EquineEquine Pasture ManagementPasture Management

By By Martha ThomasMartha Thomas

UF/Lake County Livestock UF/Lake County Livestock AgentAgent

Grazing Vs StallsGrazing Vs Stalls

ReducesReduces Feed CostsFeed Costs Digestive UpsetsDigestive Upsets BoredomBoredom Weaving Weaving CribbingCribbing

IncreasesIncreases Fresh Air (less Fresh Air (less

respiratory diseases)respiratory diseases) ExerciseExercise Needed Joint and Needed Joint and

Muscle Activity Muscle Activity

Body Condition ScoringBody Condition Scoring

With adequate pasture you can maintain With adequate pasture you can maintain most horses without very little hay and most horses without very little hay and grain.grain.

Body Condition ScoringBody Condition Scoring

Stocking RatesStocking Rates

Two acres of well fertilized pasture is Two acres of well fertilized pasture is needed per mature horse.needed per mature horse.

Five acres will be needed if pasture is not Five acres will be needed if pasture is not fertilized. fertilized.

Healthy PasturesHealthy Pastures

FertilizerFertilizer LimeLime Renovation so the sod does not get root Renovation so the sod does not get root

bound. (6 years) bound. (6 years) Adequate moistureAdequate moisture Bahia (Tifton 9) most tolerant to drought Bahia (Tifton 9) most tolerant to drought

and overgrazingand overgrazing

Rotational GrazingRotational Grazing

Grazing ManagementGrazing Management

Avoid grazing until Avoid grazing until plants have reached plants have reached an average height of an average height of 6 to 8 inches.6 to 8 inches.

Remove horses and Remove horses and rest pastures when rest pastures when plants have been plants have been grazed down to 3 to grazed down to 3 to 4 inches. 4 inches.

Rotational GrazingRotational Grazing

Dividing pasture into cellsDividing pasture into cells Allow access to one cell at a time. Allow access to one cell at a time. When forage is grazed down to 3-4 When forage is grazed down to 3-4

inches, horses can be rotated into the inches, horses can be rotated into the next cell.next cell.

Previously grazed cells can be allowed to Previously grazed cells can be allowed to rest and recover.rest and recover.

Over GrazingOver Grazing

Why Rotate?Why Rotate?

Eliminates selective grazing.Eliminates selective grazing. Rest periods allows grass to recover Rest periods allows grass to recover

allowing plants to be more competitive allowing plants to be more competitive with weeds.with weeds.

Amount and quality of the forage growing Amount and quality of the forage growing in pasture increases.in pasture increases.

A greater number of horses can be A greater number of horses can be supported by the same acreage.supported by the same acreage.

Irrigating PastureIrrigating Pasture

Florida Winter & Spring drought.Florida Winter & Spring drought. Irrigation will drastically increase Irrigation will drastically increase

re-growth and yield.re-growth and yield.

Pasture RecommendationsPasture Recommendations

Low N option for grazed pastures onlyLow N option for grazed pastures only 50lb/A to 80lbs/A of Nitrogen50lb/A to 80lbs/A of Nitrogen Do soil analysis to determine if Do soil analysis to determine if

Phosphorus and Potassium are needed.Phosphorus and Potassium are needed. Best to apply in early spring February-Best to apply in early spring February-

March to get optimum spring growth.March to get optimum spring growth. Lime to a pH of 5.5 for Bahia and 6.0 for Lime to a pH of 5.5 for Bahia and 6.0 for

Ryegrass.Ryegrass.

Fertilizing PasturesFertilizing Pastures

20-5-1020-5-10 What does this mean? What does this mean? NN- 20% nitrogen .20x 300lbs/acre= 60lbs - 20% nitrogen .20x 300lbs/acre= 60lbs

per acre of Nper acre of N PP- 5% phosphorus .05x300lbs/acre= - 5% phosphorus .05x300lbs/acre=

15lbs per acre of P 15lbs per acre of P KK-10% potassium .10 x 300 lbs/acre= -10% potassium .10 x 300 lbs/acre=

30lbs per acre of K30lbs per acre of K Lime or DolomiteLime or Dolomite

Raising pH of Soil Raising pH of Soil

You want a pH of 5.5 to 6You want a pH of 5.5 to 6 1 ton will increase pH by 1 degree1 ton will increase pH by 1 degree If you have a pH of 4 you would want to If you have a pH of 4 you would want to

apply 1.5 tons of dolomite per acre to get apply 1.5 tons of dolomite per acre to get a 5.5pH a 5.5pH

It may take 6 to 12 months to change soil It may take 6 to 12 months to change soil pH. pH.

Planting New PasturesPlanting New Pastures

Get UF soil analysisGet UF soil analysis Apply lime if neededApply lime if needed Disk ground and get Disk ground and get

rid of all grass and rid of all grass and weeds let ground sit weeds let ground sit and repeat disking. and repeat disking.

Broadcast seed and Broadcast seed and fertilizer and cover ½ fertilizer and cover ½ inch.inch.

Land PreparationLand Preparation

Disk pasture to 100% Disk pasture to 100% disturbance to get rid disturbance to get rid of weeds and grassof weeds and grass

Seed bed must be Seed bed must be free of weeds and free of weeds and grass that will grass that will compete with new compete with new seedseed

New PastureNew Pasture

Apply 100lb of Nitrogen Apply 100lb of Nitrogen At planting apply 30lb Nitrogen and all of At planting apply 30lb Nitrogen and all of

Phosphorus and ½ of Potassium.Phosphorus and ½ of Potassium. 30 to 50 days later apply remaining 70lbs 30 to 50 days later apply remaining 70lbs

of Nitrogen and other ½ of Potassium.of Nitrogen and other ½ of Potassium. Do not plant seed until rainy season Do not plant seed until rainy season

starts.starts.

When can you graze?When can you graze?

It DependsIt Depends Are the roots strong enough that horses Are the roots strong enough that horses

can not pull the plant up?can not pull the plant up? Limit grazing so that it is not overgrazed.Limit grazing so that it is not overgrazed.

Weeds Weeds Caused by poor sod baseCaused by poor sod base Mechanical- MowingMechanical- Mowing For most pastures Banvel, 2 4-D, or a For most pastures Banvel, 2 4-D, or a

combination of the two will control most combination of the two will control most broad leaf weeds. broad leaf weeds.

Velpar is available for use on smutgrass.Velpar is available for use on smutgrass. Remedy on brush and briars. Milestone Remedy on brush and briars. Milestone

for Tropical Soda Apple.for Tropical Soda Apple.

InsectsInsects

The two major concerns with pasture in The two major concerns with pasture in Florida are:Florida are:

Army Worms- insecticideArmy Worms- insecticide Mole Crickets- baits and biological Mole Crickets- baits and biological

control (new research)control (new research)

Winter Over SeedingWinter Over Seeding

Rye (sandy well drained soils)Rye (sandy well drained soils) Rye Grass Rye Grass OatsOats MixturesMixtures The best way to lower feed bill in the The best way to lower feed bill in the

winter months is to plant a winter annual winter months is to plant a winter annual and irrigate if you can. and irrigate if you can.

Monitor GrazingMonitor Grazing

DraggingDragging

Distribution and break down of manure.Distribution and break down of manure.

CompostingComposting

If you keep horses in stalls and have If you keep horses in stalls and have abundant manure then composting is the abundant manure then composting is the best way to manage manure. best way to manage manure.

Best if used in the garden.Best if used in the garden. Can apply to pasture if it is composted Can apply to pasture if it is composted

properly to kill parasites!!properly to kill parasites!! Compost can also be sold as potting soil Compost can also be sold as potting soil

or to worm farms.or to worm farms.

CompostingComposting

Manure and bedding is biologically Manure and bedding is biologically decomposed under controlled conditions decomposed under controlled conditions and applied to land.and applied to land.

Aerobic- pile is turned 1 to 3 X’s a week Aerobic- pile is turned 1 to 3 X’s a week

30 to 60 days no weeds or parasites.30 to 60 days no weeds or parasites. Anaerobic- one year, not exposed to airAnaerobic- one year, not exposed to air

CompostingComposting

Should be 40-60% moisture but not Should be 40-60% moisture but not soggy.soggy.

Temperature in center of pile should be Temperature in center of pile should be 130° F to 160°F.130° F to 160°F.

If bedding is low in N you may need to If bedding is low in N you may need to add extra N such as grass clippings, or add extra N such as grass clippings, or urea.urea.

CompostingComposting

Important to avoid ground or surface Important to avoid ground or surface water contamination by putting it on water contamination by putting it on sandy soil, concrete slab or concrete sandy soil, concrete slab or concrete floor is recommended.floor is recommended.

There maybe some unfavorable smells There maybe some unfavorable smells and may not be favorable to public and may not be favorable to public viewing. viewing.

CompostingComposting

Best Management PracticesBest Management Practices

Written set of plans for farm that addressWritten set of plans for farm that address

how you manage water and nutrient how you manage water and nutrient loading.loading.

Do not have animals feeding or lounging Do not have animals feeding or lounging around water bodies. around water bodies.

Plan for manure management.Plan for manure management.

Toxic Plants in SoutheastToxic Plants in Southeast

Cherry Laurel

Bracken Fern

White Snakeroot

Johnsongrass

Yellow Jasmine

Mountain Laurel

Spotted Water Hemlock

Toxic Plants Toxic Plants

Young animals will eat it because there is Young animals will eat it because there is nothing else green.nothing else green.

Animal introduced into a new pasture are very Animal introduced into a new pasture are very susceptible to trying new plants.susceptible to trying new plants.

Black Nightshade Black Locust

Animal will respond Animal will respond differently due to:differently due to:

toxicant dosetoxicant dose animal ageanimal age animal sexanimal sex concurrent diseaseconcurrent disease interactions between toxicantsinteractions between toxicants genetic variationgenetic variation nutritional status of the animalnutritional status of the animal mental state of the animalmental state of the animal

Plants that accumulate nitrate and Plants that accumulate nitrate and cyanide are responsible for the most cyanide are responsible for the most morbidity or mortality in Florida,morbidity or mortality in Florida,

CrotalariaLantana

Cassia

Poisonous PlantsPoisonous Plants

Bitter Sneezeweed

Black Cherry

Azalea Hairy Vetch

Oleander

Poke Weed

Coffee Weed

Buttercup

Poisonous PlantsPoisonous Plants

Web AddressWeb Address

http://www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/library/poishttp://www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/library/poisonous/onous/ Books with color pictures for sale. $10Books with color pictures for sale. $10

Contact InformationContact Information

Martha ThomasLake County Extension Agent1951 Woodlea RoadTavares, FL 32778352-343-4101 (phone)352-343-2767 (fax)http://cfextension.ifas.ufl.edu