1. Animal Production Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Pasture Management: Grass Based Systems These slides are part of a much longer lesson in the Living on the Land curriculum by S. Donaldson, et al, University of Nevada-Reno.

2. NRCS, Bozeman, MT

3. Adapted from NRCS, Bozeman, MT

4. Adapted fromNRCS

5. Adapted from NRCS, Bozeman, MT Take half and leave half

6. Approximate grazing length and regrowth periods SeasonGrazing Length Regrowth period Spring4 – 5 days10 – 14 days Summer9 – 10 days21 – 30 days Late Summer12 – 15 days30 – 45 days

7. Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Determine carrying capacity Remember that grazing animals only need to eat about 2.5 to 3% of their body weight An 1100 pound horse will eat 27.5 pounds of air-dry forage (hay) per day, or 825 pounds per month (27.5 x 30)

8. Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Determine carrying capacity Horses trample or damage 25% of their forage in a pasture, so add another 25% when feeding from a pasture – this brings the total requirement closer to 1000 pounds per month

9. Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Improving carrying capacity Manage grazing Create and use exercise areas and paddocks Control weeds Improve irrigation Consider need for reseeding or renovation