Download Manure Management Plan Writing for the Equine Owner – Part III

Pastures
Pasture Management Worksheet (p.9)
• If you have pastures:
– How many acres?
– Owned/ Rented
Pasture Management Options
Two Management Options:
1.) Have a Grazing Plan that meets the requirements of the PA Tech
Guide Prescribed Grazing Standard (528)
2.) Manage pastures to:
• Maintain dense vegetation in the pasture throughout growing
season (80% cover is standard)
• Minimize bare spots
• Maintain an average vegetation height across the pasture
during the growing season at least 3 inches high
Pasture Management Options
Pastures which are overgrazed must implement one
of the two plan options to restore dense vegetation
...OR….
The pasture must be designated as an Animal
Concentration Area (ACA) and meet all of the
requirements in Section 7
Pasture or ACA?
Pasture or ACA?
Unacceptable
Acceptable
Understanding Your
Pasture Grasses
Advantages of Pasture
Horses evolved as a grazing animals – the equine digestive system
is designed for forage consumption
On average horses should consume about 1.5% to 3% of their
body weight in feed each day; at least 70% should be forage (hay or
pasture)
Reduces feed costs $$
Reduces Stress
Aesthetics
Forage Varieties
• Legumes (Nitrogen Fixing)
– Alfalfa
– Red/ White Clover
• Cool Season Grasses
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–
–
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–
Kentucky Bluegrass
Orchardgrass
Reed Canarygrass
Perennial Ryegrass
Timothy
Tall Fescue
Smooth Brome
Cool Season Grasses
• Are the mainstay of most
horse pastures
• Grow best at temperatures
of 65° to 80° F
• Growth slows in summer
• It is important to limit grazing during hot, dry conditions
when grass cannot grow back and recover from grazing
Seasonal Growth Patterns in Forages
Species
Kentucky
bluegrass
Orchardgrass
Reed
Conarygrass
Alfalfa
Red clover
White clover
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Vegetative Stage
• Non-reproductive stage
• Higher nutritional value
than mature reproductive
stages
• Why?
Reproductive Stage
• In early summer, grasses that are not
mowed or grazed will develop a seed
head
• Once the seed head emerges,
the grass will not produce additional
leaves
• Reproductive grasses are lower
in nutritional quality than
vegetative grasses
• Mowing is important
Leaves
• Site of “plant food” production
(photosynthesis)
• Produces simple sugars
(glucose/fructans) and
carbohydrates
• Maintaining adequate leaf
surface is critical to plant
survival
Sugar Production
• During night time hours, the sugars and
carbohydrates supply energy for the synthesis of
proteins and structural materials used for plant
growth. Sugars are used in the process.
• Energy use and growth ceases when night time
temperatures fall below 45°. Sugars may
accumulate in plants when bright, sunny days
precede cold nights.
Some sugar and starch is stored so that plants
can initiate growth in spring and after clipping.
Species
Alfalfa
Storage Site
Tap root
Red clover
Tap root
White clover
Stolons and tap root
Bluegrass
Roots and rhizomes
Tall fescue
Lower stem (0”-3”)
Orchard Grass
Lower stem
Timothy
Lower stem and corms
HORSES:
• Selectively graze favorite areas and favorite species
• Graze at ground level
• Some forage species store
food above ground in lower
stem
• Can be eliminated with high
grazing pressure
PASTURES MUST HAVE
TIME TO RECOVER!!
Acreage Required to Provide
Forage for One Horse
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
White Clover
& Bluegrass
@ 1 ton/Acre
(Yield)
10.7
1.2
2.7
11.1
11.1
4.5
Tall Grass
(Fertilized)
@ 2 ton/ Acre
(Yield)
5.4
.8
1.3
2.8
2.3
1.8
Grazing “Guidelines”
One horse can be maintained on:
•
•
•
•
½ acre of pasture, if turnout time = < than 3 hr/d
1 acre of pasture, if turnout time = 3 to 8 hr/d
1 ½ acre of pasture, if turnout time = 8 to 12 hr/d
> 2 acres = unlimited turnout time
Note: These stocking rates are to be as guidelines; if
grazing pressure exceeds the recommendations, the
pastures will eventually deteriorate. Mowing, irrigating,
fertilizing, over-seeding, and rotating pastures can allow
higher animal densities while still maintaining proper
vegetative cover.
Improving Pastures
(Best Management Practices)
Soil Testing
• Essential for determining soil fertility and
identify plants’ nutrient needs
• Foundation for nutrient recommendations
• Determine soil’s acidity level – adjust pH
Mowing Pastures
Pastures should be
mowed regularly:
• Increases nutrition
• Prevents grasses
from reaching
reproductive stage
• Reduces weed
pressure
• Encourages tiller
formation
• Kentucky Bluegrass and
Perennial Ryegrass:
• Maintain at 2 – 3 inches
• Tall Grasses
• Maintain at 4 – 5 inches
Reseeding
The best method for seeding
pastures is with a no – till drill
•Drill cuts the soil and places the
seed directly into the soil
•Provides the best seed to soil
contact
•Does not disturb soil (reduces risk
of erosion)
Broadcast
•Lower success rate
•Do not always get adequate “seed
to soil” contact.
Rotational Grazing
• Pasture area is divided into small units and animals are
rotated from one unit to the next
• Allows grasses time to recover from grazing, reduces soil
compaction and increases forage availability
• Animals taken off pastures at 3 inches and reintroduced at 7
inches
• Plants must have time to recover……………….
S
Corral
S
W
Corral
S
W
W
Traditional Pasture
Develop Sacrifice Area (Stress Lots)
• Small enclosure
such as a paddock,
pen or corral
• Small area sacrificed to
benefit the rest of the
pastures on the farm
Location, Location, Location!
• Site the sacrifice lot on higher ground, at least 100
feet from wetlands, streams, or ponds
• Look for an area with a
slight slope
• Do not locate the sacrifice
area where water naturally
gathers!
• Surround the sacrifice area with vegetation to filter
out any organic matter and sediment that might run
off
Sacrifice Area Construction
• 12’x 24’ is the minimum
size for one horse
• 20-30’ x 100’ in length
horse can trot
• Cover the area with a layer
of stone aggregate topped
with a minimum of 2-3
inches of finer stone dust
When should you keep
horses in a sacrifice
area?
Manure Management Plan Exercise - Pg. 3 & 9
COMPLETE PASTURE
INFORMATION
Pasture Best Management Practice (BMP) Worksheet
Location
of Pasture
(refer to
farm map)
List ‘YES’ if BMP is already practiced.
List ‘PLANNING’ if BMP will be implemented in the future.
Regular
Rotational
Evaluate
Soil
Mowing
Grazing
(determine
Utilize
Reseed
Testing
(prevent
(allow
amount of
Sacrifice Bare Areas
(every 3
grasses
grasses to
canopy
Lot
in Pastures
years)
from going
rests &
cover in
to seed)
regrow)
pasture)
Soil Testing
Soil Testing
• It is not necessary to conduct soil tests to complete a
manure management plan
• If you do not have a soil test, and you spread
manure, application rates must be based on the
amount of phosphorus that the plants remove
• Basing the manure plan on actual soil test results
may increase flexibility in planning manure
application rates
Soil Testing
• Advisable to conduct soil tests on pastures and crop land,
especially fields receiving manure
• Essential for determining soil fertility
• Foundation for nutrient recommendations
– Maximize crop yields
– Protect surface and ground water
• Ideal time to sample: Summer/Fall
• Equipment Needed:
– Soil Test Kit
– Soil Probe
– Clean container for collecting samples
Soil Testing
• Obtain a representative sample from each field that
has been treated differently.
– Collect 15- 20 samples
throughout the field.
– Sample to tillage depth
• Pastures: 3- 4 inches
– Sample uniform areas
• Avoid atypical areas
• Avoid areas where manure
has been deposited.
• Mix core samples
– Remove roots and stones
– Air dry
3’’-4”
Soil Testing
Soil Testing
Complete Paperwork
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Grower Information
Current Crop
Future Crop
Crop Type
- Use Provided Key
• Tillage Depth
• Expected Yield
Interpreting Soil Test Results
• Below Optimum (low)
– Nutrient is deficient
– High probability of profitable response
• Optimum (medium)
– Nutrient is adequate
– Low probability of profitable response
• Above Optimum (high, excess)
– Nutrient is more than adequate
– Very low probability of profitable
response
– Excess nutrients can lead to :
• Negatively affect plant growth
• Animal Health
• Environmental degradation
Interpreting Soil Test Results
• Liming is critical in creating
favorable soil conditions for
plant growth
– Target pH: 6.5 – 7
• Increasing pH requires
limestone material
– Amount needed is based on:
• Amount of acidity in soil
• Quality of liming material
Interpreting Soil Test Results
• Recommendations are
given for a three year
crop rotation
– Based on:
• Soil Test Results
• Provided information
– Crop/ Yield/ Rotation
After the Results
• Address and correct
nutrient deficiencies
and pH through the
application of fertilizers
and limestone
• Helpful and necessary
to understand:
– Fertilizer and Liming
Materials
pH Basics
• Soil acidity or alkalinity
– Measured by pH
– The pH scale is from 0 to 14
• 7.0 = Neutral
• Less than 7.0 = acidic
• Greater than 7.0 = alkaline or
basic
• Crops have specific soil pH
requirements for optimum growth
• Most pasture grasses and legumes
prefer a pH range of 6.5-7.0
Effects of Soil pH
Manure Management Plan Homework
HOMEWORK:
COLLECT SOIL
SAMPLES