Elmer M. Dengler State Grazing Specialist

1
Elmer M. Dengler State Grazing
Specialist Maryland
Grazing Lands Conservation
Initiative Coalition United
States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
through your local Soil Conservation
Districts
2
Best Management
Practices
Flexible Components of Holistic
Resource Management Systems

3
(No Transcript)
4
Holistic Resource Management NRCS USDA
Holistic Resource Management is SWAPA H
Soil Water Air Plants Animals Humans
Management - Performance, Production,
Land Stewardship ( erosion, water quality,
environmental impact)
5
Considerations in developing hay and pasture
systems

• What are the natural resource advantages and
  challenges of the farm?
• a. Soil site characteristics
• -- Soil type suitability
• (depth, drainage, etc.)
• -- Soil fertility
• -- Site topography

6
Considerations in developing hay and pasture
systems

• What are my natural resource advantages and
  challenges?
• a. Soil site characteristics
• -- Soil type suitability
• (depth, drainage, etc.)
• -- Soil fertility
• -- Site topographyThese factors determine
  what can be grown and the type of livestock
  system that can be supported.

7
Considerations in developing hay and pasture
systems
2. What are the goals objectives of the
intended grazing system? -- Summer pasture --
Maximize grazing/minimize
8
Choose your species based on

• Species adaptation to site.
• Species response to cutting or grazing
  system.
• Potential forage yield and seasonal distribution
  of growth.
• Palatability and nutritional value.
• Persistence.

9
The Chesapeake Bay Initiative and you.
How are these issues regulated. Mud -
water pollution MDE - Water Management Ruts
- water pollution MDE Water Management
Manure - water pollution MDA Nutrient Mgt. Law
8 Animal Units 1 AU is 1,000 lbs)
Chemicals - water pollution MDA Label,
Restricted Use Invasive species - habitat
losses MDA / DNR / County Fertilizer -
water pollution MDA- Nutrient Mgt Law Zoning
type/ number of animals/acre County Level
10
The Chesapeake Bay Initiative and you.
Where to get technical help on these issues,
Mud - water
pollution SCD (MDA , NRCS), Extension Ruts
- water pollution SCD (MDA, NRCS), Extension
Manure - water pollution Extension, SCD (MDA,
NRCS) Chemicals Extension, SCD (MDA,
NRCS) Invasive species - Extension, SCD
(MDA, NRCS) Fertilizer - Extension, SCD (MDA,
NRCS) Zoning - type/ number of animals/acre
-SCD, County Zoning
11
The Chesapeake Bay Initiative and you.
Where maybe to get financial help on these
issues, Mud
- water pollution SCD (MDA , NRCS) Ruts -
water pollution SCD (MDA, NRCS) Manure -
water pollution SCD (MDA, NRCS)
Chemicals - SCD (MDA, NRCS) Invasive species
SCD (MDA, NRCS)
12
(No Transcript)
13
The Horse as a Social Animal. An issue
that directly effects holistic resource
management.
Dr Temple Grandin - Livestock Handling and
Behavior
Colorado State University She has owned,
loved, and worked with horses all her life.
People with autism see things more as animals
do. Some comments she has granted me to
use on horse management from her book,
Animals in Translation
14
Page 155 Animals in Translation.
Socializing Animals to Others Animals Anyone
who interacts with animals has to know how to
manage an animals aggressive nature.
Two actions are essential make sure the animals
is properly socialized to other animals, and make
sure the animal is properly socialized to people.






You have to make sure animals are socialized to
other animals because most of what animals do in
life they learn from other animals. Adults teach
their young where to eat, what to eat, whom to
socialize with, and whom to have sex with. The
adults teach the young one social rules and
respect for their own kind. If an animal does
not learn these rules when hes young, there may
be many problem behaviors when he grows up
15
Page 158 Animals in Translation. On wild
horses. In the wild, constant fighting is not
normal When a stallion is raised in solitary
confinement he never learns normal social
behavior, and thats what makes him dangerous to
other males Raising young stud colts in a
pasture full of older geldings will teach them
some manners and create a good stallion that you
can ride like a normal horse, People with fancy
horses are actually abusing them with too much
care. Young horses need to get out and have a
chance to be horses. Concerning a horse
she worked with called Blackie I think that
since Blackie had never learned social skills he
had never learned that once he had Achieved
dominance he no longer had to keep fighting.

16
Forage Quality, Animal Behavior, and Health
Management Considerations Why continuous grazing
is like kids in a candy store. Under continuous
grazing (one paddock no animal movement). Horses
will regraze the same plants every 3-5 days when
Regrowth forage volume wise is sweeter (
think of young tender carrots.) Rotational
grazing allows for more grass maturity with more
fiber and volume wise less sugar. More research
looking at rotational grazing and sugars needs to
be done.
17
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components Management
Considerations How Fast - Managing by grass
heights is the best. Most grass grazing
recovery is 15 30 days. Time varies
by time of year, heights do not. This
waiting time is necessary for grass to regrow
and be productive. (Like when you have the
flu) Less than 15 days will cause grass
death Continuous provides how much
rest?
18
(No Transcript)
19
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components Management
Considerations Grazing heights Grass
Begin End
Orchardgrass 10 3
Tall Fescue 10
3 KY Bluegrass 5
2
20
(No Transcript)
21
Over Grazing kills the roots.
22
(No Transcript)
23
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components One typical
starting point. Weeds indicate a soil/ grass /
animal issue. Check pH first Fix that first.
regrowth time and grazing time problems.
Complete reestablishment works the best.
Overseeding 0-20 of seeds make it. Plan a
management system then install BMPs

24
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components Soil Plant
Considerations Simple mixes of one or two
grasses or varieties of same grass best for
the sites climate, soil, drainage and
management. Complex mixes come on strong And
do not persist. What is least adapted dies
first Weeds take it place.

25
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components Animal Behavior
Considerations Animals put pressure on what
they like most and ignore the rest and Kill
the best out. An old pasture has what they
dont want. Why keep it? Complete
reestablishment is the best and cheapest in
the long run. Animals learn what they like and
that can be changed.

26
Putting A Basic Pasture Rotation System
Together and BMP Components What comes first.

Sacrifice Area
Water Systems
Pasture Establishment 2 acres/ animal
unit
( 1000 lb animal ) to start
Minimum 3
paddocks for a rotational
grazing system
Fencing

27
THE VALUE OF A HORSE GRAZING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
FOR COVER IN DOLLARS AND SENSE? ASSUME 6 Acres
of well drained soil with a pH 6.2 with good
fertility 3 horses /
one fenced field / 1 watering system in place
Cost of replacement forage
is 3.00 / small hay bale
Established Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue and
Kentucky bluegrass on all
acres with an annual yield of 4.5 tons
(9,000 lbs)/ acre LETS EVALUATE SOME KEY
EXPENSES OVER 5 YEARS 1 PADDOCK SYSTEM
3 PADDOCK SYSTEM Purchased hay
5,220 Purchased hay
4,860 Seeding costs
(seed only) 3,000 Seeding
costs (seed only) 300 Temporary
fencing 0
Temporary fencing 800 Watering
system 0
Portable Watering system 600 System cost
8,220
System cost 6,560 ROTATIONAL
GRAZING FOR COVER DOESNT COST, IT PAYS AND
CREATES MUCH LESS RESEEDING HEADACHES! Forage
calculations were done using the NRCS Maryland
Grazing Handbook and C-Graz Grazing Analysis
Tool. Cost estimates were based on using basic
portable fencing and watering systems.
28
Only about 25 of the forage yield potential
will be realized due to regrazing of recovering
grass plants. Grass quickly regrazed is high in
sugar a concern with founder issues. Constant
regrazing will cause rapid stand death. Value of
pasture forage is 45 small bales of hay / acre.
Needed additional hay/acre 58 small bales of
hay costing 174 an acre or 1,044 a year or
5,220 over a 5 year expected stand life in a 6
paddock rotation. Annual reseeding costs 100
an acre (seed only) or 600 per year.
EXISTING CONTINUOUS GRAZING HORSE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM - NO COVER

• 1 6 ACRE Paddock
• Also suggest having a sacrifice area to prevent
  the worst compaction in wet field conditions.
• To prevent grazing below recommended heights
  which will kill your grass, feed animals hay
  elsewhere when grass is below recommended grazing
  heights.

0 Days in Recovery 30 Days Grazing per paddock
LEGEND
1 Paddock No Rotation
GRAZING
RECOVERY
29
Age of forage should be fine for most horses.
About 27 of the forage yield potential will be
realized due to short regrowth time and regrazing
of the grass plants, but this grass recovery time
usually will maintain cover. Think about your
lawn! Pasture forage produced equals 49
bales/acre Worth 147 an acre or 882 a year or
4, 410 over a 5 year expected stand life in a 3
paddock rotation where animals are moved when
grass removal heights are reached to the
sacrifice area. Additional forage needs are 54
bales/acre or 162 in purchased hay per acre or
972 per year or 4,860 over a five year
period. Annual reseeding costs for spot
treatments should be less than10 /acre or 60/yr
(seed only).
HORSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR COVER
6 Acres 3 Horses 3 2 Acre Paddocks 7
days in a paddock per rotation.
To prevent grazing below recommended
heights. Feed animals hay elsewhere when
grass is below recommend grazing
heights.
Also need to have a sacrifice area (
Corral, field, building ) to prevent the
worst compaction in wet field conditions.


LEGEND
14 Days in Recovery 7 Days Grazing per paddock
per 21 day rotation.
GRAZING
3 Paddocks 21 Day Rotation
RECOVERY
SACRIFICE AREA
Maryland USDA NRCS
30
(No Transcript)
31
Age of forage should be good for horses, medium
quality needs. About 58 of the forage yield
potential will be realized due to some rejection
and regrazing of grass plants, but grass
recovery time is adequate for all purposes.
6 PADDOCK SYSTEM ACRES 6 1 ACRE Paddocks

Also suggest having a sacrifice area to
prevent the worst compaction in wet field
conditions. To prevent grazing below recommended
heights which will kill your grass, feed animals
hay elsewhere when grass is below recommended
grazing heights.
30 Days in Recovery 6 Days Grazing per paddock
LEGEND
6 Paddocks 36 Day Rotation
GRAZING
RECOVERY
Maryland USDA NRCS
32
Benefits of Rotational Grazing

• Adequate Grass Recovery produces
• Maximum forage growth and quality.
• Longest stand life and cuts costs.
• Greater ability to produce desired weight
  management with less grain and supplements.
• Greatest environmental benefits.
• Nutrients
• Water Quality

33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35

• For soil/plant information and grazing plans
  visit your local soil conservation district
  offices and extension offices.
• Conferences - Pasture Walks http//www.agnr.umd
  .edu/ForageEvents/
• or
• http//md.nrcs.usda.gov

36
The End ---- Questions?