Stewardship through Management Pasture Establishment and Renovation

1. Stewardship through ManagementPasture Establishment and Renovation Special Thanks: Rhonda Miller, Utah State University USDA USDA

2. Goals • Establishment: planting a pasture where there is no existing pasture • Renovation: a series of actions that lead to a long-term change in the plant composition of a pasture USDA ARS

3. Type of renovation • Partial renovation • Rejuvenation or enhancement of existing pasture • Conduct if you have a poor forage stand • winter injury, drought, weed invasion, etc. • Total renovation • Destruction followed by reestablishment of either the same species or another species Species - refers to the type of plant, such as alfalfa, sweet clover, smooth bromegrass, etc. Cultivar - refers to a specific variety within a species. York is a cultivar of smooth bromegrass.

4. Benefits of renovation • Replace old or diseased pasture species with healthy improved varieties • Extend or increase productivity of pasture • Improve quality of forage • Increase animal productivity • Reduce soil erosion • Reduce noxious weeds www.farmphoto.com

5. When to renovate? • Renovate when: • Pasture is in poor condition and even proper management techniques will not improve the pasture to the desired level UNCE, Reno, Nev.

6. Factors to consider when establishmenting forage • Seedbed preparation • Seeding methods • Seeding guidelines • Seeding rates • Costs UNCE, Reno, Nev.

7. Forage establishment • Seedbed preparation • Seed requirements • Tillage • Other forms of seedbed preparation • Fertility and pH USU, Logan, UT

8. Seedbed preparation • Seed requirements • Adequate soil temperature • Moisture • Oxygen • Seed-to-soil contact • Accomplish by creating a • firm, moist seedbed) Your goal: Provide a firm seedbed with just enough loose surface soil for shallow seed placement and good seed-to-soil contact

9. A firm, moist seedbed is essential for: • Proper seed placement • Good soil-seed contact • Successful establishment www.farmphoto.com

10. Seedbed preparation • Deep tillage (plow) • Disc • Roller harrow or cultipacker Proper tillage creates a firm seedbed www.farmphoto.com

11. Seedbed preparation Purpose of tillage • Eliminate existing vegetation • Turn under surface weed seeds • Loosen soil • Incorporate fertilizer • Provide firm seedbed for seeding www.freefoto.com

12. Close clipping or grazing Burning Non-selective herbicides Other forms of seedbed preparation USU, Logan, UT

13. Seedbed preparation: fertility and pH • Base on soil test results • Add lime if pH is low • Add sulfur if the pH is high • Determine a reasonable yield • Add appropriate macro-nutrients • Phosphorus and potassium • Nitrogen

14. Forage establishment Seeding guidelines • Planting windows • Late winter to early spring • Late summer to early fall • Seeding depth • Varies, is species specific • Inoculation of legumes • Ensures proper bacteria present for nitrogen fixation clay.agr.okstate.edu

15. Why forage seedings fail Germination through emergence • Hard seed • Cold temperatures • Improper planting depth • Seed dries out • Crusted soil surface • Toxicity - allelopathic effects, herbicide carryover clay.agr.okstate.edu

16. Why forage seedings fail After emergence • Inappropriate pH • Low fertility • Poor drainage • Drought • Insects • Diseases, winter kill • Inadequate legume inoculation • Competition from weeds/companion crops clay.agr.okstate.edu

17. Forage establishment Seeding methods • Broadcast • Cultipacker • Drilled • No-till • Frost seeding • Companion crop USU

18. Broadcast seeding • Cheapest and easiest method of seeding • Need to drag or pack the soil after spreading the seed • Tilled seedbed • Seed placement not uniform www.modernforage.com

19. Cultipacker seeding • Consists of two sets of rollers with seed boxes between them • Commonly used on tilled seedbeds • Don’t use on heavy soils www.faivre.com

20. Drill seeding • Directly plants each seed into tilled soil at the proper depth • Need to use a forage drill • Grain drills will result in poor seed placement for small forage seeds UNCE, Reno, Nev.

21. No-till seeding • Plants seed directly into existing vegetation • Solid planting • Band planting • Requires a no-till planter • Reduces erosion • Conserves soil moisture • Reduced fuel, labor, and time requirements www.usda.gov

22. Seed is broadcast in late winter on soil surface Freezing & thawing action plus rain will cover seed Works well with red clover Frost seeding www.freefoto.com UNCE

23. Companion crop seeding Advantages: • Can be cut or grazed for feed • Provides a quick ground cover • Helps control soil erosion • Reduces invasion of weeds Disadvantages: • Competes for nutrients, light and moisture • Good management is essential USDA

24. Forage establishment Intermediate wheatgrass seed Seeding rates • Desired stand • Percent pure live seed • Other factors to consider

25. Seeding rates Desired stand varies based on: • Forage species planted • Ability to fill in (rhizomes) • Mixture, pure-stand, companion crop • Availability of water Percent pure live seed (PLS) % PLS = % Purity x % Germination % Purity = % of seed that is the desired forage seed % Germination = % of seed that germinates when planted

26. Forage establishment costs: Tillage http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/ABM/custrates.htm

27. Forage establishment costs: Seed • Grasses - Irrigated (June 2013) • Grasses – Dryland(June 2013)

28. Forage establishment costs Reduced yield as stand establishes: • Spring seeding • Reduced number of cuttings first year • Reduced yield per cutting • Fall seeding • No harvest of new crop during establishment • Reduced yield of previous crop during year of establishment • Ground preparation • Time for establishment

29. Additional factors to consider • Pasture inventory • Land available • Climate • Soil characteristics • Forage use • Livestock • Grazing vs. hay production • Continuous grazing vs. rotational grazing UNCE, Reno, Nev. www.usda.gov

30. Pasture inventory Land available • Grazing land • Water source(s) • Sacrifice area • Hay production

31. Pasture inventory Soil characteristics • Drainage • Water holding capacity Climate • Growing season • Frost-free days • Growing degree days (GDD) • Temperature • Precipitation

32. Forage use Livestock • Different animals have different nutritional requirements and forage preferences • Horses (timothy) • Dairy cattle (perennial ryegrass) • Beef cattle (tall fescue) www.farmphoto.com

33. Forage use Grazing vs. hay production • Which will be your primary use? • Many forages that are good for hay production are not good for grazing, and vice-versa • Upright growth habit - better for hay production • Consider trampling effects www.farmphoto.com

34. Continuous grazing Easy But…yields are reduced Rotational grazing Requires more management and infrastructure But…yields are higher Forage use USDA NRCS USDA NRCS

35. Plant characteristics Grasses Legumes Seasonal growth patterns Disease resistance Forage quality Pure stands or mixtures USDA NRCS

36. Growth habit Bunch Sod-forming Stolon Rhizome Re-growth Jointing Non-jointing Grasses are more tolerant of poor soil conditions But…grasses require nitrogen source Little bluestem Grasses USDANRCS

37. Legumes • Legumes fix nitrogen from the air • Growth habit • Upright (sainfoin) • Prostrate (birdsfoot trefoil) • New growth • Axillary (sweetclover) • Crown (red clover) • Axillary & crown (alfalfa) clay.agr.okstate.edu

38. Seasonal growth distribution ISU

39. Insect and disease resistance and winter hardiness • Genetically inherited traits • Select disease-resistant varieties • Select varieties with good winter hardiness • Consider the intended years of use clay.agr.okstate.edu

40. Forage quality Affects: • Palatability, and thus amounts consumed • Nutritive value • Digestibility • Chemical composition

41. What should I plant? Pure stand Mixture • Advantages • Less nitrogen fertilizer when legumes present • More tolerant of variation in soil conditions • More competitive against weeds • Advantages • Management is easier • Weed control is easier • Disadvantage • Yield can be lower • Disadvantages • Difficult grazing mgmt • If not managed properly grasses will dominate • More difficult weed control www.forages.css.orst.edu

42. Principles for composing mixtures • Keep the mixture simple • Similar maturity date • Similar growth habit • Similar palatability clay.agr.okstate.edu

43. Characteristics of individual grasses & legumes Cool-season grasses • Most productive in the spring and fall • Poor summer production • Bunchgrasses versus sod-forming grasses Crested wheatgrass Smooth bromegrass Western wheatgrass

44. Characteristics of individual grasses & legumes Warm-season grasses • Productive during summer months • Must be suitable for your area • Bunchgrasses versus sod-forming grasses Prairie sandreed Switchgrass

45. Characteristics of individual grasses & legumes Legumes • Fix nitrogen from atmosphere • Some may cause bloat clay.agr.state.edu

46. Summary • Renovation may be partial or total • Partial renovation rejuvenates or enhances parts of an existing pasture • Proper management can aide in partial renovation • Total renovation destroys existing vegetation then re-establishes better vegetation • Plan ahead!

47. Homework • Determine if your pasture requires improvement or renovation • Determine your goals for the improvement or renovation project • Determine the best and most cost-effective method to achieve your goals. • Determine the best plants to use for your area and for your goals.