Dallas Mount

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Animal-Land Interacitions
Managing for sustainable forage production

• Dallas Mount
• U-W Extension Educator, Platte County

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Animal-Land Interactions
Source S. Cotton and C. Buffington Univ. of Wyo.
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The Grazing Management Balance
Grazing Management The art of providing forage
for grazing animals while meeting the growth and
maintenance requirements of plants.
Source K. Crane (2001) Univ. of Wyo.
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Overview

• Managing the system
• Grass growth
• Animal requirements

Management
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Managing the System
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Managing the System
Ecosystem interactions of all living organisms
in an area.

• Define goals
• Research and evaluate alternatives
• Implement
• Monitor

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Grass
Water
Soil
Animals
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Grass Growth
Photosynthesis Where grazing management begins
Sunlight
O2
Respiration for plant growth and maintenance
CO2
CO2
H2O
Energy stored as carbohydrates
H2O
Source K. Crane (2001) Univ. of Wyo.
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The Grass Factory

• Leaf area adequate to meet growth demand.
• Leaf area inadequate to meet growth demand.

Source K. Crane (2001) Univ. of Wyo.
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Carbohydrates Fuel for Grass Growth and
Maintenance
From Olson and Lacey 1990.
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Seasonal Management

• Spring
• Wait until 8-10 tall before grazing
• Fall
• Let pasture recover prior to hard freeze
• After freeze remove 85 of available forage

Yeah, Right!!
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Pasture Rotation

• Graze each pasture at a different time each year
• Develop a graze rest rotation among pastures
• Monitor and adapt

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Pasture Rotation

• Uniform removal of plant material
• Leaving 2-4 to aid re-growth

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(Source J. Volesky and B. Anderson)
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(Source D. Drake and J. Oltjen)
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Frequency and Severity of Grazing

• Challenge overcome evolution- grazing animals
  will preferentially select high quality forage
  (regrowth)
• Management Objective
• Avoid repeated, severe, defoliation without a
  recovery period.
• Management Strategies
• Increase stock density (number of animals).
• Reduce duration of grazing (time on a pasture).

Source K. Crane (2001) Univ. of Wyo.
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Facility Design
Source S. Cotton and C. Buffington Univ. of Wyo.
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Animal Requirements

• The key to healthy and productive animals

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Animal Requirements
Forage nutrients available
January
December
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Requirements
Physiological State
1200 lb Horse
Energy, Mcals
Protein, .1 kg
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TEST YOUR HAY!!

• Buy hay tested for energy, protein, and
  nitrates or test your own
• Sample should represent entire lot of hay
• Balance ration

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Keys to Success

• Logical thinking basic knowledge
• Recognize and react to indicators
• Use available resources