Pasture and Forage Management

Summary

This module delves into the principles of successful pasture and forage management for large ruminants, emphasizing the importance of land availability, forage species selection, propagation, and fertilization. It distinguishes between native and improved pastures, explores various utilization systems like continuous grazing, rotational grazing, and soiling, and discusses stocking rate, carrying capacity, and stocking density. The lecture also highlights the role of quality forages in reducing the need for more expensive concentrates and the benefits of well-managed pastures, including recommended grasses and legumes for Philippine conditions.

Takeaways

• 🌱 **Pasture Definition**: Pasture is land covered with grass and low plants suitable for grazing, while forage is the actual feed provided to ruminants.
• 🏞️ **Land Selection**: For successful pasture management, the choice of land is crucial, with preferences for flat, slightly elevated areas with available water.
• 🌾 **Forage Species Selection**: High-yielding, nutritious, palatable forage crops that can compete with weeds and thrive in various conditions are essential.
• 🌱 **Pasture Propagation**: Planting should be timed with the rainy season, using vegetative cuttings or seeds, with specific rates for small and large seed species.
• 🌳 **Fertilization and Grazing Management**: Fertilizing the land is important, and understanding the grazing management to be employed is necessary before establishing the pasture.
• 🐄 **Pasture Classification**: Pastures can be classified as native, dominated by native grasses, or improved, which are irrigated lands managed for grazing livestock.
• 🌿 **Utilization Systems**: Three common types of pasture utilization include continuous grazing, rotational grazing, and soiling, each with its specific practices and benefits.
• 🔢 **Stocking Rate and Carrying Capacity**: Stocking rate is the relationship between the number of animals and the forage resource, while carrying capacity is the forage a unit of ground can produce.
• 🐃 **Stocking Density**: Stocking density refers to the actual number of animals on a part of the pasture for a certain period, differing from stocking rate which is about forage demand.
• 🥬 **Forage Importance**: Quality forages are crucial for reducing the need for more expensive concentrate feeds and providing all necessary nutrients for ruminant maintenance and production.
• 🌾 **Forage Types**: Grasses and legumes are the primary forage types, each with unique characteristics that make them suitable for different farming and feeding systems.
• 📋 **Recommended Forages**: In the Philippines, recommended forages for cut and carry or grazing systems include specific grasses and legumes, adapted to local conditions and livestock needs.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the fifth module of the lecture?

The fifth module focuses on the principles behind successful pasture and forage management for efficiently providing sufficient roughages to large ruminants.

What is the difference between pasture and forage as mentioned in the script?

Pasture refers to any land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals, while forage is the actual feed, such as the grass, that is provided and eaten by the ruminants.

What are the four factors that must be considered in the establishment and management of pasture?

The four factors are the choice of land, the choice of forage species, pasture propagation, and knowledge of the grazing management to be employed.

Why is the choice of land important in pasture establishment?

The choice of land is important because the forage area should ideally be flat, slightly elevated, and have available water, which are factors that contribute to the health and productivity of the pasture.

What qualities should forage crops have according to the script?

Forage crops should be high-yielding, nutritious, palatable, able to compete with weeds, resistant to trampling, and thrive under shade.

What are the two main types of pastures classified in the script?

The two main types of pastures are native pastures, which are grazing environments dominated by native grasses, and improved pastures, which are irrigated lands managed to establish or maintain stands of grasses or legumes for grazing livestock.

What is continuous grazing and why is it typically used in native pastures?

Continuous grazing is a utilization system where animals remain in the pasture area for an extended period. It is typically used in native pastures where the stocking rate is low and fencing is often economically impractical.

How does rotational grazing differ from continuous grazing?

Rotational grazing involves dividing the grazing area into several paddocks and moving animals systematically from one to another in rotation. It is practiced in improved pastures and allows for more uniform utilization of the pasture and better control over grazing.

What is the definition of stocking rate in the context of pasture management?

Stocking rate is defined as the relationship between the number of animals and the size of the forage resource on which they are placed, generally expressed as animal units per hectare.

What is the difference between stocking rate and carrying capacity?

Stocking rate refers to the forage demand, i.e., the number of animals relative to the forage resource size, while carrying capacity is the forage supply, i.e., the amount of forage a unit or piece of ground can produce.

Why is it important to balance forage supply with livestock demand in pasture management?

Balancing forage supply with livestock demand is crucial to ensure that there is sufficient nutritious forage for the animals, which reduces the need for more expensive concentrate feeding and supports sustainable pasture management.

What are some of the recommended forages for pastures in the Philippines according to the script?

Some recommended forages in the Philippines include napier grass, guinea grass, para grass, pongola grass, african grass for grasses, and centrosema, ipil-ipil, stylosantes, and ceratro for legumes.

How does the process of making silage differ from making hay and why is it beneficial?

Silage is made by fermenting green foliage, preserving more nutrients from the original pasture compared to hay. The process of fermenting roughages, called ensiling, results in smaller nutritional losses compared to drying for hay, making silage a more nutritious feed option.