How long to let a very over grazed pasture sit?

[paulsharvey]

I have read several IFAS papers, although the ones I read are geared towards horses, I think the vast majority applies. I was kinda surprised that they were to some degree playing Bahia down, as pretty low quality forage from a nutrient side, but also mentioned it's the used on the vast majority of pasture in N Fla. They seemed to push perennial peanut for grazing as well as hay, but that's too rich for my blood. I never knew perennial peanut got tall enough to hay?

But to sum up the paper I read, treat all weeds, multiple times, get samples, and start amending several months before planting bahia. Basically, get the field right 1st, as many of you mentioned.

I did learn Sudan-sorgrum is toxic to pregnant horses, which I never knew.

 

[WinterDeere]

Hey Paul,

Did the article mention planting some cheaper crop as a means of providing structure and hold for the soil and nutrients, while you're "getting things right"? That would be normal, up here, as one massive rain storm could undo a lot of work on bare soil.

 

[paulsharvey]

Hey Paul,

Did the article mention planting some cheaper crop as a means of providing structure and hold for the soil and nutrients, while you're "getting things right"? That would be normal, up here, as one massive rain storm could undo a lot of work on bare soil.

It did not, specifically. It did of coarse mention the typical mixed seed of winter rye or pearl millet (depending on time of year) with your Bermuda or bahia, which are much slower to germinate.

For a winter planting; it seems like they recommend winter wheat, winter rye, oats, or triticale.

On the getting the ground right, they focused on PH and weeds; and highly recommend getting the weeds taken care of prior to planting your selected crop.

 

[paulsharvey]

It did also take some time talking about avoiding the over pressure to being with; and the need to have roughly 3 times the total pounds of needed grass in a field that the animals eat; so that younger get to this point. So, if two steers consume 40#/day, you want the field producing no less than 120#/day; along with some more horse focused stuff about types of fiber, and the need to have the right balance for a horse digestive track.

 

[WinterDeere]

It did not, specifically. It did of coarse mention the typical mixed seed of winter rye or pearl millet (depending on time of year) with your Bermuda or bahia, which are much slower to germinate.

For a winter planting; it seems like they recommend winter wheat, winter rye, oats, or triticale.

On the getting the ground right, they focused on PH and weeds; and highly recommend getting the weeds taken care of prior to planting your selected crop.

Two things I notice here:

1. The names you guys use for seed is different than we use up here, but maybe the same products. We have no "winter" anything, nothing grows at 20F soil temperature. In rye, we have various cultivars and brands of "perennial rye" or "annual rye", with most "contractor blend" seeds having high ratios of both. Neither survive our weather very long, but both are very useful as a temporary hold crop, with some annual rye blasting off as quick as 3 days.

2. We focus on killing all weeds prior to over-seeding with anything good, but not so much prior to throwing down some cheap rye. Our order is usually

a. get something cheap growing immediately, usually contractor's mix
b. spray a weed kill 3 weeks prior to fall overseeding (e.g. Escalade2 or Surge)
c. put down your final crop in September, in sufficient time to germinate before soil temps drop

We typically repeat b and c every year, but overseeding rates are much lower than initial seeding rates.

Seeding method also makes a huge difference in germination rate, which has an impact on your wallet, as seed isn't cheap. These numbers are from memory, probably not exactly right, but the trend holds true:

1. Broadcast only = 10%
2. Plug aeration before seeding = 30% germination
3. Slit seeding = 60% germination

All of this assumes pH and nutrient levels are reasonably close to target.

 

[jeff9366]

If wise, you will purchase locally grown seed here:

Hancock Farm & Seed Company - Lawn, Pasture and Turf Grass Seed

A Florida based worldwide supplier of Lawn, Pasture and Turf Grass Seed at wholesale pricing direct to the public! Best prices on grass seed guaranteed!

hancockseed.com

 

[aesanders]

Rye is all annual down here in Florida as it can’t handle the summer heat. It is usually planted October to November and grows through march or so, until the temperatures warm up. Rye grass seed is often broadcast over Bahia pastures and really extend the grazing time of these fields.

Perennial Peanut is fairly common in North Florida and is mostly grown got hay. I don’t ever recall it being grazed, but it may. It’s the closest thing to Alfalfa that’s grows in the south, being fairly high in protein for a forage.

Bahia is by far the most common pasture ground, especially on ground that is not irrigated due to its 6+ foot long root structure. It really holds up to the droughts that are common in our area. You do need to keep animals off of it a little longer as it is developing its root structure, but once established it holds up to abuse very well.

 

[aesanders]

This is very sandy, it is more of a barnyard then a grazing field, there is not much for seeds to grab on, the sand is so loose plus as soon as you put livestock in it, it will instantly tear it up... it take a full year for grass to fill up (become dense) with proper top soil... unless you are willing to add topsoil I think you are wasting you time.

proper seeding and fertilizer accelerate the process and suppress weeds, there is not much manure in this field, it looks like they were picking it up and having a sandy bed makes it easier, if that's the case perhaps you can scrape the sand back to the topsoil but again you are looking at a full year. How many animals and what kind you are looking at?

This is basically the soil for all north Florida, and it will grow grass very well. Thin the pines trees and you would be amazed how quickly that turns into lush pasture if done correctly.

 

[AnotherBueller]

Current plan is two steers to start, going upto possibly 4 in next 3 years; but I might hold off for a bit. The current owner has goats and a donkey on it. I kinda think they under hated, and the animals ate everything that was even a little green.


Also bounced around the idea of doing meat sheep, a hair breed, but honestly wife doesn't much like lamb meat, and I don't want pasture pets.

I've been told by some old timers,that sheep and goats will eat grass right down to the roots if there's not enough land per animal. If that's true, sounds like that might be what your problem is.

 

[1Mech]

Neighbor horse pasture, so it does grow grass. It's just once the turf mat gets torn up, the soil is very light/loose.View attachment 881873

Maybe you should talk with the neighbor to see what they did to get it started and maintained. I am sure water and fertilizer would be involved.