Amanda Hatcher, NCCES-Duplin County, Livestock Agent
At the beginning of a new year, we often resolve to make self-improvements, to change our lives for the better. What about the improvement of our pastures?
There are a number of common reasons why pastures don’t improve. Many of them involve time, money, attention, and education. We’re not sure the best course of action so instead of doing something not so well, we resolve to do nothing. Let’s talk about some resolutions for pastures and how to tackle at least one of these for 2012.
Resolution #1: I will not allow my horses to over-graze their pastures.
Why do we allow the grass in our pastures to get so miniscule that we need a magnifying lens to see the blades? A big reason: over-stocking. Horses eat; grass grows very slowly. The general recommendation on pasture space for horses in southeastern North Carolina is two acres per horse. Anything less and the horses will need more supplemental feed, anything more and we’ll probably have to cut hay.
Another reason for over-grazing is we don’t have the ideal means to rotate the horses. Putting up fencing, providing extra paddock space, moving waterers, and having time to move the horses are all important in rotational grazing. We can subdivide pastures, making the horses graze the more uniformly. Temporary wire and posts can be used to make rotations more flexible. Allowing horses more to graze at a time will reduce the frequency of movement. We can also have a common area or dry lot for horses that allows for temporarily removing access from the grazing areas and feeding hay. Contact your Extension Agent for solutions that complement your resources and your individual situation.
Another reason for over-grazing is forage availability. Bermudagrass is mostly available for grazing from April to October, depending on weather, field conditions, and other factors. Fescue is mostly available in fall and spring and ryegrass and other winter annuals are mostly available in winter and spring. We expect a lot from our forages but we must give it time to rest too. Otherwise, we end up with a less than ideal grazing situation. Having a grazing plan that incorporates forages will help fill gaps for grazing.
Resolution #2: I will not allow weeds to completely take over my pastures.
A few weeds in a pasture are normal. But when buttercup is completely covering the pasture with yellow blossoms and there’s no grass to be seen, buttercup has taken over. There are a few things that will give our forages some relief.
Weed control strategies depend on the time of year, the type of forage, the weed, and other factors. The first thing to do is to identify the weed that is causing a problem. The type of weed and the stage of growth will be major factors of concern in control. Weeds are usually easier to control before they flower and develop a seed head due to maturity. Mowing will control the reproduction of some weeds, even if the individual plant is not controlled. Some weeds tolerate a low or high soil pH or low or high fertility compared to the forage. Paying attention to soil needs will allow the forage to compete against weeds and ultimately can reduce the weed problem. Some weeds are a nuisance and can be a toxicity problem or mechanical injury for horses; others are not as troublesome. Follow label directions when using herbicides and consult your Extension Agent for weed control advice.
Resolution #3: I will take a soil test on my pastures and follow recommendations.
Taking a soil test of our pastures gives us an accurate account of how much lime is needed and what the plant response will be if we add certain nutrients. Routine soil testing is available through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA & CS) free for North Carolina residents. Soil testing and often precision testing is available through other labs as well. The lab will provide you a report of what needs to be added or changed for your crop. Taking a soil test in a pasture involves taking several core samples about 4 to 6 inches deep, mixing the cores together in a plastic bucket, and adding that soil to a sample box. NCDA & CS labs and other labs will want to know what is planted there so they can match the nutrient qualities of the soil with the plant’s requirements. Keeping soil conditions at the optimum level is a great way to encourage forages to grow and compete well with weeds, leading to more forage availability and faster re-growth.
Resolution #4: I will not graze pastures during establishment periods.
Think about what happens to forages during grazing.
Here I am, a short little bermudagrass seedling with two leaves and a thin stem. My root system is just starting to get used to my new home, and from the base of my stem to the end of the root is probably only a couple of inches. Chomp. A horse just nibbled one of my leaves off, now I only have one leaf to catch sunlight and make food for myself. A horse passes me up, I don’t look very appetizing anymore. I’m growing pretty slowly because it’s taking me so long to make food with just one leaf. Chomp. A hungry horse just got my other leaf. Uh oh.
When seeds are planted, it takes weeks for that plant to be ready to have leaf removed through grazing. The root system must be strong and the plant needs enough leaf area after grazing to make food for itself. Putting horses on forages too soon after seeding or sprigging is bad for the forage and expensive for horse owners.
I am often asked, “How soon can I put my horses on the forage? It depends on the forage and the field conditions. A general rule of thumb is that bermudagrass can be grazed once it starts running and when that trend is seen throughout the pasture. It is easy to want to put horses on a pasture that was sprigged in February if we see it greening up from dormancy in April. But putting them on it too soon may result in the horses pulling up sprigs completely because the root system is not well-established to tolerate grazing.
What about seeded bermudagrass? When it starts running, the plant is better able to adapt to grazing than when it is a single stem with three little leaves on it. Once you strip all the leaves off, that spindly plant is putting all its efforts into producing more energy just so it can survive. If you constantly have horses on it, the plant will eventually die because it can’t hold up to grazing pressure.
Fortunately, bermudagrass stores most of its food in the lower 3 inches of the plant, making it hold up to close grazing better than fescue and many other forages. We often recommend that forages not be grazed until the grass begins “tillering.” Tillering is the formation of a stem produced by grass plants, and a tiller refers to all shoots that grow after the initial parent shoot grows from a seed (Source: Wikipedia). In other words, you need to leave some leaf area and structure on the plant in order for it to grow at an acceptable rate for more leaf removal. My father-in-law says that in a family of eight growing up, the saying at the dinner table was “take some, leave some, then there will always be some.” This is true for forages too!
Time to Resolve for Better Pasture Management
Our pastures serve so many roles for our animals. Horses benefit from eating forage for their health and they enjoy grazing to pass their time. Pastures serve as a habitat for microorganisms and plants as well, and they give a lot back to us. All they ask is for a little special attention now and then – they need good soil conditions, they need us to give them enough rest so they can keep growing, they need us to give them time to get big before grazing. In 2012, let’s resolve to do a better job at any of these resolutions to make our forages happy.
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