Consider the impacts of your decisions

 Water Cycle  Mineral Cycle  Energy Flow  Community Dynamics  Resource Concerns  Soil  Water  Plant  Animal  Air  Human  Energy

Aggregate Stability

Heat SunProducersConsumers InorganicDecomposers MineralsHeat

3) Continuous Grazing 2) Rotational Grazing 1) Pasture with Longer Recovery Period Infiltration Runoff

TilledTilled w/No-Till 3” Grass8” Grass Residue

 20 degree difference in area with cover of plant and residue versus tilled soil

 140 Soil bacteria die, soil sterilization  % of soil moisture is lost through evapo-transpiration  10015% of moisture is used for growth 85% of moisture is lost  70100% of soil moisture is used for growth

Soil Organic Matter and Available Water Capacity Inches of Water/One Foot of Soil Percent SOM Sand Silt Loam Silty Clay Loam Berman Hudson Journal Soil and Water Conservation 49(2) March April 1994 – Summarized by: Dr. Mark Liebig, ARS, Mandan, ND Hal Weiser, Soil Scientist, NRCS, Bismarck, ND

Producer Benefits  Increased production per acre- increased energy efficiency  Increased organic matter  More available water  Drought tolerance  Lower cost  Less hay needed  More cow comfort Society Benefits  Improved water quality- lower cost to purify water  Improved soil quality- cheaper than CRP and better soil  Reduced flooding  Less CO2 emissions  Lower temperature of environment  More energy captured

(NRCShttp://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html ) This chart has not included earthworms, snails, slugs, and other soil dwelling organisms.

Above ground 1200 Dairy cow 1 or Beef cow Pasture Total3018 Below ground Pasture roots Bacteria 2052 Actinomycetes 2052 Fungi 6244 Algae 219 Protozoa 80 Nematodes 62 Mites 65 Collembola 65 Earthworms 624 Other fauna 40 Total Adapted in part from Brady and Weil Cow producing 40 lbs milk/day 180 days/acre, 50% of forage standing crop consumed, 5 rotations/year. 2. Cow weaning 600 lb calf 3 acres/year. 3. Cool-season grass-clover pasture, 10 inches tall at grazing. 4. Roots equal top growth at grazing.

 Recovery- Rest  Disturbance- Impact  Cover- Vegetative and/or Residue  Fertility –Manure  C:N Ratio 25:1

 Continue to get benefits of manure distribution outside of the growing season  Creep Grazing allows growing animals more choice.

Dr. Ray Smith Laura Schwer Tom Keene

 Two similar orchardgrass plants were chosen from greenhouse.  Both were managed the same for 6 months:  Clipped ~once per month  Supplied with good fertility (N,P, K) and water

 Left plant simulates continuous grazing.  Initially clipped to a 1 inch height  Then clipped weekly for the next 4 weeks at a 1 inch height  Right plant simulates rotational grazing.  Initially clipped to a 3.5 inch height  Then clipped again at 3.5 inches four weeks later  Time lapse photography started at the beginning of the fifth week (day 29) for both plants.

30 cows, 20 stockers and 30 Goats, 25 tons hay 40 cows 4 day rotation, 30 tons hay 40 cows 14 day rotation, 102 tons hay 40 cows 7 day rotation, 65 ton hay 40 cows 4 day rotation 20% bermuda, 13 tons hay 40 cows 4 day rotation 10% bermuda, 21 tons hay

 Fertilize by soil test, hopefully most P and K provided by cycling nutrients through livestock  Control weeds – hopefully out compete weeds or turn weeds into forbs by using high density short duration grazing or grazing multi-species livestock

 Grazing Height  Seeding Legumes  High Density Short Duration Grazing  Lime: P and K not N  Fence  Water Management  Stockpiling tall fescue  Multi-Species Grazing  Timing: April 1, July 1 and Oct 1

Corral as hub, fence for flow of livestockDetermine “Acres per Paddock” for location of fence and water Topography ultimately determines location of Watering Facilities

Permanent fence Water point BASIC PADDOCK LAYOUT 16 PADDOCK with 4 WATERING POINTS (funneling animals) corral

16’ gates 90 degree = 22.5’ gate openings No post in center To layout stake with string in center where gates swing together

 E-coli  Samonella  Coccidiosis  Leptospirosis  Foot rot  Anthrax  Brucellosis  Erysipolis  Other

 Most Pastures need Recovery- Rest  Disturbance- Impact a tool especially at beginning of growing season  Cover- Vegetative and/or Residue most abused, how can you grow grass if you don’t capture energy  Fertility –Manure management  JUST DO IT!