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 65°F 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
