ATTRA

APRIL 23, 2024

The nighttime temperatures have been high enough to wake up the cool-season perennials in the pastures. Swallows dive overhead feasting on the flies hovering over the backs of the cattle. The first question to ask is: do you really need to take on the work of establishing cover crops in pastures? Sorghum-sudan pasture.

Pasture 52

Pasture Crop Seeding Crop Rotation 52

ATTRA

JUNE 11, 2024

Here in Arkansas where I live and raise cattle, goats, laying hens, and a few ducks, the summer temperatures can be punishing. When doing managed grazing of cattle, sheep, or goats, this can mean making sure part of each paddock includes some trees. For example, sheep and goats tolerate heat better than cattle, as a rule.

Livestock 98

Livestock Poultry Cattle Pasture 98

ATTRA

APRIL 2, 2024

Our pastures are devastated by livestock feeding areas, hooves, gate ruts, excessive rain, snow melt, and lack of vegetative cover during the non-growing season. We are too aware of the cost of pasture forage restoration, truck fenders, and loss of man hours, but there is also a cost to the health and welfare of our livestock.

Soil Compaction 98

Soil Compaction Pasture Forage Livestock 98

ATTRA

OCTOBER 24, 2023

By Justin Morris Has your pasture been plagued by poor plant growth? Does water pond on the surface of your pasture either during or right after a rain or irrigation event? Or does water run off your pasture to the point that it leaves behind ugly scars of erosion or floods out other areas that are lower in the landscape?

Soil Compaction 104

Soil Compaction Pasture Livestock Water Rights 104

ATTRA

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Here is a link to a video that talks about assessing pasture soil health using these tools. First, locate an area of the pasture that seems representative of the whole pasture. An 18-inch-long slice of soil positioned horizontally on a pasture to make it easier to look at soil structure and rooting depth.

Soil Compaction 105

Soil Compaction Pasture Rural Development Livestock 105

ATTRA

OCTOBER 31, 2023

Goats are browsers—they’ll eat grass and weeds like cattle and sheep if they have to, but their preference is to eat brush. By Justin Duncan, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Recently we held a goat production class out in Luling, Texas, at the marvelous S3 Legacy Ranch. One question that came up was about feeding them.

Rural Development 85

Rural Development Manure Compost Pasture 85

ATTRA

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

Causes of Compaction There are generally two major causes of soil compaction on pastures: hoof impact and overgrazing. Research has shown that the amount of root exudates was lowest when: 1) leaves were removed in the vegetative phase (phase one); and 2) when plants were grazed severely (close to the pasture surface).

Soil Compaction 103

Soil Compaction Livestock Forage Pasture 103