Forage Production Opportunities 2008 Horse Seminar Steven Point, Wisconsin March 22, 2008 Keith Vander Velde UW-Extension, Marquette 488 Underwood Ave Montello, Wisconsin

Horse Pasture Management New Era: –Increase Feed Prices Corn price 100 % increase ($2.50 to $5.00) Wheat Price 200% increase ($3.50 to $10.00) Soybeans 150 % increase ($6.50 to $14.00) –Reasons: World Demand-Standards of Living Increases Declining $ Value –makes our grain cheaper by 33% Bio-fuels-Ethanol and Bio-Diesel

Horse Pasture Management New Era Affects: –Expect increases in Hay Prices Current Hay Prices for Western Dairy Hay-$265/ton Local Hay Supply very low-Little Carryover Diesel Fuel is $4 per gallon-costs more to harvest and transport Competition for acres-corn, wheat, soybeans Winterkill of alfalfa in some areas Land values increasing 15-18% last 5 years-in central Wisconsin

Horse Pasture Management Pastures for horses now need to provide more of the horses annual needs Is it possible to graze horses on pasture from May-December? 8 months Hay at $4-6 per bale in 2009 or forage costs of $2-3 per day for a horse

Find Solutions to Feeding Horses Use grazing Buy hay during harvest Reduce inventory Feed limited amount –Control amount fed/day

Grazing Formula Sunlight + Rain + Green Plants = Plant Growth Plant Growth + Grazing Animals = $$$ The Grazing formula involves: What’s best for the grass What’s best for the livestock What moves you toward your goals!!!

Traditional Pastures are often “Continuously Grazed” This usually means: –Lower yields –Serious weed pressure –Erosion problems –General “poor” management

In Rotational Grazing... Pastures are subdivided into smaller areas (or paddocks) A portion of the pasture is grazed while the remainder “Rests” Paddocks are allowed to: –Renew energy reserves –Rebuild plant vigor –Improve long-term production

Intensive Rotational Grazing... Involves a higher level of management Greater paddock numbers Shorter grazing periods Longer rest periods

Many Pastures are Continuously Grazed S W This usually means: Lower yields due to selective grazing Greater weed problems Potential for erosion problems in certain areas No management or poor management of forage resource

Rotational Grazing Lane Rest allows pasture to: Recover from grazing, Rebuild energy reserves & plant vigor Increase forage production 1.Pastures are subdivided into smaller areas (paddocks) 2.A portion of the pasture is grazed while the remainder “rests”

Management Intensive Rotational Grazing WWW Lane W Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG) involves even greater numbers of paddocks and/or subdivision within paddocks to increase amount of rest and decrease days grazing each rotation Corral

Strip Grazing Recommened for fall pasture since no regrowth occurs

S WCorral Strip Grazing

Exercise Paddock S W

Deitz, NRCS

Forage Growth Curve QualityYield Best time to graze

Seasonal growth patterns in forages

Monthly forage production in 2-acre grass and grass-legume pastures Grass Pasture Grass-Legume Pasture animal need

How much forage is out there? Rule of thumb: Figure about 400 pounds dry matter per acre per inch of cool season pasture. L. Paine

The Rest Period Should vary according to plant growth In general, must increase as growth rate slows Relates closely to seasonal forage growth Need to rotate between paddocks every 3-6 days

Relationship of rest period to pasture mass during periods of rapid vs. slow growth Period of fast plant growth (days) Period of slow plant growth (days) Lbs. DM / acre Optimum Rest Period

Meeting the needs of the pasture plant Rest

Stocking Rate (animals/acre) Can use formulas for actual numbers Thumb rule; one 1000 pound horse per 2-4 acres Intensive Rotational Grazing = one mature, non-producing horse to acres Traditional “Under-managed” pastures = one horse to 5-10 acres

Stocking Rate (animals/acre) Can use formulas for actual numbers Thumb rule; 1000 pound animal per 2-4 acres Intensive Rotational Grazing = 1000 pound horse to acres Traditional “Under-managed” pastures = 1000 pound horse to 4-6 acres

Which will cause more overgrazing? The stocking rate of both paddocks is identical: 100 Animal Days per Acre. The effect on the paddocks will be much different.

How much do my animals need? Rule of thumb: Horses Figure 3 to 4% of body weight dry matter per animal per day. L. Paine

Pasture Needs Calculation 1000 horse needs-3.5% of body weight –Pasture is 8 inches tall –Graze to 3 inches 5 inches x 400 lbs/inch=2000 of DM forage 2000 divided by 35 lbs(needs per day)=57 days of forage –Pasture can supply 2 months of grazing

Forage Plots Results Central Wisconsin Established in May 2000 –Twenty(20) grass and legume mix combinations –4 replications in Adams County (80 plots –2 replications in Waushara County at Hancock Research Station –Mix grass and legumes based on height –Harvest mechanically and graze

White clover x Kentucky bluegrass Short 2. White clover x Crested wheat grassShort 3. Kura clover x Kentucky bluegrassShort 4. Kura clover x Crested wheat grassShort 5. Kura clover x Smooth brome grass ½ Short x ½ Tall 6. Birdsfoot treefoil x Kentucky bluegrassShort 7. Birdsfoot treefoil x Crested wheat grassShort 8. Red clover x TimothyTall 9. Red clover x Tall fescueTall 10.Red clover x Meadow fescueTall 11.Red clover x Smooth bromeTall 12.Red clover x Orchard grassTall 13.Alfalfa x Orchard grassTall 14.Red clover x Alfalfa x Orchard grass x Smooth bromeTall 15.White Clover x Kura clover x Kentucky blue grassShort 16.Red colver x White clover x Kentucky blue grass x Smooth brome Short x ½ Tall 17.Kura clover x Birdsfoot treefoil x Timothy x Orchard grass Short x ½ Tall 18.Alfalfa x Red Clover x Kentucky blue grass 1/3 Short x 2/3 Tall 19.Red Clover x alfalfa x Kura Clover x Timothy x Smooth brome x Tall fescue 1/3 Short x 2/3 Tall 20. White clover x red clover x Birdsfoot treefoil x Kentucky bluegrass

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin White Clover and Kentucky Blue grass Both are short-less than 16 inches Tendency to go dormant in hot dry weather Yield-average 1.47 tons/acre at 22% protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover and Timothy Both are tall Early growth and Greenup Timothy only grass to grow seed head after cutting Yield-average 2.58 tons/acre at 18.1% protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover and Tall Fescue Both are tall Early growth and Greenup, good fall regrowth Tall fescue is good sod former, endophyte free Yield-average 3.65 tons/acre at 19.5% protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover and Meadow Fescue Both are tall Early growth and green-up Meadow Fescue very winter hardy Horses and cattle preferred meadow fescue mix Yield-average 4.12 tons/acre at 20.6 % protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover and Smooth Brome Both are tall Early growth and green-up Spreads by rhizomes, sod former Yield-average 3.98 tons/acre at 19.5 % protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover and Orchard Grass Both are tall Early growth and green-up Excellent Fall Re-growth Orchard Grass is a bunch grass Yield-average 4.26 tons/acre at 20.1 % protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Alfalfa and Orchard Grass Both are tall Early growth and green-up Excellent Summer Growth and Fall Re-growth Orchard Grass is a bunch grass Yield-average 3.57 tons/acre at 19 % protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Red Clover, Alfalfa, Smooth Brome & Orchard Grass Tall Combination Early growth and green-up Excellent Summer Growth and Fall Re-growth Yield-average 3.74 tons/acre at 20.2 % protein

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Alfalfa, Red Clover, and Kentucky Blue Grass Combination Excellent re-growth and persistent Yield-average 4.23 tons/acre at 16.8 % protein Highest Yielding plot in test

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Establishment-Cost of seeding only, no seed cost –Tillage-plow, disc, drill-cost of $40-50 per acre –Direct seed-$15 –No-till drill-$12 –Frost seeding-$5 –Manure seeding-$0-$1

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Establishment-Seed Cost –In most soils we need lbs of seed per acre –Consider cover crop of oats with drill seeding –Frost seeding requires short grass conditions and control of competition-grazing or mowing –Graze cover crop in Mid-June

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Establishment-Seed Cost- From Select Catalogs 2004 –Alfalfa= $1.75-$4.00 per pound –Red Clover=$1-$2.50 per pound –Kura Clover=$4.00-$5.00 per pound –White Clover=$2.00-$4.00 per pound –Kentucky Blue Grass=$1.50-$3.00 per pound –Orchardgrass=$1.00-$3.00 per pound –Brome grass=$1.00-$2.00 per pound –Tall fescue=$1.00- $2.50 per pound –Meadow fescue=$1.75-$3.00 per pound –Timothy=$0.75-$1.50 per pound

Forage Yield Central Wisconsin Establishment-Seeding Rates Recommendations SpeciesSeeded AloneMix –Alfalfa 15 lbs 8 lbs –Kura Clover8 lbs 4 lbs –White Clover 14 lbs (not recommended) 2 lbs –Kentucky Blue Grass 15 lbs 10 lbs –Orchardgrass10 lbs 4 lbs –Bromegrass16 lbs 6 lbs –Tall fescue 10 lbs 4 lbs –Meadow fescue10 lbs 4 lbs –Timothy 8 lbs 4 lbs Do not apply more than 20 lbs of seed mix per acre

FROST SEEDING Adding new seed to a pasture by broadcasting on frozen ground in early spring, letting frost & snow incorporate the seed.

Snow Tracks Help

Frost Seeding in Snow Frost Seeding

Snow Tracks Help

FROST SEEDING Improves Pasture Quality & Yield Lower Cost Than Annual Nitrogen Application ($9 vs. $42) Works Best On Loams & Clay Soils or Fields With Natural Moisture Clovers Recommended, Birdsfoot Trefoil & Certain Grasses Can Work

FROST SEEDING Use Improved Varieties i.e. Clovers Like Arlington, Cimmeron, or Marathon and High Yielding Trefoils Like Norcen Graze Tight In The Fall Broadcast Inoculated Seed Approx. 45 Days Before Grass Growth Begins

FROST SEEDING Broadcast 3-6 # of Red Clover; or # of White Clover /acre Broadcast 4-6 lbs of orchardgrass or tall fescue or meadow fescue, or 2-4 lbs of Kentucky Do not mix the grass and legume seed, seed each seperate Bluegrass, or 6-8 lbs of annual rye grass Lime or Potassium May Be Needed - Soil Test To Determine – Do Not Apply Nitrogen

Horses & Pasture A grass-legume pasture can produce enough to meet the maintenance requirements of most adult horses In general, horses are more destructive to pasture than cattle Horses are natural “nibblers”

Horses & Pasture A Pennsylvania study showed horses preferred: Grasses over legumes Bluegrass over taller grasses Clovers over alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil The study also showed that horses’ made satisfactory progress on all pasture mixtures

If at all possible graze cattle with horses Because: It reduces parasitic infestation Each will eat around the others’ droppings It assures more uniform use of the pasture Cattle will graze otherwise wasted feed

Diet Selection of Livestock Type Horses Cattle Sheep Goats % of diet Forage a Weeds Browse b a A mixture of grass and legumes b Woody material

Pasture Types Kentucky bluegrass –Very palatable and nutritious –Will withstand close grazing –Produces high-quality turf –Produces less forage per acre then other grasses –Grows slow during hot dry weather

Pasture Types Orchard grass –If managed, is as palatable and nutritious as bluegrass –Will withstand closer grazing than other tall grasses –Produces more forage per acre then bluegrass

Pasture Types Legumes –Any legume that is adapted to your area can be used successfully –Are higher in protein –Grow when grasses are going dormant –Nitrogen fixing capacity reduces fertilizer costs Some suggest using only one grass and one or two legumes in a mixture

Grazing Management Tips For rotational grazing to be successful you must be flexible If you don’t want to make hay during periods of rapid forage growth, move animals faster Provide free choice salt & minerals

Grazing Management Tips Avoid over or under grazing Clip pastures regularly during the growing season Drag pastures with a chain link harrow at least once per year Apply fertilizer as needed (take a soil test) Re-seed pastures if necessary

Waushara Green Lake Marquette Adams Juneau Wood Portage Central Agricultural Specialization Wisconsin

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