This fact sheet was produced by the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Small Acreage Steering Committee. The Governor's WatershedEnhancement Board, the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service funded the project. Media Works of Bozeman,Montana designed the fact sheet. You may reproduce or copy any portion of the text by notifying the Washington County SWCD at (503) 648-3174. Please acknowledge thispublication as the source. Additional permission is needed to reproduce credited pictures.

FactSheetFactSheet

Managing Pastures

NO. 7 JANUARY 1999

Tips for Small Acreages in Western Oregon

Read on to find out how to better manage your pasture...

"PastureManagementshould really becalled 'grassfarming.' Think ofyour pasturegrasses as yourcrop and theanimals as yourmethod of harvest."

- SnohomishConservation District,

Washington State

You can have it all. With properpasture management, you can haveclean water, healthy animals, and athick, vigorous pasture - all at areasonable cost. The first step towardthese goals is to recognize thedifferences between poor and propermanagement.

For people who have just movedfrom the city, a 5-acre farm may seemlike unlimited space. Consequently,many small acreage landowners put toomany animals on too little pasture.Close grazing and trampling can resultin bare ground and cause poor animalhealth, erosion, and nutrient runoff intoditches and streams. Signs of poorpasture management include:

Bare ground fills in with weeds.Large "patchy" pasture with pre-ferred plants overgrazed and weedsundergrazed.Hungry animals chew fence postsand reach through the fence to graze.High browse lines on trees andshrubs.Animals trample streambank, addsediment to water, and widen streamchannel.Gravel is covered with sediment fromeroded pasture.

By managing your pastures, youcan provide clean water and raisehealthy animals. Signs of good pasturemanagement include:

A thick, nutritious sod created fromproper grazing, fertilization, andirrigation.A large pasture divided into severalpaddocks that are rotated and evenlygrazed.A sacrifice area that is used whenpastures are wet or recovering fromgrazing.Animals are fenced away fromstreams and water is provided ineach pasture.Troughs and salt licks are placedaway from wet areas and openwater.Grass and tree buffers are placedbetween the pasture and open water.Gravel is free of sediment andprovides fish habitat.

Grazing for Profit, Not Pollution

Mary Myers, Media WorksMary Myers, Media Works

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2 FACT SHEET NO. 7

Pasture IQDuring a 6-monthgrazing season, howmany acres of pasturedoes it take to providethe forage needs of a...?

a) horseb) cowc) sheepd) llamae) goat

Answers: a) 1 acre, b) 1 acre,c) 1/6 acre, d) 1/4 acre, and e)1/6 acre. Assumes 3 to 4 tonsforage/acre/year. Actualnumbers may vary accordingto pasture conditions,management, and weather.

What Are My Pasture Options?In general, your acreage will point to three pasture options:

1) Exercise lot (1 acre or less).If you have 1 acre or less of pasture or are overstocked (see "Pasture IQ"), usethe pasture as an exercise lot. To control grazing, keep animals in roomy pensmost of the day and exercise them in the pasture for a couple hours. A well-vegetated pasture can serve as a grass buffer between the pens and anywatercourses. Since exercise areas provide little forage, the bulk of feed willcome from hay and grain. Manure will probably need to be hauled away toavoid nutrient overload in soils and bacteria runoff into water. Animals willhave fewer problems from eating soil and poisonous plants.

2) Full-time pasture (1 to 5 acres).If you have 1 to 5 acres and few animals, you can aim for higher forage produc-tion and lower feed costs. Rotational grazing divides one large pasture intoseveral smaller pastures, or paddocks, so that one paddock is grazed while theothers are rested for regrowth. This system requires more management andfencing. If the manure nutrients produced by animals are in balance withforage needs, then most of the manure may be recycled on the pasture. Ahealthy pasture will produce more forage, lengthen the grazing season, andthicken the sod for better soil and water conservation.

3) Hay and pasture field (5 acres or more).If you have 5 acres or more, you can manage for pasture or make hay. Pencilout the costs of haying equipment, custom-harvest, and labor before you decideto make hay. Making hay may not be feasible on small areas. The manurenutrients produced by animals will most likely be less than the forage require-ments. Commercial fertilizer may needed for full forage production.

Spread Fertilizer at the Right Rate,at the Right Time

Excess soil nutrients can wash into water orproduce forages that sicken your animals. A soiltest will give you fertilizer recommendationsthat are tailored to your soils and crops. Send soilsamples to a certified lab and include informationabout whether your pasture is newly seeded or isestablished. If your soil test recommendsfertilizer, then consider spreading manure as anorganic fertilizer and save money! In general:

Nitrogen boosts grass growth.Lime, phosphorus, potassium, and boronbenefit clovers.

You may not need to fertilize your pasture, ifthe soil test shows that there are adequate soilnutrients from animal manure. If you do need tofertilize your pasture, avoid applying fertilizersduring the rainy months. Fertilizers can leach orwash into water and waste your time and money!For more information, see How to Take a SoilSample and Why (EC 628), Pastures: WesternOregon and Western Washington (FG 63), and AList of Analytical Laboratories Serving Oregon(FG 74) at your local Oregon State University(OSU) Extension Service office or online at http://osu.orst.edu/dept/infonet/soilfert.htm.

Barn

Con

finem

ent

Pasture

Pasture

Pasture

Pasture

Layout of an Intensive Grazing System

Before Subdividing Pastures

After Subdividing Pastures

Pasture

Pasture

House Barn

Permanent FenceGateWaterLane

LEGEND

Hom

esite

Are

a

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MANAGING PASTURES - TIPS FOR SMALL ACREAGES IN WESTERN OREGON 3

Rotational Grazing: Graze the Best, Leave the RestProper grazing can increase grass

growth. When grass is grazed before itproduces a seed head, the plantremains at a "young" stage andsprouts nutritious side shoots. Oncegrass matures and produces a seedhead, it will stop growing and be lesspalatable or nutritious.

Severe grazing kills most plants.In a large, single pasture, animals willgraze "cafeteria style." This meanslivestock will eat the young, palatableplants and leave dried out stems, lesspalatable grasses, and weeds. Oncelivestock graze palatable plants lowerthan 2 to 3 inches, these plantsdecline and die. Consequently, weedsare left to take over. This processhappens slowly and most people won'tnotice that a pasture is declining.

To maintain preferred plants and tocontrol weeds, try rotational grazingor management intensive grazing(MIG).Here's a brief description of how itworks. Divide a large pasture intoseveral, smaller paddocks. (Temporaryelectric fencing is an easy and low-costway to subdivide the pasture intopaddocks.) Rotate livestock throughthe paddocks, by turning livestock in apaddock when grass reaches 6 to 8inches, and moving them out whengrass is grazed down to 2 to 3 inches.The "former" paddock is given a restperiod for regrowth and the animalsare started on a "new" paddock.Through this system, preferred plantsand weeds are evenly grazed and weedsare less likely to form seeds and spread.

The resting period is critical forgrass recovery and regrowth.Pastures may need a regrowth period oftwo to three weeks in the spring, yetrequire six to eight weeks in the latesummer and fall. This follows the oldadage: fast growth, fast rotationthrough paddocks. Slow growth, slowrotation. Rotational grazing takes abit more management, but it pays inhealthy animals, healthy pastures, anda thick, non-eroding sod for a healthyenvironment. For more information,see the "For Help" section at the end ofthis fact sheet.

To Plant or Not to PlantIf you're ready to reseed, then you

must dislike what is in your pasture.However, what is in your pasture iswhat will grow under the currentmanagement conditions! Reseeding,without changing management, is anexpensive and ineffective practice thatmay result in the return of the oldpasture. Identify the plants present. Ifenough grasses exist, try to improvethe pasture with these practices:

Good grazing managementLime and fertilizationIrrigation management

If the pasture does not improveafter better management, then reseed.Common pasture plants in westernOregon are orchardgrass, perennialryegrass, tall fescue, subclover,Dutch white clover, and NewZealand white clover.

Some commercial seeding mixtureshave a variety of grasses and legumesand use a "shotgun" approach with thehope that something will catch. Thesemixtures are hard to manage becauseeach species has different growingseasons and livestock appeal. Theresult of such a mixture will give you apatchy-looking pasture with someplants overgrazed and othersundergrazed. In general, a mixture ofone grass and one legume that isadapted to your site is recommended.For more information, see Pasture andHayland Renovation for WesternWashington and Oregon at your localOSU Extension Service office.

Notice how the rootmass of these grassesdecreases in pasturesthat range fromexcellent to good topoor condition.

Excellent Good Poor

Ada Soil Conservation District

UW-Extension

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4 FACT SHEET NO. 7

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability,political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternativemeans for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,D.C., 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.

"So that's what hay lookslike."

- Queen Mary

Craig Schellsmidt, OACD

Pasture CalendarHealthy, unstressed plants will begin to grow earlier in the spring,

produce more during the summer, and continue later in the fall. To get themost out of your pastures:

In spring - rapid spring growth produces up to half the annualproduction

Start animals early on firm, well-drained pastures.Graze fields 1 to 2 times in the early spring and hay later.Put animals in when grass is 6 to 8 inches. Take them out when grass is2 to 3 inches.Make hay or bring in additional animals to take advantage of increasedgrowth in the spring.

In summer - slump dries up nonirrigated pastureLeave more than 3 inches of grass to cool ground and conserve moistureon hill pastures.Mow to remove weed seed heads, and drag a chain to expose parasites inmanure droppings.Spot-spray troublesome weeds, following label directions.Irrigate pastures and fertilize as necessary to increase production.Feed hay and grain to rest a cool-season pasture that is not irrigated.Graze dormant pastures low enough to expose the plant crown to fallrains.

In fall - rains restart pasture growthGraze animals on fall growth and leave at least 3 inches of grass.Test soil fertility and pH for pastures to be seeded next year. Lime ifneeded.Take animals off pastures by November 1 if soils are wet or grass is short.

In winter - wet soils signal pasture restTake animals off of wet soils and confine them to the animal yard or awell-drained pasture. This is one of the most important things you can dofor wet pastures. Deep hoof prints and a chopped up ground surface aresigns that soils are too wet to pasture. Saturated soils are common fromNovember through March.Use grassed buffer strips around animal yards. The grass will trapsediments and nutrients that may runoff from this area.Use controlled grazing on well-drained pastures where grasses are ac-tively growing. Light cattle or sheep will control winter annual weeds.Graze no lower than 3 inches.

The local soil and water conservation district and USDA-Natural Re-sources Conservation Service may provide on-site advice on pasturemanagement, fencing, and stockwatering. Check the blue pages underFederal Government in the phone book for an office near you.Oregon State University Extension Service offers publications, work-shops, and over-the-phone assistance on pasture management and pro-duction. Check the blue pages under State Government in the phone bookfor an office near you.

ForHelpForHelp

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