Best Management Practices for Grazing Systems

Nonpoint Source Pollution Workshop

Nutrients & the Rural Landscape November 14, 2012

Matt Bunger Grasslands Specialist

Normal, IL

Grazing System • 120 acres under

MiG system • Multiple Paddocks

• Livestock Watering System

• Fed by farm pond

What we see!

Livestock… the concern??

• Overgrazing • Continuous grazing • Poor water access areas • Poor crossings • Overstocking of

pastures • Stream-side feedlots

Most problems can be solved through proper planning and management.

Prescribed Grazing

• Definition: • The controlled harvest of vegetation

with grazing or browsing animals, managed with the intent to achieve a specified objective

Prescribed Grazing

• Purposes: • This Practice is applied as part of a

conservation management system accomplish one or more of the following purposes:

Prescribed Grazing Purposes:

• 1. Improve or maintain the health and vigor of key species and to maintain a stable and desired pant community.

• 2. Provide or maintain food, cover and shelter for animals of concern.

• 3. Improve or maintain animal health and productivity.

• 4. Maintain or improve water quality and quantity.

• 5. Reduce accelerated soil erosion and maintain or improve soil condition for sustainability of the resource.

Prescribed Grazing

•A grazing management plan incorporates the planned use of water, fencing and forage, however… •Vegetation management (grazing management) is the foundation to the success of farm/ranch planning (RMS).

Fundamentals of successful

grazing management

Meet the nutritional needs of the livestock from standing pasture

Optimize pasture yield, quality, and persistence

Maintain or enhance the natural resource base

Integrate appropriate technology and knowledge into a practical system

Four Essentials of Grazing Management

• Proper Stocking • Proper Season of Grazing • Proper Distribution of Grazing • Selecting a Grazing System that

matches Livestock and producer needs.

Proper Stocking • PROPER STOCKING – is the single

most important factor. To achieve this, you must; –Inventory total forage –Determine grazable forage

• The amount of grazable forage present determines the proper stocking rate for each pasture.

Estimating Grazing Days

8000#/ ac. X 20 ac. X 50% HE 1200# AW X 0.026 IR X 20 AN

1000# (AU) X 0.026 (2.6% intake) = 26#/day

26# X 365 days = 9490# year

To feed one AU/year

= 128 days 80,000# forage

624# daily intake

100 Cows for 1 day

Forage is balanced

An Simple Example:

• Long duration • Season long timing • Low intensity • Poor distribution • Properly stocked (balanced)

One Cow for 100 days

Forage is balanced

• Short duration • Single growth stage timing • High intensity • Good distribution • Properly stocked (balanced)

The forage consumed is the same. Are the effects the same? No.

How does the length of rest differ?

How will the plants be affected?

Forage Quality

Digestibility

Intake

50

60

70

. 80

1%

2%

3%

Yield

GRAZE

Plant growth stages vs.. digestibility

Factors Effecting Forage Quality

• Digestibility declines as plants mature! • Intake declines as plants mature! • Forage Quality declines as plants

mature! • Animal performance declines as plants

mature! (especially tall fescue) • Forage Yield increases a plants mature!

Recommended Grazing Heights and Rest Periods

• Species and Mixtures (Prescribed Grazing 528 Std. table 1

• Legumes require 30 days rest period to stay in the stand!

• Some grasses can get by on 21 days rest (In good growing conditions)

• Always move animals by forage height not the calendar!

5-wire High Tensile Electric Fence (fixed)

Creep Grazing

Temporary Fence (flexible)

Optimum Paddock #’s based on Livestock Type (Rule of Thumb for 20 –

40 days rest)

Livestock type Grazing Period (Days)

Paddock #

Dairy & Beef finishing

0.5 – 1 20 - 80

Dairy Heifer & Beef Stockers

1 - 2 16 - 40

Cow/calf, Sheep, Goats, Horses

2 - 5 8 - 16

Stripgrazing Stockpiled Fescue

11-21-2007

Cheap Winter grazing for Sheep

Strip Grazing Stockpiled Fescue is the most efficient method

E. Gama Grass, Native Warm Season Grass, Summer grazing forage. Note the brown Orchard grass in the upper right corner!

Brown Midrib Sorghum-Sudangrass

Soil Erosion and Water Quality

Alternative Water Sources

Alternative Water Sources (1) When cattle are provided alternative sources of good quality water, visits to streams were greatly reduced. Distance traveled to water also made a difference. When travel distance was under 800 ft and alternative water was supplied the streams were rarely used.

Clean water / cattle growth (2)

• Research conducted at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND revealed that water temperatures between 40 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for cattle to drink.

* Steers having access to cool drinking water gained 0.3 to 0.4 pounds more per day than those drinking warm water.

- Boyles, Wohlgemuth, Fisher, Fargo, ND. 1988.

Alternative Water Sources (3) * Installation of a water trough had a significant impact on

cattle use in stream side areas. * Use of a stream within a pasture dropped from 4.7 to 0.9

minutes per cow per day. * Use of a wide streamside area dropped from 8.3 to 3.9

minutes per cow per day after the trough was installed. • This correlated to an 81% reduction in the time cattle spent

drinking from the stream and a 53% reduction in the time cattle spent in an adjacent streamside area.

• Conclusion – cattle preferred to drink from a water trough over drinking from a stream, 75% of the time. Clawson, OR State University, 1993.

½ to 2 days

Use larger tanks and set them to give more access to livestock!

Water Tanks Sizing linear access and capacity due

to travel distance!

Pumping Plant

Pipeline & Quick Connect

Portable water system

Preferred crossing points

Cattle don’t like soft creek bottoms. They prefer solid footing.

Cattle not only use them but rarely strayed off of them.

Stream Crossing

Feeding Options

• Pasture - Feed on ridge tops • Pasture - All-weather surface for feed/water • Dry lot - All-weather surface for feeding and

water • Delay need for feeding areas

– Stockpiled forages – Crop residue

MUD CUTS PERFORMANCE

• Muddy animals ----> ↑ stress • Mud ---> ↑ energy requirements • Mud ---> ↓ intake • Mud ---> ↑ disease • Mud ---> a problem for nearly every

beef producer

Heavy Use Area Protection

Livestock Winter Feeding Station

Access Road

Heavy Use Area

Protection

1.0 foot 1.4 feet

No Heavy Use Area

Windbreak/Shelterbelt

Providing Shade - portable

Indicator 1 Point 2 Points 3 Points 4 Points 5 Points

Percent legume

5%

Legumes are <10% by wt. Or, greater than 60% bloating legumes.

Legumes are <10% by wt. Or, 40-60% spreading legume with grass loss occurring.

10-19% legumes. 20-29% legumes. 30 – 60 % legumes by weight.

Uniformity of use 5%

Over 50% of the pasture. Mosaic pattern found throughout pasture or identifiable areas of pasture avoided.

No more than 30-50 % of the pasture spot grazed either in a mosaic pattern or obvious portion is not frequented. . Urine and dung patches are avoided.

No more than 20-30 % of the pasture spot grazed either in a mosaic pattern or obvious portion is not frequented. . Urine and dung patches are avoided.

No more than 10-20 % of the pasture spot grazed. Urine and dung patches are avoided.

No more than 10 % of the pasture spot grazed. 90% of the pasture falls within the minimum and maximum grazing heights for cool season grass/legume mixtures (3 – 8”).

Livestock concentration areas

10%

Cover >10% of the pasture; or concentrated areas convey contaminated runoff directly into water channels.

Livestock conc. areas and trails cover 5-10% of pasture; most close to water channels and drain into them unbuffered.

Isolated livestock concentrated areas and trails cover 5-10% of area. Buffer areas are between concentrated areas and water channels.

Some livestock trails and one or two small concentration areas cover <5% of the pasture. Buffer areas are between concentrated areas and water channels.

No untreated livestock concentration areas in the pasture. (Ex. Gravel pads around waterers, possibly at gates, no evidence of trails in pasture).

Soil compaction (Probe moist soil

comparing the treatment unit to an ungrazed area [i.e.

fence row]. Estimate compaction when soil

is not moist.) 10%

Unable to push survey flag into soil. Infiltration capacity and surface runoff severely affected by heavy compaction. Excessive livestock traffic killing plants over wide areas.

Hard to push survey flag past compacted layers. Infiltration capacity is lowered and surface runoff increased due to large areas of bare ground and dense compaction layer at surface.

Soil resistant to survey flag at one or more depths within soil depth. Infiltration capacity lowered and surface runoff increased due to plant cover loss and soil compaction by livestock hooves.

Survey flag enters soil easily except at rocks. There are scattered signs of livestock trails and hoof prints, confined to lanes or small, wet areas.

Survey flag pushes easily into ground except for rocks. Soil is friable, earthworm and dung beetle activity should be evident, especially around manure piles.

Erosion 15%

Erosion is active throughout pasture; rills are 3-8 inches deep at close intervals and/or grazing terracettes are close-spaced with some slope slippage. Active gullies are present caused by livestock trailing. Pediceling is apparent.

Most erosion is confined to steepest terrain of unit; well defined rills are 0.5-3 inches deep at close intervals and/or grazing terracettes are present. Trails are evident causing concentrated flows.

Most erosion is confined to heavy use areas, especially in loafing areas, concentration area, and water sites; rills are 0.5-3 inches deep. Debris fans are found at downslope edge. Livestock trailing is evident.

No current formation of rills. There is some evidence of past rill formation, but they are grassed. Scattered debris dams of litter are occasionally present.

No evidence of current or past formation of sheet flow or rills.

Indicator 1 Point 2 Points 3 Points 4 Points 5 Points

Percent desirable plants 10%

<20% Desirable species <20% of stand. Annual weeds and/or woody invasives are dominant.

20-40% Desirable species 20-40% of stand. Mostly weedy annuals and/or woody invasives present and expanding. Shade is a factor.

40-60% Desirable species 40-60% of stand. Undesirable broadleaf weeds and annual weedy grasses invading. Some woody species invading.

60-80% Desirable forage species 60-80% of stand. Remainder mostly intermediates and a few undesirables are present.

>80% Desirable species exceed 80% of plant community with the remainder being scattered intermediates.

Live Plant cover (Live stems and

green leaf cover of all species at adjusted 3-4"

height.) 15%

Canopy: <50% Photosynthetic area is very low. Very little plant cover to slow or stop runoff.

Canopy: 50-70% Photosynthetic area is low. Runoff is fast due to low plant cover.

Canopy: 70-80% Most forages are grazed close, with little leaf area to intercept sunlight. Runoff is moderate due to moderate plant cover.

Canopy: 80-90% Spot grazed so there is some loss of photosynthetic potential. Runoff is low due to good plant cover.

Canopy: 90% Forages are maintained in leafy condition for best photosynthetic activity. Stands are very thick stand with slow or no runoff flows.

Plant diversity (Evaluate as a

complete system.) 10%

More than one dominant (>75% of DM wt.) forage species from one functional group with differing growth habitats. Not evenly grazed - poorly distributed. (ex: jointed grasses and non-jointed grasses)

One dominant (>75% of DM wt.) forage species. Or, over 5 forage species (all <20%) from one dominant functional group, not evenly grazed - poorly distributed.

Two to five forage species from one dominant functional (>75% of DM wt.) group. At least one avoided by livestock permitting presence of mature seed stalks. Species in patches.

Three forage species (each 20% DM wt.) from one functional group. None avoided. Or, one forage species each from two functional groups, both supply 25-50% of DM wt.

Three to four forage species with at least one being a legume (each 20% of DM wt. and total >75% of DM wt.). Well intermixed, compatible growth habit, and comparable palatability

Plant residue 5%

Ground cover: <1% No identifiable residue is present on soil surface. Or, heavy thatch is evident (>1 inch).

Ground cover: 1-10% 1-10% is covered with dead leaves or stems. Or, thatch is 0.5 inch to 1 inch thick.

Ground cover: 10-20% 10-20% is covered with dead leaves or stems. Or, there is slight thatch buildup but <0.5 inch.

Ground cover: 20-30% There is 20-30% covered with dead leaves or stems but there is no thatch present.

Ground cover: 30-70% 30-70% is covered with dead leaves or stems, but there is no thatch buildup.

Plant vigor 15%

There is no recovery after grazing. More than 80% of plants are pale yellow or brown, or permanently wilted, or lost due to insects or disease. Yields are regularly more than 30% below site potential; or there is lodged, dark green overly lush forage, often avoided by grazers.

Recovery after grazing takes 2 or more weeks longer than normal, or 50% to 80% of plants are yellowish green leaves, or there is major insect or disease yield loss, or plants are wilted most of day. Productivity is very low, 20-30% below site potential.

Recovery after grazing takes 1 week longer than normal, or the urine/dung patches are dark green in contrast to rest of plants, or there is minor insect or disease loss or mid-day plant wilting. Yields are regularly 10-20% below site potential.

Recovery after grazing takes 1 to 2 days longer than normal; 50 to 80 % of plants are of healthy green color for the crop. There is minor insect or disease damage. No plants are wilting. Yields are near site potential.

Rapid recovery after grazing. More than 80% of the plants are of healthy green color for the crop. No signs of insect or disease damage. No leaf wilting. Yields are at site potential for the species adapted to the site's soil and climate. Desirable plants competitive with invading species.

Pasture Condition Score Sheet- June, 2007

Fundamentals of Successful Grazing

Management

• Integrate appropriate technology and knowledge into a practical/profitable system

• Not only fence and water but….a management system • Plant species/plant health • Soil health/fertility • Nutrient management • Livestock nutrition/supplementation • Genetics • Herd health • Marketing

• What are the weak links in your system?

Keep Accurate Grazing Records

• You cannot manage what you don’t measure!

• Measure forages before/after grazing • Document grazing days • Manage with one eye 30 days ahead • Be thinking 2-3-4 months ahead where

your grazing cycle will be!

Keys to Success • Prepare a prescribed Grazing Plan • Keep the system flexible • Protection of your natural resources • You are applying a system not individual

practices • Plan for year round grazing • Quality water with good distribution in

pasture

Grazing Principles • Forage Animal Balance • Rest Periods • Grass/Legume Mixtures • Soil Erosion/Condition (testing) • Balance Plant Nutrient Needs • Multiple Pastures • Travel Distance to Water • Limit access to surface water

Protect Surface Water

• Fence streams and ponds separately • Limiting access improves H2O quality • Flash graze the fenced protected areas • Develop access ramps/stream crossings • Provide alternative water sources

– Wells, Rural Water, or Springs • Pond/Stream Sediments harbor diseases

and foot rot

Adequate Watering Facilities

• Travel distance to water, 800 or less • Improves forage utilization • Loss of the herding effect • Location aids in reducing erosion • Adequate water quantity for livestock • Improve water quality for livestock • Adequate linear space for animals to drink

Environmental Benefits of Prescribed Grazing

• Improved plant health • Improved water quality • Reduced erosion: streams, ponds, travel paths,

critical areas, etc. • Reduced time in barn lots • Reduced animal waste issues • Improved animal health • Increased plant species diversity • Improved Wildlife Benefits

Conservation Practices Most Commonly Used in Grazing

Plans • Fence 382 • Pipeline 516 • Watering Facilities 614 • Pasture and Hayland Seeding 512 • Heavy Use Area 561 • Pumping Plant for Water Control 533 • Water Well 642 • Many of the Practices in FOTG are available!

Information Sources • NRCS Field Office Technical Guide • NRCS National Pasture & Range Handbook • Homer Sanchez, NRCS State Rangeland

Management Specialist • Mark Kennedy, NRCS State Grassland

Specialist Missouri • Missouri Grazing Schools Program • University of Missouri

Matt Bunger NRCS Grasslands Specialist/Illinois Grazing Lands

Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Coordinator 402 North Kays Drive Normal, IL 61761 matt.bunger@il.usda.gov 217-621-4845 http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/grazing/index.

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