CURE  >  CURE Farm Map  >  Pasture Management

Introduction
Wise management is the key to healthy and productive pastures. Controlled, rotational, or careful management of intensive grazing has increased forage production for many producers. Landowners that skillfully use livestock to harvest forage can improve soil fertility and promote diverse, dense, and improved pasture ecology. A healthy grazing system with fertile soils and productive pastures will support healthy animals and improved wildlife habitat.

Native Warm Season Grasses
Rotational GrazingMultiple resource benefits cannot be achieved in forage systems with only one grass species orwith multiple species that grow at one period during the year. In general, grasses are divided into a cool season category (examples, tall fescue, ryegrass, orchard grass) and a warm season category (examples, Bermuda, big bluestem, yellow indiangrass), based on period of active growth. The proper mixture and management of warm and cool season grass in a forage system can produce more forage and provide early successional habitat for wildlife species. Native warm season grasses (NWSG) offer excellent forage quality. Research has shown daily weight gains of 2-4 lbs. for various NWSG species and crude protein levels ranging from 8-16%. This high quality forage is available during the months of June and July when more traditionally used fescue has gone dormant. NWSG grasses are more drought tolerant than most other grasses. The root systems of NWSG can extend 10 feet or more into the soil and reach moisture other grasses cannot, and NWSG require very little fertilizer to be productive.

There are a few considerations when integrating NWSG into a forage system. First of all, areas planted in NWSG should not be grazed or hayed for a year after planting. This allows the plant to establish a healthy root system which will pay off with a more productive and drought-resistant stand in the future. Along the same lines, NWSG should not be grazed or hayed below five inches to ensure stand vigor and health. To provide wildlife benefits, the grass should not be harvested after August 1 and should be managed with a prescribed burn in the spring. This management style will not only provide much needed winter wildlife habitat, but it will also allow the grass to store food in the root system which will lead to more rapid, higher quality spring growth. Taking into account these considerations and the need for year-round forage sources, NWSG conversion should be undertaken in stages and should be only a percentage (25-50%) of the total forage acreage. The total percentage converted should be based on a forage management plan.

NWSG in a pasture system has many wildlife benefits. Since it is grazed at a later date, usually June, it provides better nesting habitat for grassland birds compared to cool season grasses. NWSG also provides cover for small mammals such as cottontail rabbits and provides better winter cover for migrating birds during fall and winter months due to its taller heights. Native warm season grasses such as yellow indiangrass, little bluestem, switchgrass, big bluestem, eastern gamagrass, and sideoats grama provide excellent habitat for many species of wildlife. The erect growth pattern of these grasses form “bunches” instead of lying over and forming mats of dead thatch. This “bunch” structure provides overhead cover but still offers exposed soil and ease of movement along the ground for wildlife species. When properly managed, NWSG stands provide quail and other wildlife with winter cover as well as excellent nesting, brooding, and bedding habitat. Forbs species such as partridge pea, bundle flower, and Kobe lespedeza can be added to NWSG plantings to provide further benefits for early successional wildlife.

Native Warm Season Grasses are similar in many ways compared to other exotic grasses such as tall fescue and Bermuda. They both flourish when the PH is close to 6.0. However, compared to cool season grasses and Bermuda grass, NWSG needs much lower fertilizer amounts; thus saving the landowner a lot of money in maintenance costs through time.
Rotational Grazing

Interest in controlled grazing is increasing throughout the United States. Controlled grazing systems are economically feasible and more easily managed because of developments in fencing and water technology. Paddock design must be based on landscape, land productivity, water availability, and the number and types of animals in the system. Producers need to understand all the technology available before going to the expense of establishing a grazing system. A good way to explore the technology and cost is by comparing prices in catalogs and farm supply stores that sell the materials such as fencing and/or water systems.

Rotational grazing simply involves dividing the pasture into several areas; usually three to six are sufficient. Depending on the number of animals and the species of grass and legumes in the pasture system, grazing should be no closer than three inches for most forages. Native warm season grasses (NWSG) should not be grazed under five inches. When grasses reach this point, landowners should rotate livestock to the next paddock and target the recovery period for 30-35 days before the pasture is again grazed. During periods of heavy growth, some areas may be hayed and the forage stored and stockpiled for supplemental feeding during the later part of summer or winter months.

 Cool Season Grasses and Legumes Grazing Dates  Native Warm Season Grasses Grazing Dates
 March – June  June - August
 August – Late October  

Herbicides for Pastures
Managing pasture weeds is a persistent problem that occurs for managers over time. For most pastures, broadleaf weed control is required, and the best results are obtained in early summer when weeds are actively growing or in autumn after precipitation causes renewed fall growth of perennials weeds. Some weeds, particularly deep-rooted perennials such as Canada thistle, may require repeated treatments over time for control. Furthermore, the most important thing to note when using herbicides is to follow the label instructions to stay within the standards of the law and protect livestock.

Reseeding Pastures
When preparing for reseeding a pasture, the manager has two choices for establishment. One choice is the conventional method of plowing and disking the pasture for seed bed preparation, seeding the pasture area, and dragging or cultipacking the area to cover seed. However, due to the length of time, cost, and problem of erosion, this method is not recommended. The best way to reseed a pasture is to use a no-till drill for reseeding (the picture to the right is an example). The landowner should spray the pasture a few days before seeding with a non-selective herbicide such as roundup or a similar generic product before the pasture is drilled. In some cases, simply drill the desired plant seed into the pasture itself. Seeding should be done in April and early May or in late August and September when soil moisture is adequate.
Watering Systems

Landowners today have a number of watering systems available to aid with their pasture management. “Controlled Access Systems” allow livestock to have direct stream access but limits the number of sites. Gravity flow systems, where the water supply is above the water system for livestock, are a good choice when using springs and ponds. Some other choices are electric pumps and solar pumps that operate using electricity from solar power.

The establishment of watering systems in a pasture system can significantly improve water quality. Watering systems can reduce the amount of waste material, nutrients, and sediment that enters into the stream system. Landowners wanting assistance for improving their pastures through fencing practices can get assistance from the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in their County or the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Fencing
Fencing is the key to pasture management. It allows livestock producer to rotate pastures and control livestock and predators. Many types of fences are used to provide a physical barrier to control livestock. They include the cedar rail, stone, page wire, barb wire, suspension, hinge tensile, and board fences. Livestock farms need at least one exterior fence plus interior fences to allow the farm to be subdivided and gated to move livestock from one paddock to the other.

Moveable fences offer flexibility to a grazing system. Electric fencing offers this versatility and is affective and inexpensive compared to other fence types. Electric fencing does not require a permanent gate reducing the landowners cost.

Fencing also provides great wildlife habitat when used to protect streams and rivers from livestock. Controlling livestock movement and removing them for the riparian areas reduces erosion and improves water quality by eliminating waste. The borders created by protecting these areas provide undisturbed nesting areas for birds, small mammals, and other wildlife species. Landowners can improve these areas, especially for Bobwhite quail, by burning or lightly disking these sites every three years. Furthermore, landowners can also help protect wildlife by mowing these areas outside the nesting season (April 15-September 15) and doing so on a rotational basis every two or three years. Landowners wanting assistance for improving their pastures through fencing practices can get assistance from the SWCD in their County or the NRCS.

Summary
Well managed forage systems which include NWSG contribute significantly to the sustainability of a farm operation and address all aspects of pasture management including rotation strategies, weed control, pasture reseeding, fencing, and watering systems. Wildlife can also be benefited through economically viable practices that allow for wildlife cover and benefit livestock management. The key to integrating wildlife habitat into a livestock production operation is to contact a professional wildlife biologist for technical assistance. Check the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s website at for more information.