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A well-managed pasture is both productive and sustainable. Important decisions. such as livestock feed inventory, forage stand replanting, fertility needs, weed control and so forth, all hinge on what we see in the pasture. That’s why an objective evaluation of pasture land can be a valuable tool. Pasture condition scoring is a systematic way to check how well a pasture is managed and performing.
If the pasture is located on the proper site and well managed, it will have a good-to-excellent overall pasture condition score. By rating key indicators and causative factors common to all pastures, pasture condition can be evaluated and the primary reasons for a low condition score identified.
Conditions that can lead to one or more pasture resource concerns could include poor plant growth, weedy species invasion, poor animal performance, visible soil loss, increased runoff, and impaired water quality.
When to evaluate
To be most useful, pasture condition scoring should occur several times a year during critical management periods throughout the grazing season. Scoring should be performed:
In addition, pastures used for year-round grazing benefit from pasture condition scoring:
Pasture condition scoring can be useful in deciding when to move livestock or planning other management actions. It sorts out which improvements are most likely to improve pasture condition or livestock performance.
What to look for when scoring
There are several factors that get included in the evaluation of pastures. The more obvious would include:
Additionally, you should note:
Other items to evaluate for would be compaction, erosion throughout the pastures (sheet, rill, or gully) and erosion near and around stream banks, if present.
Percent of legumes are important as a source of nitrogen for pastures and can improve forage quality. Legumes should make up at least 20% of the forages on a dry forage basis. Nitrogen supplementation is necessary if legumes can not supply enough for optimum forage production.
Grazing management is critical to productive pastures. Overstocking and understocking of pastures can have impact to pastures. Overstocking can lead to overgrazing of plants which can cause loss of plant vigor and plant production. Understocking can promote selective grazing, thus causing excessive residue built up in areas of the pasture.
Tips for success
It is easy to become overwhelmed when managing a grazing system. Don’t try to make all of the changes at one time, but prioritize forage and livestock management changes by setting short and long term goals. Visit with accomplished pasture managers.
Visualize what you expect to see before you start your assessment. It is important to remember pasture condition varies throughout the year in response to management and climate. Scoring pastures yearly and during the same periods each year can help to identify trends and help you make the necessary management decisions.
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Article written by Tony Nye