1 / 27

Pastures for Horses

Pastures for Horses. 2000 Horse Seminar Wautoma, Jan. 15 Marshfield, Jan. 22. Craig Saxe Juneau Co., UW-Ext. 211 Hickory Street Mauston WI 53948 (608) 847-9329. Grazing Formula. Sunlight + Rain + Green Plants = Plant Growth Plant Growth + Grazing Animals = $$$.

ull
Télécharger la présentation

Pastures for Horses

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Pastures for Horses 2000 Horse Seminar Wautoma, Jan. 15 Marshfield, Jan. 22 Craig Saxe Juneau Co., UW-Ext. 211 Hickory Street Mauston WI 53948 (608) 847-9329

  2. Grazing Formula Sunlight + Rain + Green Plants = Plant Growth Plant Growth + Grazing Animals = $$$ The Grazing formula involves: • What’s best for the grass • What’s best for the livestock • What moves you toward your goals!!!

  3. Traditional Pastures are often “Continuously Grazed” This usually means: • Lower yields • Serious weed pressure • Erosion problems • General “poor” management

  4. In Rotational Grazing... • Pastures are subdivided into smaller areas (or paddocks) • A portion of the pasture is grazed while the remainder “Rests” • Paddocks are allowed to: • Renew energy reserves • Rebuild plant vigor • Improve long-term production

  5. Intensive Rotational Grazing... Involves a higher level of management • Greater paddock numbers • Shorter grazing periods • Longer rest periods

  6. S W Traditional Pasture

  7. S W Rotational Grazed Paddocks Corral

  8. S W Intensive Rotational Grazing Corral

  9. S W Exercise Paddock

  10. Monthly forage productionin 2-acre grass and grass-legume pastures animal need Grass Pasture Grass-Legume Pasture

  11. Quality Yield ForageGrowth Curve Best time to graze

  12. Seasonal growth patterns in forages

  13. The Rest Period • Should vary according to plant growth • In general, must increase as growth rate slows • Relates closely to seasonal forage growth • Need to rotate between paddocks every 3-6 days

  14. Relationship of rest period to pasture mass during periods of rapid vs. slow growth Lbs. DM / acre Optimum Rest Period 0 5 10 15 20 25 Period of fast plant growth (days) 0 10 20 30 40 50 Period of slow plant growth (days)

  15. Stocking Rate (animals/acre) • Can use formulas for actual numbers • Thumb rule; one 1000 pound horse per 2-4 acres • Intensive Rotational Grazing = one mature, non-producing horse to 1-1.5 acres • Traditional “Under-managed” pastures = one horse to 5-10 acres

  16. Consider the New Fencing Technology

  17. Useful Life of Fencing Materials

  18. Horses & Pasture • A grass-legume pasture can produce enough to meet the maintenance requirements of most adult horses • In general, horses are more destructive to pasture than cattle • Horses are natural “nibblers”

  19. Horses & Pasture A Pennsylvania study showed horses preferred: • Grasses over legumes • Bluegrass over taller grasses • Clovers over alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil The study also showed that horses’ made satisfactory progress on all pasture mixtures

  20. If at all possiblegraze cattle with horses Because: • It reduces parasitic infestation • Each will eat around the others’ droppings • It assures more uniform use of the pasture • Cattle will graze otherwise wasted feed

  21. Diet Selection of Livestock a A mixture of grass and legumes b Woody material

  22. Pasture Types • Kentucky bluegrass • Very palatable and nutritious • Will withstand close grazing • Produces high-quality turf • Produces less forage per acre then other grasses • Grows slow during hot dry weather

  23. Pasture Types • Orchard grass • If managed, is as palatable and nutritious as bluegrass • Will withstand closer grazing than other tall grasses • Produces more forage per acre then bluegrass

  24. Pasture Types • Legumes • Any legume that is adapted to your area can be used successfully • Are higher in protein • Grow when grasses are going dormant • Nitrogen fixing capacity reduces fertilizer costs Some suggest using only one grass and one or two legumes in a mixture

  25. Grazing Management Tips • For rotational grazing to be successful you must be flexible • If you don’t want to make hay during periods of rapid forage growth, move animals faster • Provide free choice salt & minerals

  26. Grazing Management Tips • Avoid over or under grazing • Clip pastures regularly during the growing season • Drag pastures with a chain link harrow at least once per year • Apply fertilizer as needed (take a soil test) • Re-seed pastures if necessary

More Related