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May 12, 2005 NDSU Offers Tips to Determine Pasture Grazing Readiness When to start pasture grazing is a major decision livestock producers make every spring. That decision is more difficult this year because of minimal moisture from snow and little to no rain this spring in many areas of western North Dakota. “Livestock producers should closely monitor May and June moisture to help predict forage production potential, compared with normal growth and feed availability,” says Kevin Sedivec, North Dakota State University Extension Service rangeland specialist. “The best technique to optimize forage production is matching the grazing season with plant growth and grazing readiness.” Grasses are most vulnerable to manipulation, such as grazing, when they start growing in the spring. The greatest negative impact on forage production is grazing or clipping grass when insufficient growth in terms of climate and season has occurred. “Grazing a grass prior to range readiness reduces forage production by 20 percent to 70 percent, depending on the timing of grazing in the spring, moisture received the previous fall and spring moisture conditions,” Sedivec says. In a study, early spring grazing reduced late-spring herbage production by 54 percent, maintaining a 26 percent loss of total production during the peak season. “In the study, early season grazing created such a negative impact on herbage production that even when rested from grazing for the remainder of the growing season, production could not reach its potential,” Sedivec says. Grasses in North Dakota reach grazing readiness at the three- to 3 1/2-leaf stage. At that time, the plant is capable of restoring necessary carbohydrate reserves in days instead of weeks, which allows the plant to continue to grow at a normal rate. Exotic cool-season grasses, such as crested wheatgrass and smooth bromegrass, reach grazing readiness in late April or early May. Native cool-season grasses reach grazing readiness from the third week in May to early June, depending on the species. Warm-season grasses reach grazing readiness in mid-June. For ranchers in eastern and central North Dakota, Kentucky bluegrass reaches grazing readiness about mid-May. “Livestock producers need to think about their long-term goals in managing their range resource,” Sedivec says. “Producers should match their grazing management with the timing of grass growth. Producers should add a rotational grazing system to stimulate grass growth, create natural deferment of individual pastures in the spring and build up rest within the rotation to allow for the recovery from grazing.” Producers should monitor May and June moisture levels because those months are the most critical time to grow grass. If precipitation is below normal during the period, forage production also will be below normal. “Livestock producers should start planning today for adding feed or grazing resources while the opportunities are available,” Sedivec says. ### NDSU Agriculture Communication Source: Kevin
Sedivec, (701) 231-7647, ksedivec@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
