![[tall-growing species]](/forage/image/spastslide1.gif)
Both grasses and legumes can be used for pasture. Legume-grass combinations will usually result in better forage production and animal performance than will a single species grown alone.
The choice of what species to grow on a particular site should be based on (1) species adaptation to the site, (2) species response to the grazing system, (3) potential forage yield and seasonal distribution, (4) palatability and nutritional value, and (5) persistence. Also consider the fact that all grasses, birdsfoot trefoil, and crownvetch do not cause bloat. With other legumes, bloat can be a problem. Short-growing species such as Kentucky bluegrass or white clover should be used if pastures are to be grazed heavily and continuously.
For maximum production, tall-growing species such as birdsfoot trefoil, alfalfa, red clover, timothy, bromegrass, and orchardgrass should be rotationally grazed with short periods of grazing (one to three days) and long periods of rest (20 to 40 days). Length of the rest period will depend on the species grown and seasonal climatic conditions.
To spread maturity and forage production evenly throughout the growing season, several forage mixtures should be grown. Orchardgrass is very early in maturity followed by tall fescue, reed canarygrass, bromegrass, and, the latest in maturity, timothy. Within the species timothy, orchardgrass, and bromegrass, varieties that differ about 10 days in maturity are available. Alfalfa matures early followed by red clover, Viking birdsfoot trefoil, crownvetch, and late-maturing Empire birdsfoot trefoil. When growing forage mixtures, blend species and varieties that are similar in maturity.
Several forage species that can be used for pastures are not listed in the 'Forage Varieties' section of this publication. These are noted here with comment about their characteristics and use.
Ladino is a large type of white clover introduced into the United States from Italy. It makes particularly high-quality pasture for livestock. Ladino does well in years with frequent rains. It has a shallow root system, however, and lacks sufficient drought tolerance to survive prolonged dry spells. Because of bloat hazard and low midsummer yield of ladino, birdsfoot trefoil is a preferred pasture species.
Common white Dutch, English wild white, and natural wild white clovers are names given to the small, low-growing strains of white clover. They are persistent even when pastures are grazed short and frequently. They all yield less than ladino clover and are more susceptible to drought.
Kentucky bluegrass is most productive in the spring or during periods of cool, moist weather. It grows best on fertile, well-drained soils. Although slow to establish, it spreads by underground rhizomes and forms as a dense sod.
In New York, tall fescue is used primarily for conservation purposes. Palatability in hot, dry periods is relatively low. It grows well on poorly drained or well-drained soils and spreads slowly by underground stems to form a tough sod, very tolerant of treading by animals. Use the recently developed varieties, such as BARCEL or STARGRAZER, which are more palatable and endophyte (fungus) free (5-6 lb/acre).
Pastures can furnish high-quality, low-cost feed for cattle, horses, and sheep. Efficient use of pastures, however, requires very careful planning and good management of both animals and forage crops. The use of some type of rotational grazing is essential to control plant growth and furnish animals with the amount and quality of forage necessary to meet their nutritional requirements.
Short-duration or short-term grazing is a rotational system using relatively short periods of grazing (one to three days) and long periods of resting the pasture (four to six weeks). This system uses a number of small pastures and thus requires careful planning for water and fencing. Short-duration grazing is the most effective way to maximize animal performance and animal product per acre, particularly when used for milk cows.
There are several advantages to growing grass-legume mixtures in pastures. Legumes fix nitrogen, which can be used by the grass. This offsets the need for yearly topdressing of grass with nitrogen. Mixtures are also more productive during midsummer and have a higher nutritional value than grass alone. A grass-legume mixture is also better for pastures than a pure legume. The grass adds protection against bloat, fills in spots where the legume will not grow, and increases longevity and production of the pasture.
The selection and use of forage species for pasture depend primarily on the soil characteristics of the site, particularly pH and drainage, and the type of grazing system employed. Alfalfa requires a well-drained soil having a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Birdsfoot trefoil, clovers, and grasses will grow on slightly acid soils of variable drainage.
In general, the low-growing, less productive species such as white clover or bluegrass persist better under close continuous grazing than the taller-growing species such as alfalfa or bromegrass. When selecting a species for pasture, choose one that will perform best under the grazing system being used.
Most of the seeding mixtures in Table 6 combine a legume with one or two grasses. If the legume content of pastures seeded with these mixtures is 30 to 40 percent or greater, fertilize as needed with only phosphorus and potassium. If mixtures contain 30 percent or less of legume or only mixtures of grasses are used, nitrogen should be applied each year along with appropriate amounts of phosphorus and potassium.
Weed control in grass pastures is limited to controlling broadleaf weeds and is generally accomplished with postemergence, translocated herbicides. These herbicides are absorbed by the foliage and move within the plant. As a result, they may produce a toxic effect a considerable distance from the point of entry. As might be expected, postemergence applications are greatly affected by the age of the weeds and the growing conditions. As a general rule, postemergence herbicide applications should be made when the weeds are young and/or actively growing because they are easiest to control then. Adverse environmental conditions such as hot, dry weather before spraying make postemergence applications less effective than when applied during warm, moist weather. In addition, rainfall shortly after postemergence applications may reduce their effectiveness.
For control of summer annual weeds such as common lambsquarters, translocated herbicides should be applied to the foliage of seedling plants in the spring or early summer. The rosettes of winter annual weeds such as shepherdspurse should be treated in the fall or early spring.
Most problem weeds in grass pastures are either biennial or perennial broadleaf weeds. Postemergence treatments for biennial weeds such as common burdock, or simple perennials such as dandelion, should be applied to the rosettes, or other fall growth, in the fall or early spring before these plants bolt (send up a flower stalk).
Foliar treatments for creeping perennial weeds such as common milkweed must be made when they are actively growing and have a large leaf area. The ideal time for treating them is after they have reached the bud stage in mid- to late summer. During this period they have their maximum leaf area and are storing food reserves for the winter. Translocated herbicides applied during this period are absorbed by the leaves and moved into the underground reproductive and storage organs with the food reserves. Because the herbicides recommended for broadleaf weed control in pastures will kill legumes, they should not be used as broadcast treatments if legumes are present. In all cases, grazing restrictions in Table 11 and on the labels must be followed carefully.