Developing Goals and Objectives

GRAZING FOR PROFITConsider the impacts of your decisionsFour Primary Processs to ConsiderWater CycleMineral CycleEnergy FlowCommunity DynamicsResource ConcernsSoilWaterPlantAnimalAirHumanEnergy

Water Cycle

Mineral Cycle

Community dynamics is all species or populations living in an area

Aggregate StabilityEnergy Flow Through the Ecosystem

HeatHeatSunProducersConsumers

InorganicDecomposersMineralsHeat

3) Continuous Grazing2) Rotational Grazing1) Pasture with Longer Recovery Period

InfiltrationRunoff

Rainfall SimulatorTilledTilled w/No-Till 3 Grass8 GrassResidueManage Soil Temperature with Cover20 degree difference in area with cover of plant and residue versus tilled soil

When Soil Temperature Reaches (F degrees) :140 Soil bacteria die, soil sterilization130100% of soil moisture is lost through evapo-transpiration10015% of moisture is used for growth85% of moisture is lost 70100% of soil moisture is used for growthSoil Organic Matter and Available Water Capacity Inches of Water/One Foot of Soil

Percent SOM Sand Silt Loam Silty Clay Loam 1 1.0 1.9 1.4 2 1.4 2.4 1.8 3 1.7 2.9 2.2 4 2.1 3.5 2.6 5 2.5 4.0 3.0

Berman Hudson Journal Soil and Water Conservation 49(2) 189 194 189-March April 1994 Summarized by: Dr. Mark Liebig, ARS, Mandan, ND Hal Weiser, Soil Scientist, NRCS, Bismarck, ND What Are The Benefits of Grazing Management?Producer BenefitsIncreased production per acre- increased energy efficiencyIncreased organic matterMore available waterDrought toleranceLower costLess hay neededMore cow comfort

Society BenefitsImproved water quality- lower cost to purify waterImproved soil quality- cheaper than CRP and better soilReduced floodingLess CO2 emissionsLower temperature of environmentMore energy captured

Ending Height is very important!!!Livestock- Grass- Sunlight- Microbe- Farmer

(NRCShttp://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html )This chart has not included earthworms, snails, slugs, and other soil dwelling organisms.

Above ground1200 Dairy cow1 or 5871200 Beef cow2 450Pasture32500Total3018Below groundPasture roots4 2500Bacteria 2052Actinomycetes 2052Fungi 6244Algae 219Protozoa 80Nematodes 62Mites 65Collembola 65Earthworms 624Other fauna 40Total 14003

Adapted in part from Brady and Weil 2002.1. Cow producing 40 lbs milk/day 180 days/acre, 50% of foragestanding crop consumed, 5 rotations/year.2. Cow weaning 600 lb calf 3 acres/year.3. Cool-season grass-clover pasture, 10 inches tall at grazing.4. Roots equal top growth at grazing.Biomass of organisms above ground in the pasture and below ground within the pasture soil. Organisms Standing crop biomass lbs/aReading the Land

Whats the Grazing Prescription?Recovery- RestDisturbance- ImpactCover- Vegetative and/or ResidueFertility ManureC:N Ratio 25:1

Bale Grazing- Creep Grazing HayContinue to get benefits of manure distribution outside of the growing seasonCreep Grazing allows growing animals more choice.

90 hay ring areas = 1 acOrchardgrassGrazing ResponseDr. Ray SmithLaura SchwerTom KeeneMethodsTwo similar orchardgrass plants were chosen from greenhouse.Both were managed the same for 6 months:Clipped ~once per month Supplied with good fertility (N,P, K) and water MethodsLeft plant simulates continuous grazing.Initially clipped to a 1 inch heightThen clipped weekly for the next 4 weeks at a 1 inch height

Right plant simulates rotational grazing. Initially clipped to a 3.5 inch height Then clipped again at 3.5 inches four weeks later

Time lapse photography started at the beginning of the fifth week (day 29) for both plants.

Day 1(24 hours after clipping)1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Day 2

1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Day 3

1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Day 4

1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Day 5

1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Day 6

1 Continuous 3.5 Rotational

Seasonal grazing: Buying light weight stockers in December, Selling heavy weights in August

100 acre Pasture Farm

30 cows, 20 stockers and 30 Goats, 25 tons hay

40 cows 4 day rotation, 30 tons hay40 cows 14 day rotation, 102 tons hay 40 cows 7 day rotation, 65 ton hay40 cows 4 day rotation 20% bermuda, 13 tons hay40 cows 4 day rotation 10% bermuda, 21 tons hayBasic Steps to Improve PasturesFertilize by soil test, hopefully most P and K provided by cycling nutrients through livestockControl weeds hopefully out compete weeds or turn weeds into forbs by using high density short duration grazing or grazing multi-species livestock

33Soil fertility will not control all weeds. Sometimes herbicide is needed.

Top Grazing PracticesGrazing HeightSeeding LegumesHigh Density Short Duration GrazingLime: P and K not NFenceWater ManagementStockpiling tall fescueMulti-Species GrazingTiming: April 1, July 1 and Oct 1Farm Considerations and Layout

Corral as hub, fence for flow of livestock

Determine Acres per Paddock for location of fence and water

Topography ultimately determines location of Watering FacilitiesPermanent fencePermanent fenceWater pointBasic Paddock Layout16 PADDOCK with 4 WATERING POINTS (funneling animals)Temporary fencecorralGate Arrangements16 gates 90 degree = 22.5 gate openingsNo post in centerTo layout stake with string in center where gates swing together2 Gates Four fields if rotational grazed, bungy gates can be different widthsTrails commonly form between water source and feed area

Traditional Pond Potential Diseases

E-coliSamonellaCoccidiosisLeptospirosisFoot rot

AnthraxBrucellosisErysipolisOther

SummaryMost Pastures need Recovery- RestDisturbance- Impact a tool especially at beginning of growing seasonCover- Vegetative and/or Residue most abused, how can you grow grass if you dont capture energyFertility Manure managementJUST DO IT!

Comments- Questions Ruminations?NRCS

Maintain Forages In Vegetative State

Forage Species

Height to begin grazing

Height to terminate graz.

Tall fescue orchardgrass an. Ryegrass sericea lesp.

5-8

3

Bermudagrass

5-8

2

Native warm season, sudan

18

8-10