Transcript Module 5 Overview - University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

How Grass Grows
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Developed by:
Wendy Williams, NRCS, Bozeman, MT
the Land
UNCE, Reno, NV
Topics to be covered:
How plants make food
Legumes and grasses
How pasture plants grow
Growth and reproduction
Managing growing points
Plant identification
Determining forage yield
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flower
leaf
stem
leaflet
stolon
taproot
A. Miller
Parts of a
legume
Parts of a
grass plant
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Growing Points
 Location where cells
divide and produce new
growth
 Occur close to the
ground early in the
growing season
 Become elevated
above ground as the
growing season
progresses
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Forage Growth and
Management
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the Land
USDA NRCS
Stages of grass growth
Vegetative
 Growth of leaves
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Elongation
 Lengthening of stem internodes, also
called jointing
 Boot stage is the end of elongation
Reproductive
 Development of seedhead and seed
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Carbohydrate reserves (food)
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Penn State University
Kentucky bluegrass rhizome
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Stored in roots,
rhizomes and
stolons
Used for first
spring growth of
dormant plants
Allow rapid
regrowth from
stubble
Growing
point
level
Intact
growing
points
Regrowth
Short-shoot plant
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Regrowth
Growing points
removed; must
regrow from
basal buds
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Long-shoot plant (elongated internodes)
Adapted from NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Adapted fromNRCS
Take half
and leave
half
Adapted fromNRCS, Bozeman, MT
Identifying
Identifying grasses
grasses
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UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Perennial ryegrass
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www.agry.purdue.edu
Orchardgrass
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www.agry.purdue.edu
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www.aginfonet.com
Switchgrass
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www.noble.org
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clay.agr.okstate.edu
Sainfoin
How
Howmuch
much grass
grass do
doIIhave?
have?
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Determine forage yield
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Construct a
clipping ring
using an eight
foot long piece
of cable that
has been
bolted
together.
Wait a minute! I don’t have
grazing animals!
What are you trying to manage?
What are your management goals?
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Attract and maintain wildlife
Discourage wildlife
Defensible space
Aesthetics
Noxious weed management
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Methods for removing forage
Mowing
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Need equipment
Need grass species that grow upright
Be sure to maintain the growing points
Fertilize or add legumes
Leasing to livestock managers for grazing
 Need to know your forage yield
 Don’t assume management will be good
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Managing Grazing for
Sustainable Pastures
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Developed by:
Wendy Williams, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Montana
Holly George, University of California
Extension Service
We’ll be covering
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Benefits of implementing grazing
management
Steps to effective grazing management
Estimating carrying capacity
Monitoring your land by making
footprints
Grazing systems and pasture
configurations
Grazing tips
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Why manage grazing?
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Keep plants healthy and
productive
Increase forage
production and saves
money
Increase grazing capacity
Improve use of forage
supply throughout the
year
Help control weeds
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USDA NRCS
Steps to effective grazing
management:
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Graze to the desired stubble height
Don’t forget to preserve growing points
Allow adequate rest periods for grass
regrowth
Don’t regraze a pasture until your key
species has reached the desired height
In an irrigated pasture, don’t let seed heads
form
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How many animals can I
graze?
ACES
No matter how many animals…
some things are the same
You need to know:
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CARRYING CAPACITY, or
the number of animals a
pasture can
accommodate without
overgrazing
STOCKING RATE, or the
amount of forage stock
are going to eat
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Methods for estimating
carrying capacity
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Pasture sticks &
other physical
methods
Animal Unit Months
Animal Days Per
Acre
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UCCE
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10 yards
Estimating carrying
capacity in ADA
10 yards
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Pace off an area of
pasture that one
animal would need
for grazing for one
day as the sole
source of forage
Calculate stock days per acre
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Multiply the length by the width
Calculate square yards per acre
needed per animal per day
Divide 4,840 square yards per acre by
square yards needed per animal per
day
This gives Stock Days per Acre (SDA)
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Stock days per pasture
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Multiply SDA by
the number of
acres in the
pasture
The total
represents the
total number of
stocking days
in the pasture
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www.farmphoto.com
Let’s try an example
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You have five acres of pasture and
four horses
Your experimental time period is one
day
Area width and length are both 25
yards
25 yards
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Step 1: Calculate stock days
per acre
Calculate the area by multiplying
length x width:
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25 yards x 25 yards = 625 square yards
Divide 4,840 square yards per acre by
625 square yards per animal day
4,840 square yards/625 square yards =
7.7 stock days per acre (SDA)
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Step 2: Calculate total stock
days per pasture
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Multiply the stock days per acre times
the total number of acres in the
pasture
7.7 SDA x 5 acres = 38 stock days
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Step 3: Calculate the number
of grazing days for the pasture
 Divide the number of stock days by
the number of horses
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38 SD / 4 horses = 9.6 days
You can graze the five-acre pasture
with four horses for 9.6 days
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How do you know
if your estimated grazing length
is correct?
Walk your land and look!
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Overgrazing occurs two ways:
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Leaving stock
in a pasture
too long
OR
Bringing them
back too soon
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NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Stocking rate vs. stock density
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 The stocking rate of both paddocks is
identical: 100 animal days per acre
 However, the stock density is much
greater in the pasture on the right, so the
effect will be much different!
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Monitoring
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Use observations and
common sense
If there isn't enough
feed in your pasture,
you are either
overstocked or not
allowing enough rest,
regardless of what the
calculations said
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www.agry.purdue.edu
Make footprints to manage well
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 Get out on the
ground & look at
what is happening
 Your footprints and
observations of
how pastures and
stock look are
critical to making
the necessary
adjustments
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Three important questions
 Look BEHIND: What rest
period do my pastures need?
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 Look AHEAD: Has the
paddock had enough rest?
 Look WHERE the STOCK
ARE: Is the stocking rate
correct?
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J. Mohler, MT
Good cover
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Grazing systems
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Season-long grazing
Partial-season grazing
Rotational grazing
Rapid rotation
Cell grazing
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Season-long grazing is not a
good strategy

UNCE, Reno, NV
Tips for improving your grazing
management
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Do not allow 24/7 access to forage
areas; two to three hours during
morning and evening will suffice
Divide or subdivide grazing areas
into smaller blocks, where feasible
Improve waste management so that
forage is not lost or damaged by
wastes
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Additional tips for improving
your grazing management
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Control weeds and undesirable plants
in pastures and adjacent areas
Prevent or reduce differential or
selective grazing
Mow pastures, especially those
dominated by bunchgrasses, if
selective grazing has occurred
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What to Do About Weeds
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Developed by:
Susan Donaldson
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
the Land
UNCE, Reno, NV
Topics to be covered
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 What is a weed?
 Why worry about weeds in pastures and
landscapes?
 How weeds are regulated
 Weed biology
 Factors that lead to plant invasion
 Preventing invasion and spread of weeds
 Identifying weeds
 Control - mechanical, cultural, biological, and
chemical
 Common weeds in your area
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What’s a
weed?
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Weed impacts
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Decreased grazing
potential
Economic losses
from refusals of hay
shipments
Decreased crop
yields
Cost of control
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Weed impacts
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Decreased property
values
Loss of wildlife and
fish habitat
Impairment of
wetland functions
Increased erosion
Toxicity
UNCE, Reno, NV
the Land
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How are weeds
regulated, and what
are your legal
responsibilities?
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How weeds grow
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Dicot
(Broadleaf)
•Two true leaves
•Broad leaves have
net-like veins
•Coarse tap root
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Monocot
(Grass)
•One seed leaf
•Parallel veins
•Fibrous roots
Plant parts
for broadleaf
identification
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
Have you correctly identified
the weed? Perennial Sowthistle
Spotted Knapweed
Tumble
Mustard
Are you really sure???
Yellow Starthistle
Dandelion
How do weeds spread?
Natural means
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 wind
 water
 animals
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UNCE, Reno, NV
How are we spreading weeds?
UNCE, Reno, NV
 irrigation
 roadside
shoulder work
 construction/
fill dirt
 vehicles
 tillage
 contaminated
seed or feed
 livestock
management
What can we do?
Practice
Integrated Pest Management
(IPM)
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IPM is a sustainable approach to
managing pests that combines
biological, cultural, physical and
chemical tools in a way that
minimizes economic, health, and
environmental risks.
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IPM tools for weed management
(IWM)
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Prevention
Eradication
Mechanical controls
Cultural controls
Biological controls
Chemical controls
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ALWAYS
read the
label and follow its
directions
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Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Aster family
Perennial
Dioecious
Reproduction
primarily
vegetative
through creeping
roots, some seed
Flowers white
to purple
www.wa.gov
www.wa.gov
www.ces.ncsu.edu
Houndstongue
(Cynoglossum officinale)
NRCS, Bozeman, MT
www.invasive.org
agri.state.mt.us
 Borage family
 Biennial or shortlived perennial
 Grows 1 to 4 feet tall
 Reddish-purple
flowers have 5
petals
 Leaves are hairy and
tongue-shaped
 Produces a single
flowering stem
 Reproduces by
prickly seed
Houndstongue
(Cynoglossum officinale)
Controls
Mechanical: pull or dig; mow second year
plants during flowering but before seed
maturation
Biological: currently being studied
Chemical: Picloram (Tordon), 2,4-D,
metsulfuron (Escort). chlorsulfuron (Telar),
imazapic (Plateau)
Leafy spurge (Euphorbia
esula)
 Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae)
 Perennial
 Reproduces by seed and
extensive lateral root system
 Flowers yellowish-green, small,
and surrounded by paired,
heart-shaped yellowish-green
bracts
tncweeds.ucdavis.edu
CSUCE
tncweeds.ucdavis.edu
Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)
Controls
Mechanical: cutting, mowing, tilling, pulling
ineffective
Biological: thirteen insect species available;
sheep and goat grazing provides temporary
control
Fire: ineffective due to regeneration from root
Chemical: Picloram (Tordon), 2,4-D,
glyphosate (Roundup), amitrole, dicamba,
imazapic (Plateau)
Now what?
Go home and inventory the weeds on your
property
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Identify the weeds
Why do you have a weed problem? What
can you change about the way you manage
your property that will decrease the weed
population?
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USDA
Starting Over:
Pasture Establishment
and Renovation
Developed by:
Rhonda Miller
Utah State University
the Land
USDA USDA
What we’ll be covering:
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Introduction
Forage establishment
Factors to consider prior
to renovation
Plant characteristics
Characteristics of
individual grasses and
legumes
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UNCE, Reno, NV
www.freefoto.com
Does your pasture need help?
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Fertilization
Weed control
Proper
management
Renovation
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USU, Logan, UT
Terms to know
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Establishment:
planting a pasture
where there is no
existing pasture
Renovation: a series
of actions that lead to
a long-term change in
the plant composition
of a pasture
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USDA ARS
When to renovate?
Renovate when:
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 Pasture is in poor
condition and even
proper management
techniques will not
improve the pasture to
the desired level
 You want to grow a
different forage specie
or variety
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UNCE, Reno, NV
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Forage
establishment
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UNCE, Reno, NV
Factors involved in forage
establishment
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Seedbed preparation
Seeding methods
Seeding guidelines
Seeding rates
Costs
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USU, Logan, UT
Why forage seedings fail
Germination through
emergence
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Hard seed
Cold temperatures
Improper planting depth
Seed dries out
Crusted soil surface
Toxicity - allelopathic effects,
herbicide carryover
the Land
clay.agr.okstate.edu
Why forage seedings fail
After emergence
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Inappropriate pH
Low fertility
Poor drainage
Drought
Inadequate legume inoculation
Competition from weeds/companion crops
Insects
Diseases, winterkilling
the Land
clay.agr.okstate.edu
Forage establishment
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Seeding methods
Broadcast
Cultipacker
Drilled
No-till
Frost seeding
Companion crop
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USU
Forage establishment
Seeding rates
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Desired stand
Percent pure live
seed
Other factors to
consider
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www.ca.wvu.edu
Forage establishment
Seeding Rates
Percent pure live seed (PLS)
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% PLS = % Purity x % Germination
% Purity = % of seed that is the
desired forage seed
% Germination = % of seed that
germinates when
planted
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Plant characteristics
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USDA NRCS
Plant characteristics
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Grasses
Legumes
Seasonal growth patterns
Disease resistance
Forage quality
Pure stands or mixtures
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Characteristics of individual
grasses & legumes
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Cool-season grass cultivars
Most productive in the spring and fall
Poor summer production
Bunchgrasses versus sod-forming
grasses
NRCS
NRCS
NRCS
Orchardgrass
Advantages:
Good quality
Good regrowth
Shade-tolerant
NRCS
NRCS
USDA NRCS
Disadvantages:
Suffers when
grazed continually
Russian wildrye
Advantages:
Cold-hardy, droughttolerant and long-lived
Very tolerant of grazing
and regrows quickly
Disadvantages:
Difficult to establish
Can be damaged by
overgrazing, especially in
the early spring.
Recommended to be
planted in pure stands and
fenced off for better
grazing management
prairiewild.com
Warm-season grasses
Productive during summer months
Must be suitable for your area
Bunchgrasses versus sod-forming grasses
USDA NRCS
Switchgrass
Advantages:
 Productive during hot
summer months
 Tolerates a wide range of
soil conditions
 Excellent forage for
livestock
 Excellent forage and cover
for wildlife
USDA ARS
Disadvantages:
 Not suited for cool
climates
 May be difficult to
establish
USDA NRCS
Sudangrass and
sorghum-sudangrass hybrids
Advantages:
 Productive during hot
summer months
 Adapted to moderately welldrained soils
 Tolerates poorly drained soils
and a range of pH and soil
textures
www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages
Disadvantages:
 Requires warm (60 degree)
temperatures to grow
 Winter kill at first hard frost
 Young plants and drought or
frost stressed plants can be
poisonous
National forage and
grasslands curriculum
Legumes
Fix nitrogen from atmosphere
May cause bloat
clay.agr.state.edu
Birdsfoot trefoil
Advantages:
Excellent quality
Grows in variety of
soils and conditions
Non-bloat legume
Disadvantages:
flicr.com
Can graze
frequently, but not
closely
Slow to establish
Sainfoin
Advantages:
clay.agr.okstate.edu
 Good quality
 Well adapted to soils of
the Rocky Mountain
Region
 Good drought tolerance
 Non-bloat legume
Disadvantages:
 Intolerant of frequent
defoliation
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GOOD LUCK
AND
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR
SUCCESSES
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