Integrating Use of Pastures and Rangeland

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Integrating Useof Pastures and Rangeland

• By
• Jim Johnson

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South Dakota Forage Regions
Northeast
Western
Southcentral
Southeast
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South Dakota Forage Regions
Western
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Western Region Forage Calendar
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Crested-Alfalfa
Crested or Russian
Mid-High Summer Range
Winter Range
Winter Range 0-70 days hay
(s.ton.)
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Western Region Optimums

• 6-7 months mid-high summer range
• 4-5 months winter range
• Winter hay expectation (0-70 days)
• 1 - 1½ months early spring pasture

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Western Region Challenges

• Limited early spring pastures
• Hay cost / dependability
• Stocking rate saturation with the wet 90s

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South Dakota Forage Regions
Northeast
Western
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Northeast Optimum Forage Calendar
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Confinement or Hay Ground
Confinement 90 - 150 days feed
Mid-High Range
Brome-Alfalfa
Brome-Alfalfa
Switch-grass
Spring Grains
Crop Aftermath
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Northeast Region Optimums

• 6 months mid-high summer range
• 6 months cool and warm-season perennial pastures
• 3-6 months full winter feed
• Winter hay expectation (90-150 days)
• 2 months crop aftermath

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Northeast Region Challenges

• Major cool season warm season summer imbalance
  (5 months 1 month)

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South Dakota Forage Regions
Northeast
Western
Southcentral
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Southcentral Optimum Forage Calendar
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Crested-Alfalfa
Winter Range and 30-90 days hay
Mid-High Range
Brome-Alfalfa
Perm. Warm Season
Sudangrass
Crop Aftermath
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Southcentral Region Optimums

• 5-7 months mid-high summer range
• 6 months cool and warm-season perennial pastures
• 3 months winter range
• Winter hay expectation (30-90 days)
• 1 - 1½ months early spring pasture
• 2 - 2½ months crop aftermath

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Southcentral Region Challenges

• Limited early spring pastures
• Stocking rate saturation with the wet 90s

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South Dakota Forage Regions
Northeast
Western
Southcentral
Southeast
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Southeast Optimum Forage Calendar
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Confine-ment
Confinement 90 - 150 days feed
Mid-range
Mid-range
Brome-Alfalfa
Brome-Alfalfa
Sudangrass or Perm. Warm Season
Crop Aftermath
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Southeast Region Optimums

• 0 - 3 months mid-producing range
• 6 months cool and warm season perennial pastures
• 2½ months crop aftermath
• 3 - 6 months annual and perennial pastures
• 2 ½ months crop aftermath

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Southeast Region Challenges

• Matching carrying capacity to stocking rate
• Lack of perennial warm season pastures

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Some Summary Thoughts

• All regions of SD could benefit from a
  combination of range and cultivated pastures.
• However, not all ranches or farms have the
  potential for both.
• All cattle and sheep units would benefit from a
  balance of cool and warm season pastures, either
  native or cultivated, or in combination.
• Warm season cultivated native pastures have high
  potential in all but the Western Region.

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More Summary Thoughts

• In an 9 month grazing season, and in an ideal
  world, the forage base should be
• 3 months cool season (Apr, May, 1/2 Jun)
• 4 months warm season (1/2 Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep)
• 2 months cool season (Oct, Nov)
• In AUMs this would be a 54 or 45 ratio
  (coolwarm), depending on the length of the
  grazing season.