How do I turn a below average pasture into a super pasture

[OhioRiver]

Plush and full?>????

 

[Nowland Farms]

Time & Money

 

[hillrancher]

soil test and just a little more than it call for and water more money, time.

 

[Scotty]

Time & Money

And hard work. Disipline to not overgraze and take more than the pasture can offer.

 

[C HOLLAND]

Time & Money

And hard work. Disipline to not overgraze and take more than the pasture can offer.

I may add,,,weed control. The one thing most people don't consider is that a field with lots of weeds is costing the same to grow as the grass you want and need.

I think most people could show a min of 10% gain in the feed produced in a pasture or hay field with an aggressive weed control program. Think about a 1500 lb bale of hay, the weeds would count for 150 pounds and there is enough waste without adding to it by baling weeds.

Like Caustic always reminds us, we are really grass farmers. :lol:

 

[MikeC]

The trick to better pasture is to have the correct forage for your soil type, and concentrate your efforts towards building a good root system for that forage by properly fertilizing.

Soil tests provide you with a minimum amount of nutrients to apply for cost effective top growth without really addressing the root needs.

I usually double the K amounts when I apply fertilizers to a K deficient pasture and can tell a huge difference when I don't.

Micro-nutrient needs must be kept up with to have above average pastures also.

 

[lead_dog]

With or without chemicals?

 

[Chris H]

Also depends on your idea of 'super pasture'. In the production of almost anything, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can fertilize, control weeds, manage grazing, plant the best forage for your weather, etc., but the maximum input to produce the maximum output may not be your maximum return on your investment.

 

[novatech]

The trick to better pasture is to have the correct forage for your soil type, and concentrate your efforts towards building a good root system for that forage by properly fertilizing.

Soil tests provide you with a minimum amount of nutrients to apply for cost effective top growth without really addressing the root needs.

I usually double the K amounts when I apply fertilizers to a K deficient pasture and can tell a huge difference when I don't.

Micro-nutrient needs must be kept up with to have above average pastures also.

The best pasture I have was obtained because the man before me way overgrazed the property. He fed hay most of the year. More like a feed lot. After resting the property the grass came back to where my cattle cant keep up with it. This is the pasture where he fed. The rest of the property is pretty sparse. Even after soil tests and fert, the other pastures cannot keep up.
The micro nutrients from the spoiled ad cow manure did wonders.

 

[Jogeephus]

Also depends on your idea of 'super pasture'. In the production of almost anything, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can fertilize, control weeds, manage grazing, plant the best forage for your weather, etc., but the maximum input to produce the maximum output may not be your maximum return on your investment.

Well said. Additionally, to me a super pasture would be one where the different paddocks consist of different grasses which exhibit their maximum growth at different seasons of the year. Establishing this balance is a trick unto itself but will yield to maximization of forage and forage quality throughout much of the year. A good general source for this type info can be found at this link. Their book on forages is very good and well worth the money.

http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspa ... 16a02.html

 

[Chris H]

Also depends on your idea of 'super pasture'. In the production of almost anything, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can fertilize, control weeds, manage grazing, plant the best forage for your weather, etc., but the maximum input to produce the maximum output may not be your maximum return on your investment.

Well said. Additionally, to me a super pasture would be one where the different paddocks consist of different grasses which exhibit their maximum growth at different seasons of the year. Establishing this balance is a trick unto itself but will yield to maximization of forage and forage quality throughout much of the year. A good general source for this type info can be found at this link. Their book on forages is very good and well worth the money.

http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspa ... 16a02.html

And a fine addition from you, too. We have multiple species of forages on our farm but each pasture has a primary forage with a primary purpose, with soil types and location being contributing factors. For example, a wet, fertile field has a monoculture of switchgrass. It's heaviest production is in June/July. Several rolling fields with shelter belts on the prevailing wind side are perfect for stockpiling fescue for winter grazing. Other fields vary a great deal. Few of the fields look alike, the ryegrasses are all grazed down at this time of year, the switchgrass is tall and brown, but the fescue is deep & green. In July/August, the 'best' pasture is certainly not the fescue! The goal is to maximize profit overall.

 

[flaboy]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[pdfangus]

Also needed are the time, the management ability and judgement to implement all of the above.

 

[The Bachelor]

Keep anyone that has had dog fennel in their pastures the last five years away from yours!! Or find a good market for the stuff and tell me about it..... We'll split the profits.....

 

[Jogeephus]

Also depends on your idea of 'super pasture'. In the production of almost anything, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can fertilize, control weeds, manage grazing, plant the best forage for your weather, etc., but the maximum input to produce the maximum output may not be your maximum return on your investment.

Well said. Additionally, to me a super pasture would be one where the different paddocks consist of different grasses which exhibit their maximum growth at different seasons of the year. Establishing this balance is a trick unto itself but will yield to maximization of forage and forage quality throughout much of the year. A good general source for this type info can be found at this link. Their book on forages is very good and well worth the money.

http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspa ... 16a02.html

And a fine addition from you, too. We have multiple species of forages on our farm but each pasture has a primary forage with a primary purpose, with soil types and location being contributing factors. For example, a wet, fertile field has a monoculture of switchgrass. It's heaviest production is in June/July. Several rolling fields with shelter belts on the prevailing wind side are perfect for stockpiling fescue for winter grazing. Other fields vary a great deal. Few of the fields look alike, the ryegrasses are all grazed down at this time of year, the switchgrass is tall and brown, but the fescue is deep & green. In July/August, the 'best' pasture is certainly not the fescue! The goal is to maximize profit overall.

Might add one more thing too. Lush and full may not be exactly what you want since the nutritional value of your forage is usually inversely proportional to its height and/or age of the forage. Consequently, you are often better off to have different paddocks at with various species as well as various stages of growth. I'm sure there are some exceptions to this but I doubt there are many. This is why rotational grazing works so well. Balancing all this is an art. Unfortunately I'm still messing with crayons and coloring books but I continuously strive to do better. If you can figure out how to get this balance right in your area - raising cattle is child's play. JMO

 

[western]

ESTABLISHING A PERFECT PASTURE

Establishing a pasture is a key step in having a thick, lush, profitable stand. A Perfect Pasture
begins with good soil preparation. The first step is to obtain an accurate soil sample and im-
prove soil conditions accordingly. Check with your local extension service for assistance.
When renovating an existing pasture, use a non-selective herbicide to reduce competition.

Selecting the right seed mixture is extremely important! Depending on your geographical region and application (grazing or hay, dairy cows or horses) you'll need to choose the mix that is right for you. Each Pasture Perfect mix is formulated specifically for its region AND application so you can be assured you're getting the best and most productive seed product.

A properly prepared seedbed is the next step in getting that pasture up and producing! Pasture seed requires a fine, firm seedbed for optimum establishment. Large clods and excess sod will diminish results. See pictures 1 & 2 (dave's feet)
A no-till method of seeding can be successfully used as well. Its best to spray out all vegetation to provide best results. A delay between spraying and drilling will aid in moisture retention and reduce pest populations. Contact your extension agent for specific chemical and management recommendations.

Avoid planting seeds too deep or too far apart. Ideal depth for most seedlings is 1/8 - 1/4". (Do not plant seeds deeper than 1/2".) Adequate seed-to-soil contact can be ensured by rolling/packing soil. If you are
no-till seeding into an existing pasture or for a new pasture, the proper seeding depth is 1/4-3/8" deep.

All seeds need good moisture to get well established. Irrigate if necessary and plant
during the fall or spring seasons. Additionally, frost seeding can be accomplished by broad-
casting seed during winter months when the soil is freezing at night and thawing during the day.

Allow plants to get well established before heavy grazing or set stocking. Once plants reach
8-12", mow or lightly graze down to no less than 3" in height. Allow plants to re-grow to 18"-20"
before grazing again. This encourages the grass plant to tiller and also assists legume establishment by allowing more light into the base. (tillering of some species has shown to help in drought conditions) Continue rotational grazing to ensure that productivity/profitability of your pasture remains at a high level. Some species, such as orchardgrass, don't reach their full potential until the second season. Be careful not to overgraze, especially the first year.

New pastures will benefit from early application of nitrogen applied 3-4 weeks after planting. Successive applications of fertilizer will prolong the life and improve the performance of a new pasture. Contact your local extension agent or fertilizer representative for specific recommendations.

Lastly, overseeding existing pastures provides many benefits including the following and should be done once every 2-3 years:
• Increase Pasture Production
• Improve Animal Performance
• Plant Improved Forage Varieties
• Keeps out undesirable weeds and grasses


The Forage Systems approach uses products like chicory, brassicas, Pro-Max, etc...

http://www.ampacseed.com/brassicas.htm

http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0020.html

 

[Jogeephus]

Western, that is some good info and links. I'm trying the Dwarf Essex rape this year. Though it hasn't rained much it is showing some promise.

 

[GMN]

I'd have to say it takes time first, when we started the ascs agent told us it would take 5 years to turn one of our feilds around that had been abused by the previous owner with corn, and I really thought he was exxagerating, but he was correct.

Secondly money, to be able to lime to get the soil up to par, and then seed and fertilize to keep it that way.

GMN

 

[Jogeephus]

I'd have to say it takes time first, when we started the ascs agent told us it would take 5 years to turn one of our feilds around that had been abused by the previous owner with corn, and I really thought he was exxagerating, but he was correct.

Secondly money, to be able to lime to get the soil up to par, and then seed and fertilize to keep it that way.

GMN

I agree with the 5 year deal. I'm taking in some cotton land now and I think it will take at least that to get things back into balance. Thanks to Chuckies posts about the dung beetles, I'm going to try and use them to help build the soil up. Thankfully this place seems to have three varieties of dung beetles. I hope with the proper worming meds, planting of clovers and the proper nutrient application, I can get this into good forage production in less time than this. Of course, the lack of rainfall in our area may hinder my best efforts.