Equine Pasture Management

Transcription

1 Equine Pasture Management Amy Peters Livestock Extension Faculty Oregon State University Extension Service

2 Pasture Management Productive, high quality pastures require good pasture management Best place for exercise, rest, fresh air, and sunlight Biggest problem is a lack of management awareness and equipment Good pasture management

3 Poor Pasture Management Reduced health Little or no feed value Increase in internal parasites Costs more to feed Reduced plant vigor Increased weed problems

4 Understanding Horse Pasture Management How horses utilize forage Factors affecting animal performance on pastures Grazing behavior of horses.

5 How Nutrients are Utilized Complete hay diets consume of % body weight 1200 lb horse will consume 30 lb DMI Factors in grazing: palatability initial intake may be more when first graze weather influences grazing time reduced intake if supplemented previous exposure to forages Freeman and Redfearn, Oklahoma Coop. Ext., ANSI 3981.

6 Body Condition Score With adequate pasture you can maintain most horses without very little hay and grain. Body Condition Scoring

7 Horse Digestive System Optimize horse digestive system Like to eat small, frequent meals Slows passage rate through digestive tract Reduces carbohydrates and sugars from entering hind gut

8 Horse Grazing Behavior Specialized mouth can graze to soil surface Selective eaters Heavy, big feet often shod in steel Often severly damage pasture, especially during wet season Graze hours per day; cattle spend 1/3 time ruminating Tend to group around certain areas, killing forage Freeman and Redfearn, Oklahoma Coop. Ext., ANSI 3981.

9 How Plants Grow

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11 Plant Response to Grazing Clover and grass pastures grow most efficiently if held to 2 5 height Continuously grazing reduces roots and plant vigor Maintain forage at optimal heights Graze from 8 10 to 3 4 and then move Short tops mean short roots

12 Phases of Grass Production Phase 1 One inch high, grows slowly because lacks leaf area for photosynthesis Phase 2 Two to five inches high, make most rapid and efficient growth; adequate forage quality and quantity Phase 3 Five to twelve inches, pasture growth slows as lower leaves are shaded and die. Beginning of reproduction. Quality declines rapidly Peters, A Grazing Management of Improved Pastures, OSU Beef Cattle Library, BEEF 042.

13 Rest Pasture Plants Allow pastures to develop adequate leaf area before grazing Take half, leave half Roots store food water, nitrates, and minerals This food is essential for future plant growth Short roots mean less future grass production Provide rest from grazing to allow forages to recuperate and maintain productivity

14 Soil Sample Every 3 years, in spring or fall Core samples of the top 6 of soil Take subsamples Send 1 gal re closable bag to lab ph, P, K, organic matter, Ca, Mg, Na Fertilize according to results

15 Clipping and Harrowing Mow or clip pastures as you move animals to the next pasture. removes mature growth, promotes new growth, increases forage quality, & encourages grazing Harrow manure Piles of manure contribute to under grazed areas. Helps reduce parasites. Establish a sacrifice lot

16 Keep Animals Off Wet Pastures Continual grazing and trampling kills grass and creates mud Compacts soil = more mud Kills roots Reduces soil drainage More weeds Higher feed costs

17 Grazing Considerations Maintain supply of quality feed Establishing forage depends on agronomic inputs owners are willing to employ Length of grazing season depends on moisture, grazing management, and agronomic practices

18 More Grazing Considerations Dry lots some areas are too small to grow forage In small areas, restrict grazing by limiting grazing time Rotational grazing, grazing with cattle, spreading manure piles, and other management will reduce spot grazing.

19 Rotational Grazing Dividing pasture into cells Allow access to one cell at a time. When forage is grazed down to 3 4 inches, horses can be rotated into the next cell. Previously grazed cells can be allowed to rest and recover.

20 Rotational Grazing Thomas, M. University of Florida Livestock Agent,

21 Why Rotate Pastures? Eliminates selective grazing Rest periods allow pasture plants to recover and be more competitive with weeds Amount and quality of forage increases Reduces feed bill More horses can be supported by same acreage

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23 Thinking about Pasture Reseeding? Grazing management needs to be improved ID plants What is growing is best adapted to current management If reseed but don t change management, will be back to what you have now

24 Renovating Pastures Soil testing Controlling weeds Seedbed preparation Liming, fertilizing Seeding

25 Pasture Seeding Recommendations Horse Pasture Pounds per Acre* Orchardgrass Tall Fescue (endophyte free) Annual Ryegrass 5 Total * Minimum seeding rate for a well prepared seedbed. Peters, A Pasture and grazing management for southwestern Oregon, OSU Extension Service, Coos County. Peters, A Pasture and Grazing Management for Southwestern Oregon, OSU Extension Service, Coos County.

26 Fertilization Nitrogen increases yields and crude protein levels Adding 70 lb/acre N raised CP from 5.3 to 6.4% and increased intake by 11% Timing important. A study in Oregon found that 60 lb N/acre at T Sum 200 increased CP by 10.5% and produced 1000 lb more feed/acre Peters, A Fertilizing early with nitrogen, CCES 202.

27 Typical Cost Per Acre for Grass Seeding Planting Price Units $/Acre Plowing $50/hr 1 hr 50 Discing 2x $50/hr 1.5 hr 75 Rotatilling $50/hr 1 hr 50 Seeding, Rolling $40/hr 1 hr 40 Fertilizer $500/ton 250 lb 125 Fertilizer application $30/acre 1 acre 30 Seed $1.75/lb 25 lb Management $20/acre 1 acre 20 Total Cost Prorated costs over 5 years $433.75/acre $76.75/year Downing, T. and M. Gamroth Valuing forages based on moisture and nutrient content, Oregon State University, PNW 859.

28 Forage Quality With fresh or stored feed, there are factors that influence forage quality: Palatability Intake Digestibility Nutrient content Anti quality factors Animal performance

29 Factors Affecting Forage Quality Forage species, stage of maturity at harvest, and for stored forages, harvesting and storage methods Temperature Plants grown at high temperatures produce lower quality forage than those grown under cool conditions Annual ryegrass grown at degrees produced 59% leaf material; grown at produced 36% Ball, et al Understanding Forage Quality, American Farm Bureau Federation 1 01.

30 Visual Hay Evaluation Color not a good indicator of quality. Bright green means hay was cured quickly and protected during storage Plant species Maturity Leafiness Texture Pleasant odor

31 Forage Sampling Properly sample Sample at random 20 core samples Handle carefully combine, send promptly to lab Pasture samples can be refrigerated or air dried Use a National Forage Testing Association lab (

32 Table 1. Average Nutrient Content of Grass/Clover Hay Coos County, Oregon Component (DM basis) Low Protein (5-8.9%) Mid Protein (9-11.9%) High Protein (12-16%) Crude Protein % Acid Detergent Fiber % Neutral Detergent Fiber % Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) % % of samples Peters, A Hay Testing: Coos County Results, OSU Extension Service, CCES 204.

33 What Does the Forage Analysis Mean Dry Matter (DM) amount of water in sample Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) calculate digestibility Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) predict intake Crude Protein (CP) 6.25 x Nitrogen Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) sum of CP, fat x 2.25, non structural carbo., digestible NDF Digestible Energy (DE) energy in forage that is not excreted in feces

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35 Pasture Compared to Horse Needs Pasture species Dry Matter % Digestible energy Mcal/lb Crude Protein % Calcium % Phosphorous % Orchardgrass vegetative Orchardgrass mature Orchardgrass/alfalfa vegetative Orchardgrass/alfalfa mature Horse Requirements Mature Work Horse Industry Handbook Lexington, KY.

36 Take Home Message 1. Focus on pasture management 2. Before reseeding, improve grazing management 3. Learn what high quality pasture looks like 4. Learn more about how to keep pastures healthy: Soil test, fertilize accordingly, monitor plant height, divide pastures, clip

37 Amy Peters, Livestock Extension Faculty Oregon State University Extension Service, Coos County 631 Alder Street, Myrtle Point, OR Ext. 290