reseeding pastures

[cowman]

In the latest issue of seed.ab.ca there is an article on reseeding pastures. It is a bit confusing, in my opinion, because they obviously are slanting the whole thing to promote reseeding.
Their conclusion was reseeding produced 17% more grass over 5 years. Which isn't surprizing since the seed was 50% Grazeland alphalfa(the remainder birdsfoot trefoil,white clover,smooth and meadow brome, kentucky blue grass, tall fescue, and reed canary grass)...no mention of what was in the pasture before...maybe comparing apples and oranges! They were also putting on 20 lb./acre of certified seed! Now these by and large are fairly pricey?
Not sure what the makeup of the pasture would be after 5 years?
On another thought I sure like meadow brome for pasture. It is expensive and takes awhile to get established but it sure produces and stays green awful late? I think that is what I would use if I was reseeding. Over time though the fescues will pretty well push everything else out.

[PureCountry]

Brome also holds it's nutrient value well into winter - not as good as creeping red fescue though - according to tests done at the Lacombe research center. As for reseeding, I don't think it's necessary if you manage the grazing properly. I've seen what some guys have done with pastures that were severely abused, completely turning them around by timing their grazing properly. Some pastures that were in bad shape now look better than my best paddocks, and it's been done in 2-3 years.

Granted sometimes it takes years to rejuvenate this way, but it can be done w/o spray, unnatural fertilizer, or tillage.

Buckbrush - throw your saltblocks/mineral feeders/scratch posts in the patches.

Encroachment - Run electric wire around the tree patches and lock the cattle in for a few days.

Dead areas/open soil - rest, rest, rest. Graze it maybe once a year if possible, late in the season, for a short spell, then rest. When grass and litter build up on the soil from trampling and traffic, it's not wasted. It's going to work in the humus layer of your topsoil to bring it back to life.


PS - I have to give credit for these tips to books I've read and people I've met. Check out AcresUSA.com, stockmangrassfarmer.com, or Alberta Agric's Grazing Mentorship Program...1-866-882-7677

I've tried them, they work.

[smcgrath76]

Also add feeding forage (eg: hay) on ground you want to rejuvenate (reseed) and then resting it for a period the following year. Just make sure the bales are something you want growing.
We are 80% native forage in our operation which makes us a bit short on early spring pasture, but nearly eliminates winter feeding.
We have clipped and tested our native stuff, and when well managed we can do roughly 2000 pounds per acre forage production, and maintain a 12% protein level through winter on our fescue rangeland. We are not as sure what our bush pasture will produce in terms of total forage production. Energy content is sometimes low, but that is what fat cows are for.
We have also had luck with high stock density and extended rest periods on tame forage.
Good tools are pumping water (cattle will generally go to fresh pumped water), electric fence is useful, and the salt thing is pretty standard (should never be near the water). We have found an oiler does a better job on buckbrush than salt. I think it is maybe because our cows can see it better and with salt there is no extra attraction to hang around.
Also to note: we have also learned that we can easily produce 400 pounds of forage per acre or less just by putting a few cows on a quarter, too early and for too long. I think this is the general practice that most producers follow and precipitates the need for a lot of reseeding and some of the negative attitudes towards native range.

[PureCountry]

Good post. Damn good.