Making the Best of a Thin Situation
Pasture seeding improvements may be necessary this spring after a prolonged dry fall grazing season.
Pasture seeding improvements may be necessary this spring after a prolonged dry fall grazing season.
With rising input costs, determining adequate fertilizer needs is more important than ever.
Stocking rates provide information on how many horses a pasture can carry in a month. In general the approximate pasture needs per average-sized mature horse, with pasture providing most, if not all, of the nutrition is:
Looking to understand agroforestry topics you may have heard about? A Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant helped develop these fact sheets.
In an effort to help Iowa beef producers remain profitable, Iowa Beef Center conducted several grazing and pasture management programs from 2013 to 2018. This six-page publication summarizes the findings of that evaluation to determine the changes in Iowa’s pasture management and to look at the effectiveness of IBC’s various pasture programs.
Flood waters are receding, but the challenges in recovery for farmers and livestock producers are just beginning. Beth Doran, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist, recommends producers get out in their fields as soon as possible. "Beef producers should assess the damage to pastures and hay ground, then check out possible disaster assistance," she said. Doran advised cattlemen to look for three things in their assessment - debris, silt on the forage, and thinned or dead forage plants.
One major investment for a horse farm are installation and upkeep of fences. The fence should be safe and keep horses on the property. Fencing decisions should be based on the age of the animal, breed and temperament of the animal, production system, and situation.
Looking at dairy cattle as an alternative enterprise for your operation? Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has compiled information that may be of assistance.
One fast growing trend among small farms is raising poultry. Typically, poultry offers a small-scale livestock enterprise without requiring large amounts of capital, land, time or equipment. Careful planning and preparation prior to your poultry's arrival will help ensure the establishment of a healthy flock for your family's enjoyment and food production.
Winter is a great time for spring planning of pastures - both those that are new and those planned for production. This article summarizes a bulletin from ISU Extension and Outreach on the various costs of pasture improvements and pasture/forage management.