Campaign circular 167: How to use Pastures, talks about the growth of desirable grasses and legumes; how to avoid overgrazing and simply make the best pasture

Alexander, M. A.

Cole, Philip

Shafer, Neal

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnHistorical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension4-1958CC167 How to Use PasturesPhilip ColeM. A. AlexanderNeal ShaferFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhistThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted forinclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University ofNebraska - Lincoln.Cole, Philip; Alexander, M. A.; and Shafer, Neal, "CC167 How to Use Pastures" (1958). Historical Materials from University ofNebraska-Lincoln Extension. 3138.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3138;~ :. c c 167 UNIVERSITY'OF NEBR. LIBRARY PRODUCTIVE PASTUR EJtjN 1 i( 1988 -~. HOW TO USE PASTURES ~~~~ \~\~ <U ~ Proper Grazing Encourages • Growth of desirable grasses and legumes . • Pasture plants to grow actively throughout season. EXTENSION SERVICE- UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATING W. V.lambert, Director Proper grazing management is essential i£ we exp ect to obtain maxi-mum yields from any pasture. Overgrazing is one of the most common faults in pa ture management. It no t only reduces the yields, but often elimin ates the most desirable pasture plants. GOOD GRAZING PRACTICES l. Use Rotation or Alternate Grazing. Better yields of forage, h ence greater production of milk or meat can be obtained by dividing a p asture into several parts and grazing the parts in rotation. Enough fields should be provided so that each h as a rest of 2 to 3 weeks during the season. Not only do li vestock like fresh forage better a nd eat more of it, but total yields are larger than wh en pastures are grazed con tinuously. 2. Avoid Overgrazing. If there are indications tha t the pasture is being razed too h eavily and is l ike-ly to become bare, take yo ur a ni-mals off the pasture until a vigor-o us growth has started aga in. R e-p ea ted overgrazing (60-70% top growth removed) causes severe re-ductions in root vigor and will r e-sul t in slow regrowth and a gradual thinning of stands. 3. Pro tect New Seedling and New Growth. Livestock should be kept off newly seeded p astures. Even well established pastures should not b e grazed until the vegetation has r eached one-fourth of its normal growth. Stop grazin g in the fall early enough to perm it a good growth of forage to develop. 4. Clip Pastures. Clipping pas-tures following grazing will en-co urage uniform n ew growth and is a definite aiel to weed control. It is desirabl e to leave a 4-in ch stub-ble. 5. Spread Droppings. It is worthwhile to drag or h arrow p as tures to sp re<tcl droppings. T his is pa rti cular] , important wh en gra zing is very intensive. 6. Avoid Extensive Trampling of ]>astures. '"' h en p as tures are ex-trem ely wet, clue to n a tural moisture o r irriga tion, animals should b e feel in dry lot and kept o ff th e p as tures. 7. Have Dry Roughage Available For Animals On Pasture. When lives tock fi rst go on pas ture in the spring, h aving dry roughage avail-a bl e often keeps them "on feed" un-til th ey ge t u sed to the pas ture forage. If bloa t is a problem, dry rough -ages act as a safety factor wh en a nim als a re on pastures containing a large p er cent of legumes. Ma ny tim es bloa t problems can b e solved b y seeing th at anim als are fed d ry roughages befo re go ing on pasture each clay. 8. Use Recommended Varieties. In the u se of Sudan Grass, u se pur e seed of th e Piper and Wheeler varieties . They contain much Jess prussic acid tha n th e Texas Sweet varieties. Use caution wh en gTaz-in g Sudan that h as been stunted by frost or drou gh t. 9. Have Salt and Water Available. All classes of livestock will u tiLi ze pas ture more efficien tly if they h ave free access to sal t a nd wa ter on pasture. R eloca ting sal t a nd wa ter ten ds to give more uniform p asture utili za tion. 10. Avoid Grazing Pasture R e-cently Sp rayed for Weed or Insect Control. Follow the recommenda-tions o( your cou nty ag·en t, weed di stri ct supervisor a nd those named on Ia bel of produ ct used when graz ing pas tures th a t h ave been sprayed recentl y. ·, I ... .. REMEMBER Any pasture must be utilized by efficient livestock in order to be a profitable enterprise. It pays to use high· producing livestock that are efficient forage h arvesters, as they usually h arvestt pas~i1re for·age much more efficiently than low producers .' , •. The proper ·u se of· pastu~<;: i~ only on e phase of pasture management. v\T e:ecl ·c~~trol, ·· fertilizaticm, irrigation, use of temporary pastures;- . ~i:.a?hshme~1t0 _prop_er choice of forage varie ties, i r}&y~t ~ontrql, and• th,~ -'oyerall economics of pasture on your p~rticidar farrii: 1n:! all important factors to consider. Listed b<Jl?w are som e.dfrh e bther publications of this series that ~i/~es~_7ned·,t? hdp,: . .You improve your p asture program. l. Using T emporary Pas tures (CC 164) 2. Establishing Pastures in Nebraska (CC 165) 3. Choice of Perennial Grasses for Forage Produ ction and Erosion Control (CC 166) 4. How to Use Pas tures (CC 167) This circular is a publication of the Pasture Committee of the Nebraska College of Agriculture. It was prepared by Phillip Cole, M. A. Alexander, Neal Shafer, Keith Zoellner and Don Clanton. 

CC167  How to Use Pastures

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-
Lincoln Extension Extension
4-1958
CC167 How to Use Pastures
Philip Cole
M. A. Alexander
Neal Shafer
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for
inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of
Nebraska - Lincoln.
Cole, Philip; Alexander, M. A.; and Shafer, Neal, "CC167 How to Use Pastures" (1958). Historical Materials from University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 3138.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3138
;~ :. c c 167 
UNIVERSITY'OF NEBR. 
LIBRARY 
PRODUCTIVE PASTUR EJtjN 1 i( 1988 
-~. 
HOW TO USE 
PASTURES 
~~~~ 
\~\~ 
<U ~ 
Proper Grazing Encourages 
• Growth of desirable grasses and legumes . 
• Pasture plants to grow actively throughout season. 
EXTENSION SERVICE- UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA 
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND U. S. DEPARTMENT 
OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATING W. V.lambert, Director 
Proper grazing management is essential i£ we exp ect to obtain maxi-
mum yields from any pasture. Overgrazing is one of the most common 
faults in pa ture management. It no t only reduces the yields, but often 
elimin ates the most desirable pasture plants. 
GOOD GRAZING PRACTICES 
l. Use Rotation or Alternate Grazing. Better yields of forage, h ence 
greater production of milk or meat can be obtained by dividing a p asture 
into several parts and grazing the parts in rotation. Enough fields should 
be provided so that each h as a rest of 2 to 3 weeks during the season. 
Not only do li vestock like fresh forage better a nd eat more of it, but 
total yields are larger than wh en pastures are grazed con tinuously. 
2. Avoid Overgrazing. If there 
are indications tha t the pasture is 
being razed too h eavily and is l ike-
ly to become bare, take yo ur a ni-
mals off the pasture until a vigor-
o us growth has started aga in. R e-
p ea ted overgrazing (60-70% top 
growth removed) causes severe re-
ductions in root vigor and will r e-
sul t in slow regrowth and a gradual 
thinning of stands. 
3. Pro tect New Seedling and New Growth. Livestock should be kept 
off newly seeded p astures. Even well established pastures should not b e 
grazed until the vegetation has r eached one-fourth of its normal growth. 
Stop grazin g in the fall early enough to perm it a good growth of forage 
to develop. 
4. Clip Pastures. Clipping pas-
tures following grazing will en-
co urage uniform n ew growth and 
is a definite aiel to weed control. It 
is desirabl e to leave a 4-in ch stub-
ble. 
5. Spread Droppings. It is worthwhile to drag or h arrow p as tures to 
sp re<tcl droppings. T his is pa rti cular] , important wh en gra zing is very 
intensive. 
6. Avoid Extensive Trampling of ]>astures. '"' h en p as tures are ex-
trem ely wet, clue to n a tural moisture o r irriga tion, animals should b e 
feel in dry lot and kept o ff th e p as tures. 
7. Have Dry Roughage Available 
For Animals On Pasture. When 
lives tock fi rst go on pas ture in the 
spring, h aving dry roughage avail-
a bl e often keeps them "on feed" un-
til th ey ge t u sed to the pas ture 
forage. 
If bloa t is a problem, dry rough -
ages act as a safety factor wh en 
a nim als a re on pastures containing a large p er cent of legumes. 
Ma ny tim es bloa t problems can b e solved b y seeing th at anim als are 
fed d ry roughages befo re go ing on pasture each clay. 
8. Use Recommended Varieties. 
In the u se of Sudan Grass, u se pur e 
seed of th e Piper and Wheeler 
varieties . They contain much Jess 
prussic acid tha n th e Texas Sweet 
varieties. Use caution wh en gTaz-
in g Sudan that h as been stunted by 
frost or drou gh t. 
9. Have Salt and Water Available. All classes of livestock will u tiLi ze 
pas ture more efficien tly if they h ave free access to sal t a nd wa ter on 
pasture. R eloca ting sal t a nd wa ter ten ds to give more uniform p asture 
utili za tion. 
10. Avoid Grazing Pasture R e-
cently Sp rayed for Weed or Insect 
Control. Follow the recommenda-
tions o( your cou nty ag·en t, weed 
di stri ct supervisor a nd those named 
on Ia bel of produ ct used when 
graz ing pas tures th a t h ave been 
sprayed recentl y. 
·, 
I ... .. REMEMBER 
Any pasture must be utilized by efficient livestock in 
order to be a profitable enterprise. It pays to use high· 
producing livestock that are efficient forage h arvesters, as 
they usually h arvestt pas~i1re for·age much more efficiently 
than low producers .' , •. 
The proper ·u se of· pastu~<;: i~ only on e phase of pasture 
management. v\T e:ecl ·c~~trol, ·· fertilizaticm, irrigation, use 
of temporary pastures;- . ~i:.a?hshme~1t0 _prop_er choice of 
forage varie ties, i r}&y~t ~ontrql, and• th,~ -'oyerall economics 
of pasture on your p~rticidar farrii: 1n:! all important factors 
to consider. Listed b<Jl?w are som e.dfrh e bther publications 
of this series that ~i/~es~_7ned·,t? hdp,: . .You improve your 
p asture program. 
l. Using T emporary Pas tures (CC 164) 
2. Establishing Pastures in Nebraska (CC 165) 
3. Choice of Perennial Grasses for Forage Produ ction and 
Erosion Control (CC 166) 
4. How to Use Pas tures (CC 167) 
This circular is a publication of the Pasture Committee 
of the Nebraska College of Agriculture. It was prepared by 
Phillip Cole, M. A. Alexander, Neal Shafer, Keith Zoellner 
and Don Clanton. 


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