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Pasture Management

Pasture Management. Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June, 2002. Establishing New Pastures Varieties or Cultivars to use Fertilization Weed Control Pest Control Grazing Management Prescribed Burning Help. Key to Superb Forage Program.

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Pasture Management

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  1. Pasture Management Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June, 2002

  2. Establishing New Pastures • Varieties or Cultivars to use • Fertilization • Weed Control • Pest Control • Grazing Management • Prescribed Burning • Help

  3. Key to Superb Forage Program Timeliness: the ability to get things done when they need to be done. Match crops to needs. Use the adapted species and variety. Maximize the length of the grazing season. Allow the animals to harvest the forage. Soil test, fertilize, and lime at the proper time and rate. Use of legumes. Grazing methods. Good forage programs don’t just happen, they are planned.

  4. Ranking of yield (3 year average) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of bermudagrass hybrids and relative to Coastal Hybrid Yield IVDMD Coastal 100 100 Tifton 44 87 104 Tifton 78 83 83 Tifton 85 124 111 Coastal 68 91 107 Alicia 96 91 Russell 90 102 Midland 99 101 101 Berlin 92 102 ================================ G. W. Burton, unpublished data.

  5. What’s the best variety of forages for my farm? It depends on location and land type. What component of my feeding program most limits animal production? Bermudagrass Coastal and Tifton 85 Bahiagrass Tifton 9

  6. Estimated Establishment Costs Per Acre Coastal Bermuda in South Georgia Area Lime 1 ton $24.00 Fertilizer N 80 lb 20.80 P 40 lb 8.00 K 60 lb 7.80 Herbicide 15.50 Sprigging 95.00 Machinery 10.81 Labor 7.02 Overhead 18.00 Total Establishment Costs $206.93 Cost will vary, depending on Bermuda variety and acres sprigged.

  7. Nutrient Removal by Selected Crops Nutrient Removal Crop Yield N P K ---------------------pounds-------------------- Bermudagrass hay 8 tons 400 70 300 Corn 120 bushels 115 47 32 Peanuts + vines 2 tons 240 39 185 Wheat grain 60 bushels 70 33 20 Wheat grain + straw 60 bushels 100 40 122 Ryegrass pasture 300 lb. beef 9 7 1 Bermuda pasture 200 lb. beef 6 5 1

  8. Pasture Fertilization Take Soil Samples • Soil sampling • sample to a depth of 2 to 3 inches • take 20 or more subsamples • avoid sampling within 150 feet of watering points, • shade, and loafing areas. Follow the recommendations!

  9. Pest Control Major Pests of Bermudagrass • Army worm • Spittlebug Follow the directions of the recommended pesticides in a timely manner!

  10. Weed Control • Timeliness • Burning • Mowing • Spraying • Use selective herbicide

  11. Prescribed Burning • Another effective management tool • When to burn? • One week prior to green up of bermudagrass • Historical dates for last freeze • March 13 for south Georgia • March 30 for central Georgia • Must contact county forest ranger • Contact local or county public safety offices before burning near roads

  12. Prescribed Burning • What are the benefits? • Eliminate thatch buildup • Thatch reduces light penetration, • which inhibits young stolen growth • Keeps soil temp lower in the spring, • which delays green up by 2 weeks • Thatch layer ties up nutrients • Thatch layer decreases water infiltration • Cleaner first cutting of hay • Weed Control • destroys many annual seeds • destroys woody stemmed perennials (briars)

  13. Prescribed Burning • What are the problems? • Safety • unintentionally burning of woods and homes • Burning too early • grass is more susceptible to late freeze • Burning too late (after green up) • may reduce the stand • may kill stolens on the surface

  14. Managing the Prescribed Burn • Develop a fire plan for the field(s) • location of firebreaks • backfires, headfire line, etc. • location of personnel and safety equipment • Firebreaks • a plowed strip 10 feet wide • a wet break using a strip of small grains • a dirt road or paved road • Have plenty of help • Make sure all personnel know the fire plan • Constant monitoring during and after the • burn

  15. Mowing • Temporary Fix • Labor Intensive • Costs……$8 to $10/acre • Two mowings per season needed • Only top growth eliminated, not entire plant • Regrowth occurs quickly • Forage grasses are mowed along with the weeds • Leaves a large portion of production on the ground • Lost forage is unavailable to livestock

  16. Spraying Use selective herbicide Contact chemical representative (rep) for recommendations Liability involved? Care should be taken; wind-drift etc What crops are your neighbors growing? Grazing restrictions?

  17. Selective Herbicides for Pastures Grazon P + D Plateau

  18. Controlled Grazing A very broad topic Numerous plans • Limit grazing • spares the damaging effects of hooves and bodies • 2 hours is sufficient grazing time

  19. Model Farm - Case Study Item 1996 2000 Change Hay fed per cow 2.5 tons 1 ton - 60% Calving percentage 87% 95% + 9% Stocking rate 0.8 cow/A 1 cow/A + 25 % Total variable costs $219/cow $92/cow - 58% Total fixed costs $42/cow $70/cow + 67% Total costs $261/cow $162/cow - 38% Net return $66/cow $260/cow + 294% Rozier and Linda Wingate, Old Orchard Farm Ellijay, Gilmer County, Georgia

  20. Remember, you are in the grass business first! You decide what works best on your farm, regardless of the species that you raise!

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