Grazing Behaviors
Horses have upper and lower incisors, which allow them to bite from the top down close to the ground. They are selective grazers, preferring young, immature plants as opposed to mature, tall grasses. Horses are also notorious for spot grazing-continuous eating in select areas sometimes down to the bare ground. Considered picky eaters, they continuously graze re-sprouted grass and leave entire sections of pasture untouched. The overlooked pasture eventually becomes overgrown and dies out. This constant spot grazing along with the characteristic trampling of the grass from their flipping hoof action when they walk can cause a lot of damage to the pasture. If not monitored, horses will graze for 14 to 16 hours continuously in a lush pasture. Sounds like some visiting relatives during the Thanksgiving holiday!  

Ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep and goats graze somewhat differently than horses. A lack of upper front teeth prevents them from biting from the top to the ground when grazing. Cattle tend to graze from the side of the plant, grabbing it with their tongue. However, they can do just as much damage to a pasture since they also eat new growth continuously, ultimately destroying the grass plants. Like horses, cattle prefer grasses. Cattle also tend to eat in groups and prefer young, tender plants. The weight of some ruminants such as cattle can trample down grasses and destroy them, too.     

Neither group will eat the forage near its own waste. This natural avoidance of each of the species eating next to its own manure piles limits parasitic infection. However, cattle will graze near other animals' excrement like horses or sheep, since parasites from horse or sheep manure cannot survive and grow in cows if ingested. So, grazing horses and cows or sheep together can be beneficial in that more of the pasture will grazed with low risk of parasitic infection.

The selective grazing techniques of farm animals can leave large areas of under-grazed forage that matures and becomes course and dry, eventually dying out and presenting opportunities for weeds to take over. On the other hand, over-grazed areas can cause healthy grasses to die out quickly leaving bare soil and encouraging weeds to grow. Additionally, parasites in manure piles can grow and spread to surrounding grasses causing even bigger problems.

Therefore, it's important to have a good pasture management program in place to keep your pasture lush and healthy. A good pasture will provide forage for your animals, decrease feed costs, absorb rainfall and filter runoff and reduce erosion. Read on for more info on basic pasture management.

Pasture Management  

Mowing--After grass has been grazed to three to four inches, mow the entire pasture to a uniformity of no more than four to six inches to stimulate uniform leaf growth, prevent other grasses from getting too tall and control weeds. Grasses should be allowed to grow about six to eight inches before grazing is allowed.  

Harrowing--Harrowing or dragging your pasture once it's been mowed breaks up and spreads the manure piles around more evenly, adding nutrients to the soil. The broken, dispersed clumps dry out and ultimately destroy parasite eggs and larvae. Harrowing is done by dragging a harrow, chain link fence or old bedspring behind a tractor. It must be done in dry weather since warm, moist weather encourages the eggs to hatch and thrive. Horses should not be allowed to graze in the area for three to four weeks after the pasture has been mowed and harrowed.

Rest--Resting the land is important for pasture health. Re-growth of pasture plants generally takes two to six weeks. In order for plants to recover from grazing, a system should be set up to give the land periodic rests. There are several types of grazing management systems:

Rotational Grazing 
Rotational grazing breaks up larger pastures into smaller sections to control grazing. It encourages less selective grazing resulting in more evenly cropped grasses within each section. Follow the general rule of not allowing the grazed area to get below three inches before moving the animals to another section. Continue rotating animals through each section of the divided pasture practicing good pasture management techniques each time. To avoid over-grazing pastures, provide supplemental feeding when needed and restrict grazing time.

Rotational Grazing System Plan

Limited Grazing
If land is limited or there is an abundance of animals, grazing time will need to be shortened to preserve the re-growth of the pasture. In this case, supplemental feeding is necessary. Horses or cattle can be placed in sacrifice areas to be hand fed.  

Continuous Grazing  

Sacrifice Area
A small enclosure, such as a pen or corral, confines the animals to a section of land in order to protect pastures from over-use. Sacrifice areas are good for rainy seasons when soil can become compacted and forage can be destroyed from trampling. It is also good for controlling the amount of pasture consumed by the animals. Sacrifice areas are usually kept close to the barn.  

Fencing is important to any grazing system. Keep in mind that what may stop a horse may be no match for cattle. Therefore, check into options for the animals you will be grazing.

What equipment is necessary for a pasture management program? We're glad you asked! Small tractors and RTVs can pull harrows and manure spreaders. Tractors with a mower attachment can trim that pasture in no time. A harrow attachment and manure spreader are useful in spreading and dispensing manure around the field.  

A sound pasture management and grazing system results in decreased feed costs, improved overall animal health and behavior and a much more attractive pasture on your property. A little effort can produce huge benefits and make your farm a lot more productive...and happy!