Pasture grass ideas

[Sheepwheat]

Seeding down a chunk this year finally. Trying a blend of various grasses that should be well suited for this cold damp zone.

Orchard grass does really well here for hay, and the sheep love it.
Meadow brome
Kentucky bluegrass
Crested wheatgrass
Creeping red fescue
White clover

Is throwing out a couple lbs of multiple species of grass, and seeing what sticks wrong headed? The plan is to intensively graze it, moving animals daily. Also hope to stockpile some for early winter grazing.

I have been searching high and low, but not finding bunches of info online. Just looking for practical advice. Thanks all.

[poorboy]

Not sure what sheep can handle for legumes, but I would look for some kind of legume in the mix that will add nitrogen and be able to handle the grazing pressure from the sheep without hurting the sheep.

Perhaps some kind of sanfoin, vetch or maybe even a low bloat pasture type alfalfa.

[Sheepwheat]

Not sure what sheep can handle for legumes, but I would look for some kind of legume in the mix that will add nitrogen and be able to handle the grazing pressure from the sheep without hurting the sheep.

Perhaps some kind of sanfoin, vetch or maybe even a low bloat pasture type alfalfa.

Yeah that’s what the white clover is for. Trouble is that sheep are so able to select specific plants due to their narrow mouths. And so keeping the dang legumes alive longer than year or two will be tough. I’d love to throw some alfalfa out there, but fear it wouldn’t last long! I’m seeding another quarter to hay anyway, so I might try and throw in some alfalfa as well and see how it goes. If my ideal grazing plan pans out, it may have tie to recover. Sheep are hell on forbs… white clover takes a lot of abuse…

[WiltonRanch]

Red clover and god forbid sweetclover. Red clover spread a couple # every year or two or mix in mineral. It’s cheap enough

[AllisWD45]

Would suggest a blend of Orchard grass, Meadow brome, Some alfalfa or Birdsfoot trefoil. Seed heavier than recommended. Takes a while to establish but using rotational grazing don't overgraze and it will last a long long time. By some of your comments you will have no trouble establishing it. In your area i wouldnt use shorter season grasses like Crested it will take intense management to utilize it in its short grazing window.

[poorboy]

Sorry I missed the white clover part.

Brome grass seems to be what mother nature uses here around the poplar trees.

[makar]

With your moisture does Timothy work with sheep?

[woodland]

The quick regrowth of orchard grass is hard to beat. AC Grazeland is what we use in our pasture mix and it stirred up the neighbourhood when you’d kick a herd into lush alfalfa and not be worried be worried about bloat. Even if it only lasts a few years the N fixing is worth it. Ours after ten years of grazing is basically worn out and due for a rotation. No-till it to fall rye and get early spring grazing.

Hard to beat the view of animals grazing anytime of the year🍀

[Blaithin]

I think throwing out multiple species and seeing what sticks is exactly what to do. Different parts of a pasture will be better suited for different species. By using multiple species you should help ensure cover and have diversity boosting going on. You may end up with spots that are mostly clover and spots that are mostly orchard grass and spots that are mostly bluegrass just based on conditions but it’s better than trying to plant one or two things and ending up with thin spots because they don’t like those conditions.

Not that they’re hugely translatable to here but there’s a seed company in the UK that seem to be well versed in pasture mixes. I believe they also promote including herbs like chicory and plantain to help boost animal health as well as soil health. I do enjoy reading their stuff but it’s a bit dry here for some of their common ingredients. Might be more suitable to your area though so could be some inspiration. UK does really like their ryegrass though 😂

https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/seeds/17/herbal-leys

Hard to find suppliers with similar mixes here but I have been able to find a lot of the ingredients available separately.

[Guest]

Seeding down a chunk this year finally. Trying a blend of various grasses that should be well suited for this cold damp zone.

Orchard grass does really well here for hay, and the sheep love it.
Meadow brome
Kentucky bluegrass
Crested wheatgrass
Creeping red fescue
White clover

Is throwing out a couple lbs of multiple species of grass, and seeing what sticks wrong headed? The plan is to intensively graze it, moving animals daily. Also hope to stockpile some for early winter grazing.

I have been searching high and low, but not finding bunches of info online. Just looking for practical advice. Thanks all.

Have a look at the Jena Experiment sheep. Short video gets really interesting at the 3 minute mark. Basically the more species the better. I see it here in southern hemisphere but works north as well
https://youtu.be/j3SvG2nBCTM

[tweaker101]

How long are you thinking of leaving them in a particular part of the pasture?... I'm not sure if sheep respect poly twine or if they do but can you use Batt Latches and let them work there way across a small portion of grass vs giving them a 30 acres portion of grass for what ever time you think they will last in there. its a more intensive way to graze but may save your grass and make it more healthy as they would eat all the varieties vs just there favourites.

[Sheepwheat]

How long are you thinking of leaving them in a particular part of the pasture?... I'm not sure if sheep respect poly twine or if they do but can you use Batt Latches and let them work there way across a small portion of grass vs giving them a 30 acres portion of grass for what ever time you think they will last in there. its a more intensive way to graze but may save your grass and make it more healthy as they would eat all the varieties vs just there favourites.

My plan is to graze very intensively. I’m ok moving them daily, which means a couple acres at a time. I do have a bunch of posts and plans for poly braid and training them to a two or three strand hot fence.

I know he is a swear word in these parts, but I like the gabe brown method.

[Sheepwheat]

With your moisture does Timothy work with sheep?

Timothy is great but has an early spring flush, and then not much after that. It could be part of the blend for sure.

[Sheepwheat]

The quick regrowth of orchard grass is hard to beat. AC Grazeland is what we use in our pasture mix and it stirred up the neighbourhood when you’d kick a herd into lush alfalfa and not be worried be worried about bloat. Even if it only lasts a few years the N fixing is worth it. Ours after ten years of grazing is basically worn out and due for a rotation. No-till it to fall rye and get early spring grazing.

Hard to beat the view of animals grazing anytime of the year🍀

I’ve read elsewhere, (combine forum), that grazeland is no leaves all stems. I could care less, so long as it is fixing the n the grass needs.

Yes. I and my wife go on pasture dates. Watching the sun set over a happy bunch of grazing sheep is hard to beat.

[Sheepwheat]

Have a look at the Jena Experiment sheep. Short video gets really interesting at the 3 minute mark. Basically the more species the better. I see it here in southern hemisphere but works north as well
https://youtu.be/j3SvG2nBCTM

Will have a look, thanks. I totally want as many species as possible.