Some Quick Pasture Management Tips

   Pasture management is very important, whether it is for horses, livestock or harvest. Many parts of the country have had even more pressure put on this year from prolonged hot temperatues and drought. By following some basic tips, you can have the best pasture possible. When it comes to horses, growing a good pasture means you need to be mindful of everything from manure management to rotation.

   The Horse.com provides the following quick pasture management tips:

"Basic pasture management is relatively simple, but requires diligence and some knowledge on the horse owner’s part.

Pasture rotation is the best and most effective pasture management technique. By not allowing your horses to graze down the grass to the root, you maintain a healthy root system in the grasses. This helps to avoid bare patches and will allow the grass to spring back more quickly. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service advises, “Add and remove animals at the correct times to obtain optimum nutrition, rapid forage regrowth, and stand persistence.”

Consider creating a “sacrifice space” for when all of the pastures are overgrazed and/or in the growing phase. This area can be smaller than the other pastures and will end up with large bare patches and poorer quality grass. You might find that this sacrificial pasture is also a great place to keep your horses throughout the winter months in order to let your larger pastures go completely dormant throughout the winter.

Mow your pasture periodically to aid in both weed control and grass health. While this might seem counter-intuitive, the mowing knocks down the plants that your horses have decided to avoid and allows the tender shoots of forage that your horse prefers to snack on."

   Read the entire article: The Grass is Always Greener: Quick Pasture Management Tips

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