PASTURE

ESTABLISHMENT

What

is

pasture?

The word Pasture is derived from the Latin word

pastus-land used for grazing.

Pasture land in the narrow sense are enclosed

tracts of
farmland, grazed by domesticated
livestock.

The productivity of pasture land depends upon

climate, fertility of the soil and species
comprising the pasture.

It is a series of action that lead to a long term

change in balanced composition of a pasture

PASTURE ESTABLISHMENT
Pasture establishment has been defined by Gram
Shaw as The sequence of seed germination and
seedling development that normally permit the
persistence of the introduced species into long term
or the conservation of seed or other propagating
materials into production or resource maintenance
benefit.
The success of establishment depends on
Quality of seed.
Physical property
Germination property

Vigor of seed

Type of renovation

Partial renovation
Rejuvenation or enhancement of existing
pasture
Generally done when poor forage stands
result from winter injury, drought, flooding, or
other stresses

Total renovation
Destruction followed by reestablishment of
either the same species or another species

Benefits of renovation
Replaces old or diseased pasture
species with healthy improved
varieties
Extends or increases productivity of
pasture
Improves quality of forage.
Increases animal productivity
Reduces soil erosion

The establishment after the complete

eradication of previous vegetation requires the
following steps:

Land clearing.

Seeding or planting of desired sps.

Maintenance of the pasture land

Weed managment

Land Clearing

The bushes of inedible plant type or

poisonous in nature should be destroyed

Burning is the most common and

practiced method of clearing.

Seeding and planting of

desired species

Soil testing and correcting soil nutrient

deficiencies.

Selection of suitable sps adapted to specific

area.

When establishing or renovating a pasture, it is

important to match forage species to the site,
soil type, and type of operation (grazing or hay,
animal species and class).

Common pasture species

Perennial ryegrass ( lolium perenne)

Italian ryegrass ( lolium multiflorum)
Hybrid ryegrass ( lolium hybridium)
Tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea)
Cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata)
Phalaris ( phalaris aquatica)
Browntop ( Agrostis capilaris)
Yorkshire fog ( holcus lanatus)
White and red clover (legumes)

Seeding guidelines
Inoculation of legumes
All legumes should be inoculated with the
proper strains of N-fixing bacteria prior to
seeding
Ensures that proper bacteria will be present
for nitrogen fixation

For Successful establishment of pasture

Three major aspects should be concerned

A.

Phases of establishment

B.

Time of broadcasting

C.

Pest and diseases

Forage establishment
Seeding methods
Broadcast
Cultipacker
Drilled
No-Till
Frost seeding
Companion crop

Planting time

Cool-season grasses are established in late summer or

early fall (August to Nov).

Warm-season grasses should be planted in late spring to

early summer after the soil has reached a temperature of
65F or above.

Usually spring seeding has plenty of moisture for seed

germination, but there is an increase in weed pressure.

Spring seeding should be made at least four weeks after

the last frost killing.
Late summer seeding is recommended for wet areas,
since the soil is usually dry enough during the summer
with less weed pressure.

Weed management

It is important to control weeds during

establishment since newly emerged forage
seedlings are extremely susceptible to weed
competition.
Weeds compete for water, nutrients, and
sunlight.
Broadleaf weed control can be accomplished but
may take more than one application and may
need to be applied at different times of the year.
This approach will better control weeds that
germinate during different seasons.

Factors to consider prior to

establishment or
renovation

Factors to consider
Pasture inventory
Land

available
Climate
Soil characteristics

Forage use
Livestock
Grazing

vs. hay production

Continuous grazing vs. rotational grazing

Pasture inventory
Land available

Grazing land
Water source(s)
Sacrifice Area

Hay production

PASTURE INVENTORY
Climate

Growing season
Frost-free daysGrowing degree
days (GDD)
Temperature
Precipitation

PASTURE INVENTORY
Soil characteristics

Drainage

Water holding capacity

(droughtiness)

Disadvantages of Pasture

Some weeds, grasses, and legumes contain

toxic compounds:

Weed examples:
Jimsonweed, yellow star thistle,

pokeweed

Grass examples:
Tall fescue

Legume examples:
Aslike clover, red clover

Disadvantages of Pasture

Spread of gastrointestinal parasites

Infective stage of parasites shed in
feces
Optimal conditions for larval
development
High stocking rates increased risk of
infection

Manure management, appropriate

stocking density, and deworming
important for horse health on
pasture

Pasture in Nepal

Since 1940, over 162 species and 371 cultivars of grasses and
legume species have been introduced in Nepal.(Pande, 1993)

Due to lack of proper doumentations and reporting, the

performance of all introduced species/cultivars could not be
recorded.

Total Number of Introduced species/cultivars in Nepal

a) Species 67 98 7 172
b) Cultivars 188 174 9 371

Break down by:

Annual species 12 50 7 69
Perennial species 55 48 - 103
Subtropical species 52 86 7 145
Temperate species 15 12 - 27

THE END