This list details actions Ontario farmers could take to increase feed inventory before, during, and after prolonged hot and dry conditions.
Managing Forage Crops and Pastures in Hot and Dry Conditions
All posts tagged grazing
Grass Growth Rates and Pasture Management
Pasture managers can determine the minimum grass growth rate required to feed their flock. Producers who track grass growth rates and compare them to their minimum required rate can make proactive management decisions to avoid running out of pasture.
Timing Spring Turn-out
Spring is in the air, and ewes and farmers alike are eager to start the grazing season. Timing that delightful move is critical, as spring grazing management sets up both yield potential of the pasture and the quality of the available forage. How early is too early? Livestock should go out on pasture when grasses have fully developed three to four new leaves. Turning out earlier than this is very stressful on the plants. Perennial forages rely on carbohydrates stored in their root systems to fuel regrowth when they break dormancy (Figure 1). The plants do not refill those carbohydrate stores until they have enough leaf area to produce more sugar than they need to grow. By waiting until grasses…
An Introduction to Managed Grazing
Looking to improve pasture management this summer? Alberta Lamb Producers has a good publication covering the basics of plant growth, seeding, renovation, grazing behavior, setting up a system and grazing issues. Click on the picture below to access the publication.
