Pasture Management

In beginning this page on pasture management, I found myself asking, "just what IS pasture anyway? What differentiates pasture from grassland or rangeland?"

If you're curious to know, have a look at the next page on pasture.

Pasture management is the grazing methods ranchers use to maximize the grass resources they have.

Managing land for grazing is an essential component of a grass-based ranch. Without attention to pasture, grass will be shorter lived, either through over-use or not being used enough.

Even though their is ample proof that various planned grazing practices can enhance grass production, the simple method of putting livestock out to pasture and leaving them there for the season, is still the basic means of management on many ranches today.

The more earnest among the grass ranchers will focus on understanding what combination of livestock grazing and harvesting methods result in maximum grass output for the long term, benefits to animal health, and a better bottom line.

Management through Grazing

There is an ageless and enduring link between grass and ruminant herbivores. Ruminants and grasslands co-evolved.

I, however, began with a knowledge of grass that was limited to how peaceful it was to walk across the pasture!

When we started raising sheep, it just seemed logical to us that sheep be on pasture, where nature can provide the food for as long as possible and with less effort than we can, and animals can provide the fertilizer for as long as possible and with less effort than we can.

We can maximize the potential of grass while ensuring health of land and livestock by examining the options others are using and deciding on those that are feasible for us.

• Rotational Grazing - Mowing the grass, the bare essentials

• Rotational Grazing - Planning tips

• Grazing in the Grass - Our advice on rotational grazing

• Bale grazing

• Swath grazing

• Mob Grazing

• Avoiding over-grazing

• Respecting our Wetland areas

• Sourcing various ways to water livestock on pasture

Some excellent resources for understanding the untold benefits of grass and pasture is available through the Acres USA web site. This is where we found the book Grass the Forgiveness of Nature by Charles Walters, one of our most eye opening books.

As its subtitle states this book explores the miracle of grass, pastures and grassland farming. It is a comprehensive and sensible look at what grass allows us to do and how economical it really is.

By understanding and taking care of our grass we ensure the well being of the land and life that make up our grassland ecosystem. Through pasture management we extend our grass resources, lessen our expenses and follow our rule of keeping it simple and sustainable.

Home | Top of page | About Us | Contact