rake. I drag to bust up and aerate the soil as it really gets compacted by the cows.
Drag with a homemade root rake.

These are the bahia pastures drug every year.



I just drug the pasture in the top pic a couple days ago I will try and remember to get a pic of what it looks like now.

Nice tool, CB. Charlie Johnson over at LSU made one of the best topsoil aerators I have ever seen. Looks like a rolling pin with cones welded to it. As it rolls through the pasture it yanks out one inch by three inch deep soil plugs. For those who are interested Kansas did a lot of field tests on pastures and how to deal with topsoil and subsoil compaction.

 

[JWBrahman]

I saw this post and thought I'd show my drag. It's made of scrap square tubing and angle iron, the only expense on this was the tines and the pins. It slices it dices, flings and scatters the patties.

And you can use it to rake the sticks under your pecan trees, looks like the rakes Savage sells.

 

[NWMoAngus]

Have an old three section adjustable spike tooth harrow. Think it is a John Deere, because I can see a little green paint here and there. I was my Dad's and before him it belonged to my Grandpa. Usually don't have time to use it in the pasture, but just did last weekend.

 

[gabby]

This tire drag fits the Reese hitch on my truck or my 3ph adapter. The spreader bar is necessary to pull all 7 tires in this 3-1-3 setup but I can also pull just 3 tires without a spreader bar. Tires have the advantage of following uneven ground contours such as old terraces.