Pasture Rejuvenation

[HDRider]

My ground has had cattle on it for 60 years or so. There have been periods where it sat idle and hay taken off it. It is not naturally fertile land. It erodes very easily with minor disturbance or tilling.

I have about a 50/50 mix of native Bermuda and Fescue. I have a pretty good population of white clover. I have a lot of different grasses and weeds in the mix that cows will not eat.

I am coming up on my third year on the place. How do I bring the Fescue back as my majority grass? What other perennials work here (NE Arkansas)?

I am doing the soil test, lime, fertilizer, chicken litter thing.

I am about to plunk down chunk of change on a small no till drill. Is that smart? Is it necessary?

How many of you use a no till drill regularly?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Hard for no tilled seedlings to make it in healthy established sod. Rent one if you want to try and take the chance.
No. No.
Use no till each year for seeding annuals into bale grazed areas, and for inter seeding any winter killed paddocks.

 

[HDRider]

No place to rent one SS

I looked.

I am confused on the rest of your meaning. I'm a little slow on the uptake.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Have you ever worked the ground up with a pasture renovator? Cows and haying really compact the ground and I'm wondering if loosing the hard pan in strips would help you along? Using a no till on compacted ground isn't going to give you a good stand. The seeds need some air and moisture for the roots to grow and establish.

 

[HDRider]

Have you ever worked the ground up with a pasture renovator? Cows and haying really compact the ground and I'm wondering if loosing the hard pan in strips would help you along? Using a no till on compacted ground isn't going to give you a good stand. The seeds need some air and moisture for the roots to grow and establish.

You talking about something like this?

That may need to be part of the equation. I can't stress enough how a scratch turns into a big wash on this dirt.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Have you ever worked the ground up with a pasture renovator? Cows and haying really compact the ground and I'm wondering if loosing the hard pan in strips would help you along? Using a no till on compacted ground isn't going to give you a good stand. The seeds need some air and moisture for the roots to grow and establish.

You talking about something like this?

That may need to be part of the equation. I can't stress enough how a scratch turns into a big wash on this dirt.

Yes, pull it across the slopes and it'll make a bunch of mini terraces. We'll pull the seed drill behind the renovator when the conditions will let us.

 

[Creek]

Happy Holidays all. I know this is off topic. I'm new & still learning. Can anyone help me with an issue I'm having. My cattle field holds water real bad. To the point of looking like a hog pen. We've tried lime & sand. But I'm looking for a better less expensive fix. Thank you for any help

 

[Caustic Burno]

Shoot a grade and put drainage ditches in.

 

[Ebenezer]

Have you ever worked the ground up with a pasture renovator? Cows and haying really compact the ground and I'm wondering if loosing the hard pan in strips would help you along? Using a no till on compacted ground isn't going to give you a good stand. The seeds need some air and moisture for the roots to grow and establish.

You talking about something like this?

That may need to be part of the equation. I can't stress enough how a scratch turns into a big wash on this dirt.

Yes, pull it across the slopes and it'll make a bunch of mini terraces. We'll pull the seed drill behind the renovator when the conditions will let us.

Consider tillage radishes for better effect.

 

[True Grit Farms]

You talking about something like this?

That may need to be part of the equation. I can't stress enough how a scratch turns into a big wash on this dirt.

Yes, pull it across the slopes and it'll make a bunch of mini terraces. We'll pull the seed drill behind the renovator when the conditions will let us.

Consider tillage radishes for better effect.

After or before you renovate?

 

[HDRider]

I assumed after

 

[Ebenezer]

I assumed after

Before or in place of.

 

[rjbovine]

A good fertilizer program will help a lot with the fescue . Check around for some one with a notill subsoiler . It will take a big horse out front to pull . Will loosen soil with very little disturbance to the surface. It may cost 30 to 40 an acre to have it done . good luck .rj

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've heard mixed opinions from farmers/cattlemen and read mixed articles from universities regarding renovation using mechanical renovators. Some say it helps tremendously. Some say it's a waste of time and fuel. I really wish I knew the right answer. I guess I'm gonna have to renovate some strips and leave some strips alone and so my own observing.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I've heard mixed opinions from farmers/cattlemen and read mixed articles from universities regarding renovation using mechanical renovators. Some say it helps tremendously. Some say it's a waste of time and fuel. I really wish I knew the right answer. I guess I'm gonna have to renovate some strips and leave some strips alone and so my own observing.

Renovate a few spots before you drill your winter grains in the fall. That's where I see the best results.

 

[WinterSpringsFarm]

I am kind of in the same boat here. I am reclaiming some pasture that has been left idle since we sold the dairy cattle in 2005. Prior to that it has had cattle on it for probably close to 100yrs.

In my opinion you need to kill off the broad leafs and undesirable plants, then plant those areas that are bare. You'd be surprised once its killed off how well fescue will fill in as it is a pretty aggressive grass. In my situation we already own a drill due to the row crop operation, but if the spots weren't huge I'd throw some seed down and sprinkle a small amount of straw over it....it'll grow.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I've heard mixed opinions from farmers/cattlemen and read mixed articles from universities regarding renovation using mechanical renovators.

It depends.
Lots of variables. Soil, fertility, weather, existing sod, seed cost, paddock management, value of gain...
No way you could get the same outcome rwice in a row. WS intereseeding experiments proved this.
Smart play is to keep costs down by using cow power.