| Week Starting | Fields sampled | Minimum | Maximum | Average | Past 6 yr Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no.) | (pounds of DM per day) | ||||
| April 3 | 7 | 8.8 | 22.7 | 13.9 | na |
| April 10 | 9 | 12.9 | 63.4 | 40.1 | na |
| April 17 | 21 | 2.1 | 126.2 | 41.11 | 58 |
| April24 | 24 | 0.2 | 197.7 | 66.9 | 75 |
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Weekly Pasture Growth by May 1
The following table shows the growth from pastures participating in the project. For information about the project see the introductory post. The information is reported in pounds of dry matter grown per acre per day. It contains the reported results as of the posting date. Some reports may be delayed for various reasons. Previous week’s information is updated when it is received. The current table will reflect the total information available.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Weekly Pasture Growth by April 24
The following table shows the growth from pastures participating in the project. For information about the project see the introductory post. The information is reported in pounds of dry matter grown per acre per day. It contains the reported results as of the posting date. Some reports may be delayed for various reasons. Previous week’s information is updated when it is received. The current table will reflect the total information available.
| Week Starting | Fields sampled | Minimum | Maximum | Average | Past 6 yr Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no.) | (pounds of DM per day) | ||||
| April 3 | 7 | 8.8 | 22.7 | 13.9 | na |
| April 10 | 9 | 12.9 | 63.4 | 40.1 | na |
| April 17 | 19 | 0.9 | 126.2 | 39.56 | 58 |
Monday, April 18, 2011
Ohio Grazing School Program
The Ohio Grazing Schools are educational programs taught by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and The Ohio State University Extension. The schools serve three purposes: 1) educate producers and agency personnel in the art and science of grazing management; 2) transfer new technology in grassland management to producers and agency personnel; 3) improve the producers’ ability to better manage the natural resources.
They are a “hands-on” grassland school that is designed for the producer and the resource manager. We aim to provide valuable information in a fun atmosphere you can use to ensure your farm is environmentally responsible as well as economically viable. The goal is to make this educational event a one of a kind experience. If you are a producer or agency person you are encouraged to register.
Contact Agency your local office of the USDA-NRCS, OSU Extension, or the local Soil and Water Conservation District.
Schools are taught generally during the grazing season. The grazing schools consist of both class room and field exercises.
Ohio Forage and Grassland Council provide a notebook at a nominal cost.
Ohio Forage and Grassland Council provide a notebook at a nominal cost.
Program Highlights
191 Grazing Schools have been held so far with over 3250 participants through December, 2010. There are Basic (Pasture for Profit) and Advanced Grazing Schools and a Forage for Horses school. There is also a Forage Production Workshop for hay and silage producers. All these programs are 2 to 3 evenings in length and some include an on farm exercise sometimes held on Saturday mornings.
CURRICULUM
Pasture for Profit
Pasture for Profit
Ø Getting Started
Ø (What is MiG)
Ø Pasture Plant Growth
Ø (Environmental Considerations)
Ø Fencing Systems
Ø Livestock Watering Systems
Ø Forage Species Selection
Ø Economics of Grazing
Ø Paddock Layout and Design
Ø Meeting Animal Nutritional Requirements on Pasture
Ø (How Soils Affect Grazing)
Ø (Pasture Weed Control)
Ø (Mineral Supplementation)
Ø (Designing a Grazing Systems)
Forage for Horses
Ø Horse Nutrition
Ø Soils and Soil Fertility
Ø Forage Species Selection
Ø Plant Growth Physiology
Ø Pasture Management and Paddock Design
Ø Hay Quality and Storage
Ø Manure Management
Ø (Economic and Marketing)
Ø (Poisonous Plants)
Ø (Pasture Renovation)
Ø (Tall Fescue Management)
Topics in ( ) are available, but the other topics are strongly recommended to be presented at all grazing schools.
INSTRUCTOR MATERIALS
Instructors are provided with multimedia materials. The material was originally developed as slide set converted to power points and now revised to digital format (updated in 2006, 2009).
Instructors are provided with multimedia materials. The material was originally developed as slide set converted to power points and now revised to digital format (updated in 2006, 2009).
PRODUCER MATERIALS
Producer materials include manuals, grazing sticks, and other technical handouts provided by the speakers.
LOCAL GRAZING COUNCILS
Program Description
Grazing Councils offer a good, inexpensive way for people to exchange ideas and information about specific pasture management practices. Most grazing councils are informal, periodical gatherings were local producers talk about current pasture management needs. Pasture walks are the format generally used. A pasture walk consists of a host farm sharing their management and walking a pasture discussing the effects of the management system.
Contact your local USDA-NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation District and Ohio State University Extension Offices. There are several grazing councils across the state. There are two good reasons for starting or joining a grazing council. You help yourself by learning from the experiences of others and you can help others by sharing your experiences.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Grazing Management Workshop “Pasture for Profit – Grazing School”
The first grazing school of 2011 is scheduled for the Tuesday evenings of January 11, 18 and 25. The three session course will be held 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Auditorium, 2280 State Route 540, Bellefontaine, Ohio. A Grazing School is designed for the producer or farm manager. It provides valuable information in a fun atmosphere that can be used to ensure that the grazing operation on your farm is environmentally responsible as well as economically viable. If you are a producer or an agency person with an interest in grazing management please plan on attending. Registration is $40 that will include the Pasture for Profit Notebook and Pasture Stick. A flyer with the agenda and registration form is available at http://co.logan.oh.us/soilandwater/.
Additional information is available by contacting Bob Stoll, District Conservationist, Bellefontaine at 937-593-2946 extension 114 or email bob.stoll@oh.usda.gov.
Benefits from attending:
-Qualifies you for additional points when applying for USDA EQIP
-Increase knowledge about forage growth to improve pasture management
-Improve the environmental quality; clean water and air, healthy soil, plants and animals
-Learn ways to increase net profit in your farming operation
Additional information is available by contacting Bob Stoll, District Conservationist, Bellefontaine at 937-593-2946 extension 114 or email bob.stoll@oh.usda.gov.
Benefits from attending:
-Qualifies you for additional points when applying for USDA EQIP
-Increase knowledge about forage growth to improve pasture management
-Improve the environmental quality; clean water and air, healthy soil, plants and animals
-Learn ways to increase net profit in your farming operation
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
10th Annual Heart Of America Grazing Conference
The 10th Annual Heart of America Grazing Conference is returning to Kentucky. It will be held January 25 & 26 at the Holiday Inn Hurstbourne in Louisville. The Conference rotates among five states (Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky). The program will feature leading speakers from all five states concerning topics of interest to all producers interested in grazing. In addition to informative presentations, a silent auction and trade show will be featured. The program gets underway January 25 at 2:00 p.m. EST with exhibit set-up. Registration begins at 3:00 p.m. Registration is $35.00/day/person until January 15. After that date it will go up to $65.00. It includes two meals, refreshments, proceedings and other conference-related information. Complete program and registration information is available at our website www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage or by contacting Christi Forsythe at cforsyth@uky.edu or 270-365-7541, Ext. 221.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Ohio Forages and Grasslands Council Annual Meeting February 11, 2011
The Ohio Forages and Grasslands Council Annual Meeting will be February 11, 2011 from 8:30 to 4:00 p.m. The focus will be “The Plant and How It Grows”. Dr.Glen Schmaker, Forage Specialist, Extension Assistant Professor from University of Idaho will do sessions on making hay, understanding how to maximize grazing based on the time of day and cool season plants. Dr. Marvin Hall, Penn State Professor of Forage Management will have sessions on plant growth and how animals utilize the plants. Besides the keynote speakers, Ohio producer panel will share their observations and experiences with plant production and harvesting practices. The meeting will be held at Ohio Department of Agriculture at Reynoldsburg, Ohio. For more information, call Leah Miller at 740.545.6349.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Graze Pasture Residual or Use a Sacrifice Lot?
By: Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Athens County and Buckeye Hills EERA
I recently received an email inquiry from a livestock owner who practices rotational grazing. His question is one that many graziers may be facing with dry fall conditions. Copied below is his email question and my response to his question.
Question:
It’s very dry.
Have saved residual 3 to 5” forage in most paddocks. I don’t expect any more growth this fall due to lack of rain. I have penned up the cattle and have been feeding hay. I think I have read that it may do no harm to next years growth to graze very dormant forage to the ground. I would prefer to bale feed on pasture rather than in a sacrifice area. This would mean letting the cattle graze the remaining forage to the ground. Will this damage the pasture for the future? By bale feeding on pasture rather than penned in a sacrifice area I would save the work of dealing with manure, and reduce loss of nutrients by having the bales waste and manure deposited on the pasture.
What do you suggest?
Reply:
You have done well to save a 3-5 inch residual in pasture paddocks, good management!
I understand your reasoning about feeding hay in a sacrifice area vs. out in a pasture paddock, and you are right, you would have the nutrients deposited in the areas you feed in. You are also right that grass growth will be limited (if we get rain and cooler temps) or non-existent (if it stays dry and hot). However, I advise against grazing down your forage residual if that is what it takes to feed bales. This would be un-doing all of your good management up to this point.
Even though the grass is not growing those leaves can still photosynthesize and help that plant build up carbohydrate reserves that are necessary to overwinter the plant and provide for spring green-up and root growth. Even in a fall with better rainfall, grass growth rates fall off much more than photosynthetic rates. That is why it is so important not to overgraze in the fall of the year and to maintain adequate leaf area for photosynthesis.
Once we get to the point where soil temperature drops to around 40 degrees F, then grass growth and root development is truly done for the year, and the leaf residual can be grazed down close to soil level if necessary. Grazing off forage residual now will stress plants and will open up the sod base to invasion by weeds, especially some of the winter annuals. Pasture will green up slower next spring and next season’s overall production potential can be decreased. So, at this point in the year, I still advise that the sacrifice lot is used.
I recently received an email inquiry from a livestock owner who practices rotational grazing. His question is one that many graziers may be facing with dry fall conditions. Copied below is his email question and my response to his question.
Question:
It’s very dry.
Have saved residual 3 to 5” forage in most paddocks. I don’t expect any more growth this fall due to lack of rain. I have penned up the cattle and have been feeding hay. I think I have read that it may do no harm to next years growth to graze very dormant forage to the ground. I would prefer to bale feed on pasture rather than in a sacrifice area. This would mean letting the cattle graze the remaining forage to the ground. Will this damage the pasture for the future? By bale feeding on pasture rather than penned in a sacrifice area I would save the work of dealing with manure, and reduce loss of nutrients by having the bales waste and manure deposited on the pasture.
What do you suggest?
Reply:
You have done well to save a 3-5 inch residual in pasture paddocks, good management!
I understand your reasoning about feeding hay in a sacrifice area vs. out in a pasture paddock, and you are right, you would have the nutrients deposited in the areas you feed in. You are also right that grass growth will be limited (if we get rain and cooler temps) or non-existent (if it stays dry and hot). However, I advise against grazing down your forage residual if that is what it takes to feed bales. This would be un-doing all of your good management up to this point.
Even though the grass is not growing those leaves can still photosynthesize and help that plant build up carbohydrate reserves that are necessary to overwinter the plant and provide for spring green-up and root growth. Even in a fall with better rainfall, grass growth rates fall off much more than photosynthetic rates. That is why it is so important not to overgraze in the fall of the year and to maintain adequate leaf area for photosynthesis.
Once we get to the point where soil temperature drops to around 40 degrees F, then grass growth and root development is truly done for the year, and the leaf residual can be grazed down close to soil level if necessary. Grazing off forage residual now will stress plants and will open up the sod base to invasion by weeds, especially some of the winter annuals. Pasture will green up slower next spring and next season’s overall production potential can be decreased. So, at this point in the year, I still advise that the sacrifice lot is used.
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