Since the earliest records of man his domestic animals have secured a large proportion of their forage from pastures. Before crops were planted and harvested by man the wild grasses furnished the chief food for numerous kinds of animals, and the cutting and curing of hay came as a later development to supplement natural pasturage in seasons of scarcity

Harris, F. S.

English

DigitalCommons@USU

Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU UAES Circulars Agricultural Experiment Station 11-1913 Circular No. 15 - Pastures and Pasture Grasses for Utah F. S. Harris Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/uaes_circulars  Part of the Agricultural Science Commons Recommended Citation Harris, F. S., "Circular No. 15 - Pastures and Pasture Grasses for Utah" (1913). UAES Circulars. Paper 11. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/uaes_circulars/11 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Agricultural Experiment Station at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in UAES Circulars by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@usu.edu. Utah Agricultural College ·EXPERIMENT STATION . Circular No. 15 . Pastures and Pasture Grasses for Utah By F. S. ~ARRIS Logan. Utah, November. 1913 PRESS OF . THE F . W. GARDINER CO. SALT LAKE UTAH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES. LORENZO N. sTOHL ____ ____ ________ : ___ _________________________ ___ ____ ______ _____ ___ ____________ Brigham THOMAS SMART ______ __ _ :__ __ __ ___ ________ ____ __ ____ _____ :____ ______ ____ __ ___ ___ __ ____ ___ ___ ____ _____ Logan JOHN Q. ADAMS ____________ __________ ___________ ______ _____________ __ __________ ____ ____ ________________ Logan ELIZABETH C. ' McCUNE. ___________ _____ ___ ____________ __________ ___ ______ _____ Salt Lake City J. W. N. WHITECOTTON ______ ____________ ________ ____ ________ ________ __ _____ ___ ________________ Provo JOHN DERN ______________ __ _______ __ ____________ ___________ __ _____ _______ __ ________________ Salt Lake City i~~~SC.T~~:r~HT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~ :: ::::: :::::::::::: :::::: :: :::::~_~~~ ___ ~~~~g~i~~ J. M. PETERSO N _________________ ______ ______________ __ ________ __ ___________ __ __ __ _____________________ Richfield HAZEL L. DUNFORD ______ __ _________ ______ ____ ____ . _________ __ ___ ___ _____ ______ _____ Salt Lake City GEO. T. ODELL __ __ _______ ____ __ ___ ______ __________ ______ __ __ __ ____________ ____ ____ ________ Salt Lake City JOSEPH QUINNEY, JR.---- ---------- ------ ---- ------ -- -- -- ------------ ---- _________ __ ' __ ___ : ______ Logan DA VID MATTSON, Secretary of State, Ex-officio ____ __ ______ Salt Lake City OFFICERS OF THE BOARD. LORENZO N. STOHL _____________ ____ ____ ______________ ___ _ · ______ ___ ___ ____ ________ ______ __ _____ President ELIZABETH C. McCUNE ___ ____________ ________ ____ ____ __________ ___ ____________ Vice-President JOHN T. CAINE, JR. _________ ___ ___ ___ __ ___ __ __ _____ Recording Secretary and Auditor JOHN L. COBURN ___________ . ____ __ _______ __ ___ __ __ __________ ___ _______________ Financial Secretary ' ALLAN M. FLEMING _________ ~ __________ ____ ____ __ _______ ___ ____ _____ ________ _______ __ __ < ___ __ Treasurer EXPERIMENT STATION STAFF. J. A. WIDTSOE, Ph. D., President of the College. E. D. BALL, Ph. D. ______ ______ _________ _______________________________ ----- ------------ _______ __ ______ Director H. J. FREDERICK, D. V. M. _________ _______ __ _______ ______________ ____ __________ ___ Veterinarian ROBERT STEWART, Ph. D. __ ________ ___ _______ Assistant Director and Chemist E. G. TITUS, Sc. D. ____________________ ___ , ____ ______ __________________ -- ---------------- ____ Entomologist L. D. BATCHELOR, Ph. D. ______________ __________ ____ __________________ __ ____ -- ____ Horticulturist F. S. HARRIS, Ph. D. __________ ______ __ _______________ __ ___ ______________ ----- --- ------ ________ Agronomist j.' i: rik~SJv:~: ~h._ - -D::::::::::::: ::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : ::: ::: ::::::::::::::::e~~~~~:~:~ w. E. CARRO LL, M. S. _________ ____________ __ ____________ __ __ __ ________ Animal Husbandman BYRON ALDER, B. S. _______ __ __ ____________ ___ ___ __________ _________ ____ ---- ____ _____ ..... __ Poultryman G. R. HILL, JR., Ph. D .. ____ _________ __ _____________________________ ___ __ __ __ ___ _ Plant Pathologist JOHN STEWART, B. S. __ __ ____ ______ ____________ __ ______________ ______ ________ Associate Chemist C. T. HIRST~ B. S .... _ ........... _ .. _. _____ . _____ .. ____ ____ ______ ________ ___ _ .__ ._._Assistant Chemist ARCHIE EGBERT, D. V. M. ___ _____ ____ _______ __ __________ _____ ____ Assistant Poultryman H. W. STUCKI, B. S. ___ _ .___ ___ _____________ . ____ __ __ ____ _______ ___________ .Assistant Agronomist H. J. MAUGHAN, B. S. ____ ___ _____ . ___ ______ _ .. __ . ___ _____ __ ___________ .Assistant Agronomist J. I. LAURITZEN, B. S. __________ _______________ _____ . _________ Assistant Plant Pathologist B. L. RICHARDS, B. S. ______ .. ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ ___ _____ ___ Assistant Plant Pathologist GEORGE STEWART, B. S. ____ ___ __ ____ __ . _________ __ ___ .. _________ .Assistant Agronomist C. Y. CANNON, B. S. __ .______ ___ ___ ______ ___ ____ ___ __ __ _______ ___ Asst. Animal Husbandman H. SWEITZER, B. S .. ______ ____ _____ ____ ____ _____ _______ __ ____ ______ ____ Assistant Horticulturist LESLIE A. SMITH, B. S. __ ______________ ______ _____ ___ ____ ______ __ Assistant Bacteriologist VIO LET G REENHALG H __ __ _________ ___ ________ __ _______________ ____ ._.Clerk and Librarian IN' CHARGE OF CO-OPERATIVE INVESTIGATIONS WITH U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ·W. W. McLAUGHLIN, B. S. _________ ___ __________ _______ _____ __ ________ Irrigation Engineer L. M. WINSOR, B. S. _________ ~ -----:---- -- - : ---------- - --.-- ------ -- ---- ___ __ Irrig~ti<?n Eng~neer _R. A. HART, B. A .. _. __ __ _______________________________ : ______ ___ ______ ____ ________ Dramage Engmeer A. D. ELLISON. B. S. ____ ____________________________ ___ __ _________ __ _____ _ Assistant Agronomist Pastpres and Pasture Grasses for Utah By F. S. HARRIS Since the eadiest records of man his domestic animals have secured a large proportion of their forage from pastures. Be- ' fote crops were planted and harvested by man the wild grasses furnished the chief food for numerous kinds of animals, and the cutting and curing of hay came as a later development to supplement natural pasturage · in seasons of scarcity. At the present time there is a great difference in the prom-inence given to making and keeping pastures in various regions. In sdme places the land is natlJrally covered with a heavy growth of grass. V nder such conditions it is easy to maintain good permanent pastures. Under other conditions first class pas-tures are obtained only as a result of much effort, and th~ir proper maintenance requires constant attention. Arid regions do no( usually have the best pastures with-out the aid of irrigation. The na~ive grasses on the range grow well during only a small part of the year, ·and none of the cul-tivated grasses have been found that can be depended on to make satisfactory growth on the range du'ring the dry season . In speakil!g of pastures, in Utah, therefore, we mean the grass raised with irrigation water, or on low moist land, and not the natIve vegetation of the open range. It is doubtful if the farmers of Utah have g iven sufficient attention in the past to making good pastures. There are prob-ably a number of reasons for this: First , alfalfa hay has been so easily produced in the state; and second , there has been so much public land on which the farm ariimals could be turned to graze duri~g the summer. As the state grows in population hay will become more expensiv.e, and as the public land is taken up the farmer will be confined more and more to his own prem-ises. These conditions will make almost necessary the devel-opment of good pastures to furnish summer feed that was pre-viously obtained from public land and the plentiful supply of alfalfa. 36 CIRCULAR NO. 15 A certain amount of pasturage is desirable under most any condition. It makes a cheap way of feeding stock during tr..e summer season when farm work is rushing. Good pasturage also helps to keep the animals in good health as well as greatly adding to the profit of milch cows. There is no hay that can compete in cheapness with pasturage for summer feed. GRASSES. The list of tame and wild grasses that are used for pastur-age is very long, but only a few leading varieties are of sufficient importance to discuss in any detail. Those considered are suited to the conditions of the average irrigated farm in Utah. A grass to be good for pasturage should have a leafy growth and should form a ~ompact ' od that i not easily destroyed hy the tramping of animals. Kentucky Blue-grass (Paa pratensis) is by far the' mO .~ t important pasture grass in America, although it is .not as good for hay production as a number of others. It preads rapidly without eeding and will usually run out other plants on O'ood soil. It is slow in developinO', so is rarely sown alone. It beO'ins growth very early in the spring, but 90es not produ ce much during the hotte t part of the snmmer. Its seed is ratl~er ex-pensive and i . of ten low in germination. From 1 to 10 pounds of seed are own to the acre, depending on the other gra es in the mixture: Canada blue-grass seed (Paa campressa) is often used to adulterate the eed of Kentucky blue-gras as it is very difficult to di tino'ui h between the two. The Canada blue-gras does not produce as well as the other, but ·is better adapted to poor land. It is probable that the mo t pa ture grass mixture for Utah hould contain Kentucky bluc-O'rass . Timothy (Phleum pratense ) is one of the most important pasture gra ses as well as hay ·grasses . One advantaO'e in using it is the cheapne s of seed . . It" al 0 produces O'ood feed soon after being sown. It needs a good oil and a fair amount of water. I n permanent pastures it is usually later di'splaced bv other grasses, but it furnishes much feed while the others are getting established. It is one of the best grasses for temporary pastt~res that go into the regular rotation. For hay it is usually grown with red clover. Timothy seed weighs 4j pounds to the bushel. Where it is sown alone or is the chief grasSi, from 10 to 15 PASTURE GRASSES 37 lv )unds of seed are sown to the acre, and the amount reduced 2.ccording to the other grasses used. Redtop (A,qrostis alba) is particularly well suited to wet, poor land. As a grass for hay it ranks second to timothy in the country, although its hay is not as good as timothy. The seed is not expensive, and if well cleaned weighs about 35 pounds to the bushel. When sown alone from 12 to 18 pounds to the acre are used. Rhode Island Bent ( A .qrostis canina) is closely related to ~edtop , and is ad~pted to the same conditions of soil and climate. It has been used with success in U tah in pasture mixtures, es-pecially on low, wet lands. Smooth Brome· Grass (Bromus inermis) is particularly well suited to a rid cw nditions. It was introduced from the plains of Russia a few years ago, and has been ex tensively used in the drier climates for both hay and pasture. After it has been grown on the same land for a number of years it becomes root bound and un'fitted for hay production, although it may continue 10 produce good pas~urage. When sow n alone about 15 pounds of seed are used to the acre. Orchard Grass (Dact1flis qlomerata ) is a tall tufted grass, g rowing best in a deep rich soil, although it may produce fairly well on a poor soil. It is a good grass t o go in pasture mi~ture"s and is sometimes sown with alfalfa. The seed is rather high priced and often adulterated . Good seed w eighs about 20 pounds to the bushel, and rarely more than 15 · pounds of seed are planted to the acre. Tall Meadow Fescue (Festuca elatior ) is a bunch grass which is ' about as stoleniferous as timothy . It takes practically three years for it to form a good sod. Th e seed is rather ex-pensive and it is subje'ct t o ru st. It is a good g rass to go into a pasture mix ture. It is one of the most important of th e grasses grown in Europe. The Rye Grasses (Lolium perenne and L olium italicum) are the most important g rasses of E urope, but are not so much used in America. They have been found, hO'wever, to give fairly good results on some of the irrigated lands of th e "Vest , especia lly w hen included in pastures. The seed of the rye grasses weigh about 20 pounds per bushel and as high as two or three bushels of seed to the acre are sometimes sown · if 38 CIRCULAR NO. 15 planted alone. In mixtures the amount decreases in 0 propor-tion to the other seed used. Tall Meadow Oat-Grass (Arrhenatherum avenaccum) is. not of very great importance in the United States, although it grows well in some regions. Its chief recommendations are that it will grow in warmer and drier climates than timothy; it is. easy to secure a stand and continues productive for many years~ It is not as well liked by stock as many of the other grasses. Red or Medium Clover (TrifoliurIJ p~atense) is grown ex-tensively in many parts of the United States and is very often planted with timothy. The medium and mammoth red clovers. have seed that look alik~ and the plants are very similar except that the mammoth grows larger and matures later. The red clover seed that, is purchased is often a mixture of the two. Red clover requires a good 0 soil that is well drained. 1ts seed weighs 60 pounds to the bushel. About 10 pounds to the acre are used if sown alone, or from 6 to 8 pounds if sown with timothy. Alsike Clover (Trifolium h'l/bridum) is usually raised on wet soils. where red. clover will not grow. I t is often mixed with the 0 red clover on poor soils. It is not advisable to raise it alone, except for seed, when about 8 pounds of seed to the acre are used. ' White Clover (Trifolium repens) has no value as a hay, but is good for pastures, as it readily fills the place not occupied by other plants. It grows close to the ground, and spreads rapidly by its stems taking root. It makes a very good supple-ment for Kentucky blue-grass. Only a small amount of seed is needed °as it quickly adjusts itself to the plants with which it is growing. MIXTURES. No single grass is best for all soils arid climates, each having its own good qualities that make it suitable for special condi-tions. 01 t is usually better to have a mixture of grasses in a pasture than anyone kind for a number of reasons. Each kind of plant occupies a slightly different root zone, so a number of kinds growing together can more effectively utilize the entire soil. Some seasons are favorable for one kind of grass while during a different season another kind will do better. 0 A mix-ture, therefore, gives a 'more even production from year to year than ariy one kind. All fields are somewhat irregular in their · ·PASTURE GRASSES 39 soil, so if a mixture is planted there is a chance for each grass to make the greatest development on the soil for which ·it is· best suited. Grasses mature at different seasons of the year, so where the proper mixture is used there will be one grass or another growing through most of the summer, instead of at just one period, as would be the case if a single grass were used. Grasses to be cut for hay should mature at the same time, but those used for pastures should have a different season of de-velopment . . The question of just what mixture to plant will depend entirely on local conditions. The variations in kind and amount · of seed. that might" be used are almost without number. Only a. few standard mixtures will be given, and the farmer can judge from these what to use for his own conditions. A mixture used with success on the good soils of the East is as follows: Timothy 10 pounds, Red clover 4 pounds, Alsike clover 3 pounds, White clover 2 pounds, Kentucky blue-grass 3 pounds, Tail meadow fescue 2 pounds, Orchard grass2 pounds. For poor land in the humid sections the followit:J.g is often used: Timothy 5 pounds. Redtop 5 pounds, Alsike clover 5 pounds, White clover 2 pounds. At the Utah Station Prof. L. A. Merrill and others have ex-perimented with a number· of mixtures of grasses under irriga- . tion, and as a result the following are recommended: For bench lands under irrigation: Kentucky blue-grass 12 pounds, Bromus inermis 8 pounds, · Perennial rye-grass 6 pounds, Orchard grass 3 pounds, White clover 2 pounds, Red clover 2 pounds, Alfalfa 2 pounds. 40 CIRCULAR O. 15 For light sand y soils under irrigation : Kentucky blue-grass 8 pounds, Meadow fescue 12 pounds, Tall meadow oatgras 5 pounds, Bromus inermus 8 pou nds, White clover 2 pounds, For low moist lands : Perennial rye-grass 8 pound , Redtop 10 pounds, Rhode I e;land bent grass 4 pounds, Meadow fescue 4 pounds, Timothy' 2 pounds. Isike clover 5 pounds, White clover 2 pound s. PLANTING. In planting pa tures g reat care should be taken with the seed bed in order to get a good sta·nd. Thi is 'much more im-portant than with the ordinary annual crops, as the pasture remains a number of years. The soil should be fine and, at the time of planting, should be moist. Most of the pasture grasses can be sown in either fall or spring. ·If planted in the fall, it hould be early enough to get a good start before winter set in. vVhere planted w ith a nurse crop the grass is usually planted in the early pring. In re o-ions having summer rains the late spring is a o'ood time for plantin·g . It is difficult to get an even stand of grass by hand seeding, so some form of machine is recommended. The ordinary grain drill often has a OTa s seed attachment. The depth of planting depends on the nature of the soil and the s ize of the eed. The small seed hould be planted very hallow. The common practice of u ing the poorest land of the farm for the pa ture, because' it will produce nothing el e, i often unwise. The pastur~ crop, if it i to be entirely ucce sful , must have good oil. CARING FO:R PASTURES. Pastures often fall into ill repute on account of their lack of receiving proper care. 'Stock naturally select the 1110 t desirable plants and keep them eaten off, leaving the unde irable kinds to grow and produce seed . This in time will cause the pa ture to PASTURE GRASSES 41 deterioriate unless it is mowed before the weed and undesir-able grasses have a chance to mature their seeds. If proper care is taken there is no need for a weedy pasture. Pastures should not be grazed too clos,ely, as the crop will be injured thereby, and since the plant makes most of its food in its leaves .much more forage will be produced in a day if the grass is not eaten too close. This can in part be obviated by dividing the pasture into fields and allowing one field to grow while another is being g razed. There is a dang-er from turning 'stock onto the pa ture when the land is too wet. The grass is tramped into the ground and ,the oil puddled by the animals' . feet. Grass responds readily to fertilizing, so any barnyard manure that is spread over the pa ture-will g ive good returns. It is a good thing to run a brn h d~ag 'o r orne other implement over the pa ture once in a while to break up any little piles of manure ' there may be, as animals do not like to eat .the grass in such 'places, Many pasture are al 0 benefited in the spring by the nse of a more evere implement uch as the pike tooth or sp rin g tooth harrow. If tah farmers· will u e proper judgment in selecting land and g rasses and will care fo r their pastLlres after they are planted, there can' be no doubt that the agriculture of the state w ill be improved by the planting of m ore pa tures even on expensive irrigated land. Contentment Testing Pasture Grasses at th e Utah Experiment Station 

Circular No. 15 - Pastures and Pasture Grasses for Utah

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=uaes_circulars

Circular No. 15 - Pastures and Pasture Grasses for Utah

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

DigitalCommons@USU