2015 WINTER WEBINAR SERIESPASTURE MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCERS

PART I: PLANNING A PASTURE SYSTEM

SUSAN SCHOENIAN & JEFF SEMLER – UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION

PASTURE MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCERS

Date Time Topic

I. February 4 7 p.m. EST Planning a pasture system

II. February 11 7 p.m. EST Pasture plants, including alternative forages

III. February 18 7 p.m. EST Pasture and grazing management

IV. February 25 7 p.m. EST Pasture nutrition

V. March 4 7 p.m. EST Pasture health problems

INSTRUCTORS

• Susan Schoenian, Small Ruminant Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

• Jeff Semler, Extension Educator – Washington County, MD

PLANNING A PASTURE SYSTEM• Goals

• Farm Resources

• Management System

• Be Flexible!

WHAT ARE MY GOALS FOR THE PASTURE SYSTEM?

• Establish well-thought out goals to direct the development of your system.

• These strategies will be unique to your own operation.

• Evaluate and update goals annually.

EXAMPLES OF GOALS

• Increase livestock numbers.

• Increase forage availability.

• Improve animal performance.

• Reduce feed costs or labor.

• Reduce soil erosion.

RESOURCES

• Permanent

• Semi-Permanent

• Variable

PERMANENT RESOURCES

• Humans

• Land

• Water Bodies & Sensitive Areas

• Existing Buildings

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Most overlooked and undervalued.

• Who?

• How many?

• #1 limiter to success.

LAND

• Acreage

• Soil Type

• Slope

• Aspect

ACREAGE

• How much is enough?

• Availability.

• Permanency.

SOIL TYPE

• Well Drained.

• Droughty.

• Wet or Boggy.

• Productivity.

SLOPE & ASPECT

• Flat or Steep

• Which way do my slopes face?

WATER BODIES & SENSITIVE AREAS

• Ponds, Springs, Streams

• Boggs

• Seasonal Springs

• Sinkholes

• Wooded areas

EXISTING BUILDINGS

• Headquarters

• Handling facility

• Shelter

SEMI-PERMANENT RESOURCES

• Water Supply

• Permanent Fences

• Trees

VARIABLE RESOURCES

• Forages

• Livestock

• Temporary Fences

• Laneways

• Management System

FORAGES

• What are the existing forages?

• In what condition are the forages?

• What is the seasonal distribution?

• Quality Forage Comes From Planning, Not By Luck

LIVESTOCK

• Specie

• Number

• Class

TEMPORARY FENCES

• Type

• How many?

• Livestock

LANEWAYS

• Semi-permanent

• Width

• Base

• Surface

• Contour

• Crown

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• Continuous grazing

• Simple rotational grazing

• Intensive rotational grazing

• Mob grazing

• Strip grazing

• Creep Grazing

• Targeted or prescribed grazing

QUESTIONS?

• Jeff Semler

• jsemler@umd.edu

• Susan Schoenian

• sschoen@umd.edu

NEXT WEBINARWEDNESDAY, FEB 117 PM EST

TOPICPASTURE PLANTS, INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE FORAGES