Acreage Living - Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan

continuous grazirlg can be
harmful to both native prairie
and wildlife habitat. Observe how
the native prairie looks on both
sides of nearby fence lines, one
overgrazed pasture and the other
moderately grazed.
Do the plants appear
unhealthy (e.g., stunted,
discoloured, spindly, wilted, or
small)? If so, the roots have
probably ceased growth and the
land is less productive than it
could be. Do steep slopes show
signs of erosion? Are there areas
of bare soil that could become
colonized by weeds? It is fairly
common on small farms and
acreages to underestimate the
feed needs of livestock while
overesl.imating lhe productive
capability of native prairie.
To maintain healthy livestock
and forage production, you will
need to develop a sustainable year
round feed supply plan. This
involves calculating the amount
of forage your animals will
consume measured as Animal
Unit Months (AUM's), the forage
and hay production on your land
and the feed (hay) requirements
per animal. These calculations
will indicate if your animals'
needs can be met on your acreage
alone. (See the resources section
for range professionals that will
help you develop a grazing plan.)
G0rd Erazing tanagement = G00d liuest0clt Hsalth
lf your animals are:
. Chewing on trees, shrubs, fences or barns;
. Losing weight or are overweight;
. Consuming dirt while trying to graze;
. Sporting dull coats;
Your grazing management system needs adjusting!
Poor condition pastures and continuously grazing the same
pastures may lead to increased parasite problems and overall
poor health of your livestock.
llid You l(nrw?
Native grasses should not be grazed before at least three leaves
have emerged in spring. Otherwise, there may be detrimental effects
on both forage productivity and native prairie health. Most native
grasses will have produced three leaves sometime after June 1. A
good rule of thumb is, "for every day of early spring grazing you will
lose two days later in the season". Thereforg try to hold off on
grazing until June.
Horses do not need 24-hour access to food. Some horses may get
too fat this can cause health problems. The daily nutritional needs of
an idle, mature horse can be met with as little as three to four hours
of grazingon good pasture. Animals can be corralled for the rest of
the day to prevent overgrazing and to help extend the feed supply
within pastures. This also helps save money on purchased feeds.
Horses are'spot grazers". They tend to repeatedly overgraze certain
areas and leave other areas untouched. Pasture rotations with other
types of livestock (such as cattle) or regular mowing and scattering
of horse manure may make grazing by horses more efficient over a
wider area.