3 tips for improving pastureland

Properly managed pastureland produces high-quality forage and lengthens the grazing season, ultimately reducing feed costs. Here are three tips for improving the quality of your pastureland.

1. Rotate
To prevent overgrazing, create a rotational grazing scheme. For example, subdivide large pastures into smaller ones and rotate your animals through these fields. Ideally, you should let the grass reach six to eight inches high before putting your animals out to graze. Remove them from the field when the grass gets down to three or four inches.

2. Mow and harrow
It’s a good idea to mow your pasture after your animals have grazed. Mowing helps even out the grass height and encourages the plants to produce more leaves and fewer stems, resulting in a more palatable and hardy grass. It also helps control aggressive weeds like thistle.

You may want to consider harrowing your pasture after your animals have finished grazing. This helps break up manure piles and evenly distribute nutrients throughout the soil. Dispersing manure piles also helps control parasites and insects.

3. Fertilize
Like all plants, grass requires nutrients to grow. Therefore, it’s essential to take regular soil samples and follow fertilizer recommendations.

Think of pasture management as grass farming: the grass is the crop, and the animals harvest it.