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Pasture Design… goals

Pasture Design… goals. To develop the farm to take advantage of the principles of plant growth, animal behavior and all of the interactions that influence daily animal performance and acre production?. Pasture Design…. Why is it Beneficial to divide a farm.

philip-mclaughlin
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Pasture Design… goals

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  1. Pasture Design… goals • To develop the farm to take advantage of the principles of plant growth, animal behavior and all of the interactions that influence daily animal performance and acre production?

  2. Pasture Design….Why is it Beneficial to divide a farm • Improved utilization of forage that varies over the farm because of: • soils and landscape • stock camps, excreta distribution • shade distribution • drinking water locations

  3. Pasture Design…cont’Why is it Beneficial to divide a farm • Reduced labor needed to manage animals • health checks • movements • to match feed supply with requirements

  4. Controlling animal density and length of graze period controls uniformity of forage use, level of use, quality of intake, traffic patterns and excreta distribution

  5. Having farm subdivided allows manager to better see how much growth is taking place in each pasture and which should be grazed next. 10 9 8 6 7 5 2 4 3 1 Pad grazed yesterday to desired height

  6. Subdivision for control of feed use and manure distribution

  7. Subdivision to precisely control the intake of forage.

  8. Subdivision to ration daily needs.

  9. Subdivision to partition the feed supply and quality for specific needs. Possible Response to Creep Grazing: 1. Supply is limited 2. Quality is low 3. Species differ

  10. Information needed to design farm layout for grazing. • Farm maps (aerial, soils, topo) • Plant species and the location • Animal type, production cycles and seasonal feed requirements (groups) • Drinking water source/locations • Labor/equipment available

  11. Design Considerations • Animal behavior • preferences for species/landscapes • lounging habits • grazing patterns

  12. Design Considerations • Plant growth responses (all paddocks should provide similar number of days grazing for specific herd) • slope, soil type • aspect or exposure • tolerance to trampling/close graze

  13. Design Considerations • Drinking water • Central location…in each pad • gravity vs pressure systems • delivery rate & tank size • herd vs individual use of tanks… is strongly related to travel distance to water?

  14. Design Considerations • Stream protection • limiting lounging time • limited access to stream • limited stream area • firm footing • vegetation management • endophyte effects

  15. Design Considerations • Paddock Arrangement • convenience for equipment/crop rotations • potential for further subdivision • Paddock Shape • square ….less critical for short graze periods • 4:1 ratio • contour/landscape

  16. Shape of Paddocks.. 10 acres of different shape 660 x 660= 2640’ 330 x 1320 = 3300’ 220 x 1980 = 4400’

  17. Design ConsiderationsBlock vs Pie shape 3126’ fence Barn

  18. Design ConsiderationsBlock vs Pie shape Secondary method of division….. 3266’ of fence Barn Trailing, lounging, grazing patterns

  19. Block vs Pie Shape Design100 acres (8300’ perimeter)Interior fence needed 8300’ 12500’ 4200’ Cross fence needed 19300’ 5900’ 10000’ 1043’ 1475’ 1160’

  20. Design Considerations • Paddock size • depends on length of graze period, animal numbers and forage available in pad • size not as important as productive capacity within and among paddocks • Number of paddocks • based on landscape/specie distribution • subsequently based on use/quality/waste and manure distribution • 6-9 minimum but more gives most control

  21. 3 cross fences provide access to 18 paddocks 6 cross fences = 2.7% of farm Polywire 4 cross fences provide access to 1/24 of farm Six permanent subdivisions provide a 6 pad rotation Hi-tensile Steel Wire Single cross fence provides access to 12 paddocks Six permanent pads can be temporarily subdivided into 36 (or more) divisions.

  22. Design Considerations • Lanes • stability • width • Gates • corners toward working pens, water • Shade • heat stress 85 F • night- day pads • consistency…none or all pads

  23. Firm base, usually large gravel Geotextile cloth Building Good Lanes 1...necessary on dairy 2.. Not so important on meat animal farms Firm and smooth surface

  24. Two days after rain, when cattle had to go to centralized water tank. Topography/soil type influences the need

  25. Position gates so the natural flow of animals move toward pens/barn or water source Wire Post From pens/barn Lane To Pad

  26. Using Farm Maps, color code • Map1 -- Soil types • Map 2 -- Land & suitability classes • Map 3 -- Fences

  27. Using Farm Maps • Map 4 -- Water lines. • Map 5 -- Soil Sampling for testing. Map 6 -- Use this map to indicate the yield potential for each field.

  28. No subdivisions Any Size Farm Layout to use feed, redistribute nutrients, & minimize animal stress.

  29. Priority Subdivision Based on landscape (slope & aspect)

  30. Further Subdivision 7 pastures

  31. 12 pastures

  32. 16 pastures Water tanks

  33. The following maps illustrate how a farm might be subdivided based primarily on landscape position. Note how water/drainage-ways determine the first division. Note how slopes are divided horizontally.

  34. First___ Second___ Third___

  35. First___ Second____ Third____

  36. First____ Second___

  37. First____ Second____ Third____

  38. Major decisions..drinking locations & ditch crossings

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