Pasture Management and Evaluation

An integral part of good pasture management is understanding the role of plant and animal interactions as well as their influences on pasture production. The ultimate goal of pasture management is to efficiently convert forage into a saleable animal product. Factors considered in good pasture management include grazing systems, stocking rates and livestock management.

There are several grazing practices that can be employed, no one is best for all; it is dependent on each individual operation. A successful grazing system should be flexible, simple and based on the proper use of forage material. Factors to consider are grazing frequency, intensity, timing and duration, all to ensure the health and productivity of the pasture. 

To determine the stocking rate of a pasture the forage yield and feed requirement of a herd must be evaluated. Overgrazing and under grazing are common problems in a pasture and result in pasture depletion and reduced animal output.

Proper surveillance of the pasture system is another important component of pasture management. Evaluation of factors such as pasture fertility, weed infestation and re-growth is vital to making the right management decisions and reaching optimal production.

In order to achieve sustainable livestock production, operations rely more on growing forage as a primary feed source. Using appropriate forage cropping systems can reduce production costs and off-farm inputs while establishing a strong soil resource. Proper management of this forage such as species selection and suitable grazing practices allows this to be a renewed resource and ensures that farming remains a viable living for generations to come.

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