1. Forages

2. Forage – the edible parts of plants, other than separated grain, that can provide feed for grazing animals, or that can be harvested for feeding.

3. Forage Classification: A. Grass – B. Legume – C. Annual - D. Biennial - E. Perennial – F. Warm Season Plants – G. Cool Season Plants-

4. Typical Growth of a Cool Season Perennial Grass: Example – Tall Fescue (Festuca aurndenacia) Fall of 2002 – plant a new stand or have existing stand that is vegetative (no stems). Plant stores carbohydrates for winter, new tillers are initiated. Winter 2002-2003 – low temperatures vernalization occurs Spring 2003- leaf growth resumes on tillers, temperature rises, days lengthen. March internodes lengthen to form stems and flowers emerge. Flowering tillers die Spring-Summer 2003 – defoliation by grazing or hay cutting Summer 2003 – regrowth all vegetative Fall 2003 – may have some late flowering tillers

5. Typical Growth of Warm Season Grasses: Example- Bermudagrass (Cyanodon dactylon) Establish form seed or sprigs in April – June. Vegetative growth occurs with production of stolons, rhizomes, and aerial stems. Flowers are produced but are sterile in most hybrids Start storing carbohydrates mid-August and beginning of September.

6. Typical Growth of Alfalfa: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Establish in fall (August – early September) or spring (February – April) Alfalfa will remain vegetative until 1 – 3 ft. tall Stages: Vegetative – no flower buds present »Bud – no flowers open, buds at leaf axis »First Flower – first flower open in field »Flowering - %, number of stems with flowers / 100 stems. »Pod development – green pods »Ripe seed – mature brown pods.

7. Red Clover growth is similar to alfalfa White clover – does not produce upright stems

8. Grazing Management Managing pastures to achieve maximum light interception and harvest. –Animal unit (AU) – 1000 lb animal –Animal unit day – 1 AU x 1 day –AUM per acre – the (# of AU’s x # months) # of Acres grazed -Available forage -Forage Allowance -Stocking rate – AU/Acre -Carrying Capacity – opt. stocking rate over time -Stocking density – number of animals/acre of paddock

9. What is more important than the type of grazing system: 1. Maintaining desirable forage composition. Control weeds 2. Maintaining optimum forage availability Soil nutrients No overgrazing or undergrazing 3. Good utilization Stock heavy enough to minimize waste Prevent stemmy growth Stockpile excess

10. Pasture Growth Depends on: 1. Photosynthetic efficiency 2. High sustained growth rate 3. Low rate of leaf aging 4. Maintenance of vigorous tillers

11. Effects of Grazing Animals on Pasture: 1. Defoliation – overgrazing and undergrazing. 2. Treading 3. Excretion

12. How Do Animals Graze? Sheep – nibble more efficiently harvest, more selectively Cattle – wraps tongue around plant and tears it. Horses – highly selective, prefer close grazed forage.

13. Factors Affecting Optimum Stocking Rate: 1. Forage production 2. Accessibility of forage to animals 3. Nutritive value of forage 4. Species composition 5. Season variations in forage production 6. Economic considerations

14. Managing the Canopy: 1. Undergrazing – produces too much canopy Shades low growing species –clovers, lespedeza Produces stems of low quality Old leaves die form excessive shade Trampling of grazable forage Results: Legumes are driven out, no free N. Free solar energy goes to soil not the animal.

15. 2. Overgrazing: Frequent and excessive canopy removal. Loss of desired species – legumes, quality grasses Slow regrowth – lowers carrying capacity Poor root growth - reduces carrying capacity Boom and bust growth Soil bakes in summer, water evaporates, runs off

16. Grazing Management Tools: 1. Continuous stocking – one open field, not subdivided. Forage is grazed while it is growing Stocking rate = stocking density Selective grazing results – unpalatable weeds Patchy grazing Overgrazing – sometime during year Undergrazing- sometime during year High production/animal and low production/acre Must use a grazing tolerant species (Bermudagrass and E+ Tall fescue)

17. 2. Controlled Grazing – Management intensive – make animals graze what, when, and where, and how much you want them to graze. Can be achieved by altering: –Stocking rate –Rate of rotation – grass height should not be greater than 6-8 inches and no shorter than 2 inches.

18. Grazing tolerance of plants: 1. Plant a grazing tolerant species: Bermudagrass, E+ tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, White Clover 2. Intermediate tolerance: Caucasian bluestem, Alfagraze alfalfa, Marion lespedeza, Smooth Bromegrass, Orchardgrass, Small grains 3. Low tolerance: plants need rest between rotations.

19. Flexibility can be used in any grazing situation by: 1. Alter # of cattle per paddock 2. Alter # of paddocks 3. Speed rotation through paddocks 4. Shift herd to another type of forage (CSG  WSG  CSG). 5. There is no flexibility during drought or winter.