Rotating for Better Pastures

Horses are selective grazers which can be tough on pastures and often leads to overgrazing. There are many different grazing strategies that could be implemented to get the most out of your pasture. Rotational grazing is one of those strategies that can lead to healthier, more productive pastures.

Before the horses are allowed to graze, you need to figure out the correct stocking rate. Having the correct stocking rate gives you a much better chance at having green pasture for the horses to graze. Stocking rates can vary depending on the available forage, soil type, and level of pasture management. Generally, 2 acres per 1,000 pound horse is recommended.

Rotational grazing is a grazing system where the horses are allowed to graze until the grass gets to be a certain height and then they are removed to allow the pasture to rest and regrow. There are “start” and “stop” grazing heights for different grasses. Warm season perennial grasses, like bermudagrass and bahiagrass, can start being grazed when it is 6-8 inches tall and should be allowed to rest when it is 2-3 inches tall. Cool season perennial grasses, like fescue, orchardgrass, and timothy, can start being grazed when it is 8-10 inches tall and should be allowed to rest when it is 3-4 inches tall. The amount of time it takes for the grass to regrow can vary from 28 to 60 days and is dependent on the time of year, the amount of rainfall, soil fertility, and how low the grass was grazed.

Pasture set-up is key to being successful with rotational grazing. The main pasture should be divided into multiple smaller sections with, ideally, enough pasture to last the horses 4 to 7 days. When starting out you will have to experiment with the size and number of sections. Rotate horses based on the height of the grass and the pasture conditions. Most people use temporary electric fencing when dividing pastures, allowing for easy set-up and being flexible with pasture design. When designing your pasture layout, keep in mind that each section will need access to water. It is also a good idea to have a sacrifice area. This area will be used when the horses have grazed their current area down to the “stop” height and the next area hasn’t had enough time to get to the “start” height. Another reason to use the sacrifice area is when the pastures are too wet or there are drought conditions; allowing horses on pasture that is too wet or too dry can lead to killing the grass. This is also a good area for feeding hay. Below are some examples of pasture layouts.

If you are thinking about trying rotational grazing on your farm, remember to be flexible and be patient! The more effort you put into managing your pastures, the more you will get out of them! If you have any questions about rotational grazing, contact your local livestock agent.

Winter Blues: Cribbing

Photo taken from eXtensionHorses

Cribbing is a vice that involves horses grasping on a surface (often wood) with their teeth and swallowing air.  This behavior can sometimes be confused with wood chewing (where horses gnaw on wooden surfaces either for more fiber or out of boredom), but is much more serious since it can cause horses to lose weight, wear down their top incisors, and become more prone to colic.

Traditionally, cribbing as been considered a stable vice associated with feeding, stabling, and management practices such as:

• Feeding high quantities of concentrate and low amounts of forages.
• Limiting a horse's turnout and grazing/opportunities to socialize with other horses.

While these still could cause cribbing, some studies have shown horses might use cribbing as a coping mechanism for too much stomach acid, ulcers and stress.  The best way to effectively stop your horse from cribbing is to address the cause.

• Reduce Ulcers - If you suspect your horse has ulcers (CLICK HERE for signs and treatments of gastric ulcers), contact your Vet for help making a management plan best suited for your horse.
• Enrich the Stable - Provide toys and multiple slow-feed hay nets to reduce boredom.  You can even try adding a mirror to the stall to stimulate your horse.
• Physical Prevention - Physical prevention is simply eliminating surfaces for horses to crib on.  Add a strand of electric wire along the top of wooden fences, or add a metal edge (most horses do not like to crib on cold metal).  You can also apply a foul tasting topical treatment (such as vinegar in a spray bottle) to wood, but this does eventually wear off so it will have to be re-applied.

Soil Sampling and Fertility

When was the last time you took a soil sample in your pasture?  If you can’t remember, then it is probably time to sample again.  It is recommended to sample every 2-3 years on a sandy soil, and every 4 on a clay soil.  As of today, sample results will be returned about 2 weeks after arriving at the lab.  Remember, there is a $4.00 per sample fee right now.  Samples will be free again after April 1^st, and will remain free through the end of November.

Why is soil sampling so important, and why do it every few years?  Without soil test reports, you cannot accurately provide the nutrients that your pastures need.  Any time an application is made without a soil test, there is a potential that you are throwing money away and potentially even doing harm to your pastures.  Remember, the essential nutrients your horse needs are provided through healthy forage, so if the plants don’t have the nutrients they need, your horse won’t have them either.  Over time nutrients are removed through grazing or leach through the soil profile, and soils will return to lower pH and nutrient levels.  This happens in all soils, more rapidly on sandy soils, and is why nutrient levels and pH should be monitored through regular soils testing.

Be sure to lime your pastures at the recommended rate.  While lime may seem like a large and expensive input up front, especially if it has been a long time since your last application, it is actually one of the cheapest ways to improve your pasture health.  Did you know that when soil pH is not in the proper range that many nutrients are not plant available?  This means without proper liming, your pasture may not have the nutrients that the plants or your horses need, in spite of proper fertilizer applications.  Just check out the chart below to see what I mean:

Nutrients are most available at the pH recommended by your soil test

Source: Crouse, D.A. 2016. Soils and Plant Nutrients, Chpt 1. In: K.A. Moore, and. L.K. Bradley (eds). Extension Gardener Handbook. NC State Extension, Raleigh, NC. <https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients>

Right now is a great time to apply lime since it does take time and moisture to activate in the soil.  Lime can be applied while horses are grazing with no rest period. 

The time to apply nutrients is fast approaching as well, since they need to be applied when the forage is actively growing.  Nitrogen will always be recommended on a grass pasture, and should be applied when grasses are actively growing.  Phosphorus and potassium have the potential to build up in soils depending on soil type, so an application may or may not be needed.  Remember to rotate horses to another pasture when applying fertilizer, and keep them off fertilized pastures until adequate rainfall has washed the fertilizer into the soil.  Micronutrients are supplied in many blends, so if they are recommended, be sure to check the label of the product you buy and supply them appropriately.  Never use a fertilizer intended for a home lawn on pastures.  Homeowner fertilizers often contain herbicides which may not be safe on pastures, and may use slow release nitrogen sources which will persist after rainfall and can be harmful to horses.

When you take a soil sample, once your results return, you have in your hands powerful information which will help you build a healthy pasture and a healthy horse.  Be sure to follow recommendations and make applications at the right time.  Contact your local extension agent if you have questions soil testing, reading the report, or choosing which fertilizer source is right for you.