# Idaho pasture condition scoring guide

+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| ### i    | 1         | 2         | 3         | 4          | 5         |
| ndicator |           |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| > *      | ## Desir  | Desirable | Desirable | Desirable  | Desirable |
| *percent | able fora | forage    | forage    | forage     | forage    |
| > d      | ge specie | species   | species   | species    | species   |
| esirable | s represe | represent | represent | represent  | exceed    |
| >        | nt \<30%  | 30 to 50% | 50 to 75% | 75 to 90%  | 90% of    |
| plants** | of stand  | of stand  | of stand  | of stand   | pasture   |
|          | (air-dry  | (air-dry  | (air-dry  | (air-dry   | stand     |
|          | weight).  | weight).  | weight).  | weight).   | (air-dry  |
|          | Annual we | Broadleaf | Un        | Remainder  | weight).  |
|          | eds, othe | weeds and | desirable | of the     | Remainder |
|          | r undesir | other     | broadleaf | stand is   | of the    |
|          | able herb | un        | weeds and | composed   | stand is  |
|          | aceous pl | desirable | annual    | primarily  | comprised |
|          | ants, and | h         | grasses   | of         | of        |
|          | /or woody | erbaceous | present   | perennial  | perennial |
|          |  species, | species   | and       | forage     | forage    |
|          |  dominate | are       | e         | species    | species   |
|          |  pasture. | prevalent | xpanding. | with       | having    |
|          |           | and       | Some      | in         | int       |
|          |           | e         | woody     | termediate | ermediate |
|          |           | xpanding. | species   | grazing    | grazing   |
|          |           | Woody     | may be    | value. Few | value.    |
|          |           | species   | present.  | u          |           |
|          |           | often     |           | ndesirable |           |
|          |           | present.  |           | broadleaf  |           |
|          |           |           |           | weeds,     |           |
|          |           |           |           | annual     |           |
|          |           |           |           | grasses or |           |
|          |           |           |           | woody      |           |
|          |           |           |           | species.   |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| #### pla | ## [folia | ## [      | ## [      | ## [foliar | ## [fol   |
| nt cover | r cover]{ | foliar co | foliar co |  cover]{.s | iar cover |
|          | .smallcap | ver]{.sma | ver]{.sma | mallcaps}: | ]{.smallc |
| > *Live  | s}: \<50% | llcaps}:  | llcaps}:  |  90 to 95% | aps}: 95  |
| > stems  |           | 50 to 70% | 70 to 90% |            | to \>100% |
| > and    | [**basal  |           |           | [**basal   |           |
| > green  | area:**   | [**basal  | [**basal  | area:** 35 | [**basal  |
| > leaf   | \<15      | area:**   | area:**   | to         | area:**   |
| > cover  | **%**]{.s | 15 to     | 25 to     | 50%]{.     | \>50      |
| > of all | mallcaps} | 25        | 35        | smallcaps} | **%**]{.s |
| > d      |           | **%**]{.s | **%**]{.s |            | mallcaps} |
| esirable | Photo     | mallcaps} | mallcaps} | Pasture    |           |
| > and    | synthetic |           |           | not        | Forages   |
| > inte   | area very | Photo     | Most      | uniformly  | m         |
| rmediate | low. Very | synthetic | forage    | grazed and | aintained |
| > s      | little    | area low. | plants    | there is   | in leafy  |
| pecies.* | plant     | Low       | grazed    | some loss  | condition |
| >        | cover to  | re        | close;    | of         | for best  |
| > *Rate  | slow or   | tardation | little    | potential  | photo     |
| > both   | stop      | to runoff | leaf area | for        | synthetic |
| > foliar | runoff.   | by        | to        | phot       | activity. |
| > and    |           | pasture   | intercept | osynthetic | Very      |
| > basal  |           | ve        | sunlight. | activity.  | dense     |
| > cover* |           | getation. | Moderate  | pasture    | stand     |
|          |           |           | re        | vegetation | with      |
|          |           |           | tardation | offers     | either no |
|          |           |           | to runoff | high       | runoff,   |
|          |           |           | by        | r          | or very   |
|          |           |           | pasture   | etardation | slow      |
|          |           |           | ve        | to runoff. | runoff    |
|          |           |           | getation. |            | flows.    |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| ####     | One       | Two to    | Two to    | Two to     | Three to  |
|  plant d | dominant  | five      | three     | four       | five      |
| iversity | perennial | forage    | forage    | forage     | forage    |
|          | forage    | species   | species   | species    | species   |
| > *Fu    | species   | all of    | all of    | re         | rep       |
| nctional | (\>75% of | one       | one       | presenting | resenting |
| > groups | stand by  | f         | f         | two        | at least  |
| > of     | air-dry   | unctional | unctional | functional | three     |
| >        | weight).  | group     | group     | groups     | f         |
|  forages |           | (\>75% of | (each at  | (each at   | unctional |
| > are    | [***o     | stand by  | least 20% | least 20%  | groups    |
| > plant  | r***,]{.s | air-dry   | of stand  | of stand   | (each     |
| > g      | mallcaps} | weight).  | by        | by air-dry | group     |
| roupings |           | At least  | air-dry   | weight) -- | ±20% of   |
| > that   | More than | one       | weight).  | at least   | stand) -- |
| > have   | 5 forage  | perennial |           | one        | at least  |
| >        | species   | forage    | Forage    | perennial  | one grass |
|  similar | (each     | species   | species   | grass and  | and one   |
| > growth | \<20% of  | avoided   | in        | one legume | legume    |
| > habits | stand)    | by        | termixed, | species    | species   |
| >        | all of    | livestock | have      | present.   | present.  |
|  (*i.e., | one       | resulting | c         |            | Forage    |
| > *      | f         | in        | ompatible | Forage     | species   |
| upright, | unctional | presence  | growth    | species    | in        |
| > pr     | group.    | of mature | habits,   | well       | termixed, |
| ostrate, | Uneven    | s         | similar   | i          | with      |
| > sod    | grazing   | eedstalks | re-growth | ntermixed, | c         |
| >        | use.      | and       | periods,  | have       | ompatible |
|  former, | Grazing   | uneven    | and have  | compatible | growth    |
| > or     | use       | grazing   | c         | growth     | habits,   |
| > bunch  | poorly    | use.      | omparable | habits,    | similar   |
| > grass) | dis       | Forage    | pala      | similar    | re-growth |
| > and    | tributed. | species   | tability. | re-growth  | periods,  |
| > ma     |           | occur in  | No forage | periods,   | and       |
| nagement |           | patches,  | plants    | and        | pala      |
| > needs  |           | and are   | ungrazed. | comparable | tability. |
| >        |           | not       |           | pal        | No forage |
| (*i.e.*, |           | in        |           | atability. | plants    |
| > coo    |           | termixed. |           | No forage  | ungrazed. |
| l-season |           |           |           | plants     |           |
| >        |           |           |           | ungrazed.  |           |
| grasses, |           |           |           |            |           |
| > war    |           |           |           |            |           |
| m-season |           |           |           |            |           |
| >        |           |           |           |            |           |
| grasses, |           |           |           |            |           |
| >        |           |           |           |            |           |
| legumes, |           |           |           |            |           |
| > and    |           |           |           |            |           |
| > other  |           |           |           |            |           |
| > (non   |           |           |           |            |           |
| -legume) |           |           |           |            |           |
| > b      |           |           |           |            |           |
| roadleaf |           |           |           |            |           |
| > forage |           |           |           |            |           |
| >        |           |           |           |            |           |
| plants.* |           |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| ##       | ## [groun | ## [gr    | ## [      | ## [g      | ## [gro   |
| ## plant | d cover]{ | ound cove | ground co | round cove | und cover |
|  residue | .smallcap | r]{.small | ver]{.sma | r]{.smallc | ]{.smallc |
|          | s}: No id | caps}: \< | llcaps}:  | aps}: 20 t | aps}: 30  |
| > *Rate  | entifiabl | 10% of so | 10 to 20% | o 30% of s | to 70% of |
| > ground | e residue | il surfac |  of soil  | oil surfac |  soil sur |
| > cover  |  present  | e with de | surface w | e with dea | face cove |
| > and    | on soil s | ad forage | ith dead  | d forage p | red with  |
| >        | urface. T |  plant re | forage pl | lant resid | dead fora |
| standing | hatch, if | sidue pre | ant resid | ue present | ge plant  |
| > dead   |  present, | sent. Tha | ue presen | . No thatc | residue.  |
| > forage |  is heavy | tch, if p | t. Thatch | h buildup. | No thatch |
| > se     |  (\>1-inc | resent, 0 |  buildup, |            |  buildup. |
| parately | h thick). | .5\" to 1 |  if prese | [**sta     |           |
| > and    |           | \" thick. | nt, less  | nding-dead | [**stan   |
| >        | [**stan   |           | than 0.50 | forage:**\ | ding-dead |
|  average | ding-dead | [**stan   | \" thick. | ]{.smal    | f         |
| >        | f         | ding-dead |           | lcaps}Less | orage:**\ |
|  score.* | orage:**\ | f         | [**stan   | than       | ]{.sma    |
|          | ]{.small  | orage:**\ | ding-dead | [5]{.s     | llcaps}No |
|          | caps}More | 5]{.s     | f         | mallcaps}% | standing  |
|          | than      | mallcaps} | orage:**\ | of total   | dead      |
|          | [2]{.sma  | to        | 5]{.s     | pasture    | forage    |
|          | llcaps}5% | [2]{.sma  | mallcaps} | production | plant     |
|          | of total  | llcaps}5% | to        | (air-dry   | material  |
|          | pasture   | of total  | [1]{.sma  | weight).   | available |
|          | p         | pasture   | llcaps}5% |            | to        |
|          | roduction | p         | of total  |            | grazing   |
|          | (air-dry  | roduction | pasture   |            | animals.  |
|          | weight).  | (air-dry  | p         |            |           |
|          |           | weight).  | roduction |            |           |
|          |           |           | (air-dry  |            |           |
|          |           |           | weight).  |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| #### pla | No        | Recovery  | Recovery  | Recovery   | Rapid     |
| nt vigor | recovery  | after     | after     | after      | recovery  |
|          | after     | grazing   | grazing   | grazing    | following |
| > If     | grazing;  | takes 2   | takes 1   | takes 2 to | grazing.  |
| > plant  | *or*      | or more   | week      | 4 days     | Healthy   |
| > vigor  | leaves    | weeks     | longer    | longer     | green     |
| > rating | pale      | longer    | than      | than       | color of  |
| > is     | yellow to | than      | normal;   | normal;    | foliage.  |
| > less   | brown;    | normal;   | ***or,*** | ***or,***  | No sign   |
| > than   | ***or,*** | *or*      | urine or  | l          | of insect |
| > 4,     | plants at | yellow    | dung      | ight-green | or        |
| > d      | permanent | ish-green | patches   | leaves of  | disease   |
| etermine | wilting   | leaves;   | dark      | most       | damage.   |
| >        | point;    | ***or,*** | green in  | plants as  | No leaf   |
| possible | ***or,*** | major     | contrast  | contrasted | wilting.  |
| > cause  | most all  | insect or | to rest   | to greener |           |
| > by     | plants    | disease   | of        | plants in  | Pasture   |
| > using  | evidence  | loss;     | plants;   | urine and  | yields    |
| > causal | stress    | ***or,*** | ***or,*** | dung       | at, or    |
| > factor | due to    | plants    | minor     | patches;   | above,    |
| >        | insects   | wilted    | insect or | ***or,***  | listed    |
|  ratings | and/or    | most of   | disease   | minor      | potential |
| > listed | disease.  | day.      | loss;     | insect or  | for the   |
| > on     |           |           | *or*      | disease    | Forage    |
| > page 3 | Exercise  | Pasture   | plants    | damage. No | Su        |
|          | paddock   | pro       | wilted    | plant      | itability |
|          | only.     | ductivity | only      | wilting.   | Group.    |
|          |           | is 50 to  | during    |            |           |
|          | ***or*,** | \<70% of  | mid-day.  | Pasture    |           |
|          | pasture   | listed    |           | pr         |           |
|          | pred      | potential | Pasture   | oductivity |           |
|          | ominantly | for       | pro       | is near    |           |
|          | lodged,   | Forage    | ductivity | potential  |           |
|          | dark      | Su        | 70 to 85% | listed for |           |
|          | green,    | itability | of        | Forage     |           |
|          | overly    | Group.    | potential | S          |           |
|          | lush,     |           | listed    | uitability |           |
|          | forage    |           | for       | Group.     |           |
|          | that is   |           | Forage    |            |           |
|          | generally |           | Su        |            |           |
|          | avoided.  |           | itability |            |           |
|          |           |           | Group.    |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| *        | No        | Le        | Le        | L          | Le        |
| *Percent | le        | gume/forb | gume/forb | egume/forb | gume/forb |
| legume** | gume/forb | \<10% or  | 10%       | 15%-\<25%. | 20%-35%.  |
|          | present,  | [         | \--\<15%. | **Or**,    | **Or**,   |
| > **or   | **or**    | \>]{.unde | **Or**,   | desirable  | desirable |
| > FORB** | \>50%     | rline}40% | desirable | species    | species   |
| >        | spreading | spreading | species   | all grazed | at        |
| > *(     | or bloat  | or bloat  | present   | and near   | p         |
| percents | --causing | --causing | are all   | p          | otential. |
| > are of | legume.   | legume.   | grazed.   | otiential. | **Or**, N |
| > total  | **Or,**   | **Or**    | **Or**, N | **Or**, N  | supple    |
| > prod   | no        | desirable | supple    | app        | mentation |
| uction)* | sup       | grass     | mentation | licationby | is by     |
|          | plemental | d         | less than | soil test  | soil test |
|          | N         | eclining, | needed.   | but        | on a      |
|          | applied.  | **or** no | Some      | infrequent | regular   |
|          | Species   | regular N | invade    | or         | basis. No |
|          | change    | supplem   | rs/weeds, | somewhat   | Invade    |
|          | needed.   | entation. | spotty    | followed.  | rs/weeds. |
|          | Invad     | Invad     |           | Few        |           |
|          | ers/weeds | ers/weeds |           | invad      |           |
|          | dominate  | beginning |           | ers/weeds. |           |
|          |           | to        |           |            |           |
|          |           | dominate. |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **un     | Litt      | Litt      | Litt      | Lit        | Ungrazed  |
| iformity | le-grazed | le-grazed | le-grazed | tle-grazed | areas     |
| OF USE** | patches   | patches   | patches   | patches    | only at   |
|          | cover     | cover     | cover 10  | present    | urine or  |
|          | over 50%  | over 25   | to 25% of | minor      | dung      |
|          | of        | to 50% of | pasture   | spots      | patches.  |
|          | pasture.  | pasture   | either in | where one  | No        |
|          | Mosaic    | either in | a mosaic  | to several | ungrazed  |
|          | pattern   | a mosaic  | pattern   | forage     | forage    |
|          | of        | pattern   | or as     | plants are | species.  |
|          | grazing   | or as     | ide       | not        |           |
|          | use; or   | ide       | ntifiable | grazed.    |           |
|          | there are | ntifiable | areas     | Urine and  |           |
|          | ide       | areas     | within    | dung       |           |
|          | ntifiable | within    | pasture   | patches    |           |
|          | areas     | pasture   | and are   | avoided.   |           |
|          | within    | and are   | not       |            |           |
|          | pasture   | not       | grazed.   |            |           |
|          | being     | grazed.   |           |            |           |
|          | avoided.  |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+

# Idaho pasture condition scoring guide

+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| ### i    | 1         | 2         | 3         | 4          | 5         |
| ndicator |           |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| > **l    | ##        | Livestock | Isolated  | Minor      | Absence   |
| ivestock |  Livestoc | conc      | livestock | livestock  | of        |
| > conce  | k concent | entration | conc      | trailing   | livestock |
| ntration | ration ar | areas and | entration | evident    | conc      |
| >        | eas and t | trails    | areas and | with one   | entration |
|  areas** | rails cov | cover 5   | trailing  | or two,    | areas and |
|          | er \>10%  | to 10% of | evident   | small,     | t         |
|          | of the pa | the       | (\<5% of  | con        | railing;\ |
|          | sture; *o | pasture;  | pasture); | centration | *         |
|          | r* all co | ***or,*** | ***or,*** | areas.     | **or***,\ |
|          | ncentrati | conc      | no more   | There is a | heavy use |
|          | on areas  | entration | than one  | buffer     | areas     |
|          | allow for | areas are | conc      | zone       | located   |
|          |  contamin | close to  | entration | between    | or        |
|          | ated runo | water     | area that | any        | treated   |
|          | ff to be  | channels  | drains    | con        | to        |
|          | conveyed  | allowing  | (un       | centration | minimize  |
|          | directly  | con       | buffered) | area and   | con       |
|          | into adja | taminated | directly  | adjacent   | taminated |
|          | cent wate | (un       | into      | water      | runoff.   |
|          | r bodies. | buffered) | adjacent  | bodies.    |           |
|          |           | runoff to | water     |            |           |
|          |           | drain     | body.     |            |           |
|          |           | into      |           |            |           |
|          |           | water     |           |            |           |
|          |           | bodies.   |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **soil   | Inf       | Inf       | Inf       | In         | Inf       |
| comp     | iltration | iltration | iltration | filtration | iltration |
| action** | capacity  | capacity  | capacity  | capacity   | capacity  |
|          | and       | reduced   | lowered   | somewhat   | and       |
|          | surface   | due to    | and       | lowered.   | surface   |
|          | runoff    | large     | surface   | Surface    | runoff    |
|          | severely  | areas of  | runoff    | runoff can | are       |
|          | affected  | bare      | increased | be         | similar   |
|          | by        | ground    | due to    | eliminated | to that   |
|          | co        | and dense | plant     | with an    | expected  |
|          | mpaction. | c         | cover     | increase   | for a     |
|          | Livestock | ompaction | loss and  | in plant   | properly  |
|          | traffic   | layer at  | soil      | cover.     | grazed    |
|          | is        | surface.  | c         | Soil probe | meadow or |
|          | er        | Livestock | ompaction | enters     | pasture   |
|          | adicating | trails    | by        | soil       | not       |
|          | pasture   | common.   | livestock | easily.    | impacted  |
|          | plants    | Off-trail | . Soil    | Scattered  | by        |
|          | over      | hoof      | resistant | livestock  | livestock |
|          | large     | prints    | to soil   | trailing   | traffic.  |
|          | areas.    | common.   | probe     | and hoof   |           |
|          | Very hard | Hard to   | entry at  | prints     |           |
|          | to push a | push a    | one or    | with       |           |
|          | probe     | probe     | more      | impact     |           |
|          | into      | through   | depths    | confined   |           |
|          | soil.     | soil      | within    | to lanes   |           |
|          |           | layers.   | plow      | or small   |           |
|          |           |           | depth.    | wet areas. |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **irri   | Pasture   | Desirable | Desirable | Irrigation | Pasture   |
| gation** | failure   | pasture   | pasture   | scheduling | properly  |
|          | or major  | plants    | plants    | or         | i         |
|          | loss of   | wilted    | wilted    | a          | rrigated. |
|          | desirable | due to    | due to    | pplication | I         |
|          | forage    | moderate  | moderate  | rates      | rrigation |
|          | plants    | ly-severe | \"        | present    | s         |
|          | due to    | \"        | under-irr | less than  | cheduling |
|          | severe    | under-irr | igation\" | optimum    | and       |
|          | \"u       | igation\" | (evident  | soil       | ap        |
|          | nder-irri | with      | only      | moisture   | plication |
|          | gation\"; | little    | during    | conditions | rates     |
|          | **[o      | recovery; | mid-day   | for        | meet      |
|          | r]{.under | **[       | heat);    | desirable  | forage    |
|          | line}**,. | or]{.unde | **        | pasture    | requ      |
|          |           | rline}**, | [or]{.und | plants,    | irements. |
|          | major     | loss of   | erline}** | but no     |           |
|          | loss of   | some      | Desirable | plant      | IWM plan  |
|          | desirable | desirable | plants    | wilting or | developed |
|          | forage    | forage    | weakened  | weakened   | and fully |
|          | plants    | plants    | from      | plants     | im        |
|          | due to    | due to    | s         | evident.   | plemented |
|          | su        | su        | hort-term |            | for       |
|          | bmergence | bmergence | su        | IWM plan   | pasture;  |
|          | of        | with      | bmergence | developed  | **[       |
|          | plants,   | \"        | with      | and is     | Or,]{.und |
|          | \"        | over-irri | \"        | mostly     | erline}** |
|          | over-irri | gation\". | over-irri | followed.  | if        |
|          | gation\". | Very      | gation\". | **[Or]{.un | non-i     |
|          | **        | uneven    | R         | derline}** | rrigated, |
|          | [Or]{.und | forage    | elatively | if         | grazing   |
|          | erline}** | stand due | uneven    | non        | follows   |
|          | if        | to        | forage    | -irrigated | PM Tech   |
|          | non-      | in        | stand due | grazing    | Note 10   |
|          | irrigated | efficient | to        | not        | stubble   |
|          | grazing   | control   | in        | following  | heights   |
|          | is        | or        | efficient | PM Tech    | to        |
|          | de        | m         | control   | Note 10    | optimize  |
|          | trimental | anagement | and/or    | stubble    | p         |
|          | to the    | of water. | m         | heights to | roduction |
|          | pasture   | **        | anagement | optimize   | and       |
|          | due to    | [Or]{.und | of        | production | available |
|          | i         | erline}** | i         | and soil   | soil      |
|          | nadequate | if        | rrigation | moisture   | moisture. |
|          | sls       | non-      | water.    |            | Rng 414   |
|          | moisture, | irrigated | **        |            | is used   |
|          | reesta    | grazing   | [Or]{.und |            | to        |
|          | blishment | exceeds   | erline}** |            | control   |
|          | or        | ap        | grazing   |            | grazing   |
|          | species   | propriate | exceeds   |            |           |
|          | change    | level,    | PM Tech   |            |           |
|          | needed.   | soil      | Note 10   |            |           |
|          |           | moisture  | from      |            |           |
|          |           | in        | abnormal  |            |           |
|          |           | adequate. | soil      |            |           |
|          |           |           | moisture  |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| Rate     |           |           |           |            |           |
| erosion  |           |           |           |            |           |
| ca       |           |           |           |            |           |
| tegories |           |           |           |            |           |
| below    |           |           |           |            |           |
| *if      |           |           |           |            |           |
| present* |           |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| ####     | ***I      |           | Active    | Bare areas | Large     |
|  erosion | rrigation |           | sheet &   | with       | bare      |
|          | Induced*  |           | rill      | active     | areas     |
| ##### Ir | Erosion   |           | erosion   | sheet &    | with      |
| rigation | indicator |           | r         | rill       | active    |
|  Induced | ratings   |           | epresents | erosion    | sheet &   |
|          | are       |           | no more   | less than  | rill      |
|          | \         |           | than 5%   | 20% of     | erosional |
|          | "Negative |           | of        | pasture.   | features  |
|          | Values\"  |           | pasture   | \>50% of   | represent |
|          | (*i       |           | with most | corrugate  | more than |
|          | .e*.,--3, |           | erosion   | lengths    | 20% of    |
|          | --4, and, |           | limited   | are        | pasture.  |
|          | --5) and  |           | to sites  | eroded;    | Enlarged  |
|          | are       |           | adjacent  | active     | (deepened |
|          | s         |           | to        | erosion at | or        |
|          | ubtracted |           | i         | turnouts   | widened)  |
|          | from      |           | rrigation | from water | c         |
|          | tally of  |           | system    | co         | orrugates |
|          | other     |           | c         | nveyances, | or center |
|          | (non      |           | omponents | near       | pivot     |
|          | -negative |           | (i.e.,    | sprinkler  | wheel     |
|          | value)    |           | turnouts, | heads; or  | tracks;   |
|          | i         |           | sprinkler | center     | \>50% of  |
|          | ndicators |           | heads,    | pivot      | corrugate |
|          | in        |           | center    | wheel      | lengths   |
|          | de        |           | pivot     | tracks;    | are       |
|          | termining |           | tracks);  | irrigation | eroded;   |
|          | Pasture   |           | \<50% of  | tailwater  | sediment  |
|          | Condition |           | corrugate | has        | d         |
|          | Score**   |           | lengths   | visible    | eposition |
|          |           |           | are       | sediment   | evident   |
|          |           |           | eroded;   | load;      | within    |
|          |           |           | i         | l          | the       |
|          |           |           | rrigation | arge-sized | pasture;  |
|          |           |           | tailwater | debris off | i         |
|          |           |           | or runoff | the        | rrigation |
|          |           |           | with      | pasture    | tailwat   |
|          |           |           | little    | a          | er/runoff |
|          |           |           | visible   | ccumulates | with      |
|          |           |           | sediment  | at bottom  | visible   |
|          |           |           | load;     | of field.  | sediment  |
|          |           |           | some      |            | load.     |
|          |           |           | plant     |            |           |
|          |           |           | litter    |            |           |
|          |           |           | collects  |            |           |
|          |           |           | at bottom |            |           |
|          |           |           | of field. |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **e      | ***Sheet  |           | most      | Most sheet | Sheet and |
| rosion** | and Rill* |           | sheet and | and rill   | rill      |
|          | Erosion   |           | rill      | erosion    | erosion   |
| ####     | indicator |           | erosion   | confined   | is active |
| # Sheet  | ratings   |           | confined  | to         | t         |
| and Rill | are       |           | to heavy  | steepest   | hroughout |
|          | \         |           | use       | terrain on | pasture;  |
| *Due to\ | "Negative |           | areas,    | pasture;   | rills     |
| Rainf    | Values\"  |           | e         | well       | spaced at |
| all/Snow | (*i       |           | specially | defined    | close     |
| Melt\    | .e*.,--3, |           | in        | rills 0.5  | intervals |
| Not      | --4, and, |           | loafing   | to 3\"     | and are 3 |
| ir       | --5) and  |           | areas and | deep and   | to 8\"    |
| rigation | are       |           | water     | spaced at  | deep;     |
| Induced* | s         |           | sites;    | close      | grazing   |
|          | ubtracted |           | rills 0.5 | intervals; | \"terr    |
|          | from      |           | to 3\"    | grazing    | acettes\" |
|          | tally of  |           | deep with | \"ter      | are close |
|          | other     |           | so        | racettes\" | spaced    |
|          | (non      |           | il/litter | present.   | with some |
|          | -negative |           | d         |            | slope     |
|          | value)    |           | eposition |            | slippage. |
|          | i         |           | at down   |            |           |
|          | ndicators |           | slope     |            |           |
|          | in        |           | edge.     |            |           |
|          | de        |           |           |            |           |
|          | termining |           |           |            |           |
|          | Pasture   |           |           |            |           |
|          | Condition |           |           |            |           |
|          | Score**   |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **e      | ***Wind   |           | Soil      | Soil swept | Blowouts  |
| rosion** | Erosion*  |           | swept     | from the   | or dunes  |
|          | indicator |           | from      | e          | forming   |
| ##       | ratings   |           | adjacent  | stablished | or        |
| ### Wind | are       |           | fields    | pasture    | present.  |
|          | \         |           | during    | causing    |           |
|          | "Negative |           | seedbed   | plant      |           |
|          | Values\"  |           | pr        | death by   |           |
|          | (*i       |           | eparation | burial or  |           |
|          | .e*.,--3, |           | and       | abrasion.  |           |
|          | --4, and, |           | seedling  |            |           |
|          | --5) and  |           | esta      |            |           |
|          | are       |           | blishment |            |           |
|          | s         |           | causing   |            |           |
|          | ubtracted |           | plant     |            |           |
|          | from      |           | death by  |            |           |
|          | tally of  |           | burial or |            |           |
|          | other     |           | abrasion. |            |           |
|          | (non      |           |           |            |           |
|          | -negative |           |           |            |           |
|          | value)    |           |           |            |           |
|          | i         |           |           |            |           |
|          | ndicators |           |           |            |           |
|          | in        |           |           |            |           |
|          | de        |           |           |            |           |
|          | termining |           |           |            |           |
|          | Pasture   |           |           |            |           |
|          | Condition |           |           |            |           |
|          | Score**   |           |           |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+
| **e      | ***Str    |           | St        | S          | St        |
| rosion** | eambank/S |           | reambanks | treambanks | reambanks |
|          | horeline* |           | are close | are        | mostly    |
| #####    | Erosion   |           | grazed,   | heavily    | barren    |
|  Streamb | indicator |           | but few   | grazed and | and       |
| ank or S | ratings   |           | banks are | trampled   | s         |
| horeline | are       |           | unstable. | over. Many | loughing. |
|          | \         |           | Some      | banks are  | No native |
|          | "Negative |           | native    | actively   | s         |
|          | Values\"  |           | s         | eroding    | treambank |
|          | (*i       |           | treambank | laterally. | or        |
|          | .e*.,--3, |           | or        | Little     | shoreline |
|          | --4, and, |           | shoreline | native     | v         |
|          | --5) and  |           | v         | streambank | egetation |
|          | are       |           | egetation | or         | r         |
|          | s         |           | r         | shoreline  | emaining. |
|          | ubtracted |           | emaining. | v          |           |
|          | from      |           | Livestock | egetation. |           |
|          | tally of  |           | enter     | Bank       |           |
|          | other     |           | stream    | sloughing  |           |
|          | (non      |           | course    | common.    |           |
|          | -negative |           | only at   |            |           |
|          | value)    |           | specific  |            |           |
|          | i         |           | points,   |            |           |
|          | ndicators |           | but use   |            |           |
|          | in        |           | is heavy  |            |           |
|          | de        |           | at these  |            |           |
|          | termining |           | sites.    |            |           |
|          | Pasture   |           | Al        |            |           |
|          | Condition |           | ternative |            |           |
|          | Score**   |           | watering  |            |           |
|          |           |           | sites     |            |           |
|          |           |           | present   |            |           |
|          |           |           | and       |            |           |
|          |           |           | placed    |            |           |
|          |           |           | away from |            |           |
|          |           |           | stream    |            |           |
|          |           |           | course.   |            |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+

#  Idaho pasture condition scoring guide

+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| *        |           |           |           |           |           |
| *factors |           |           |           |           |           |
| a        |           |           |           |           |           |
| ffecting |           |           |           |           |           |
| plant    |           |           |           |           |           |
| vigor**  |           |           |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ###      | score     |           |           |           |           |
|          |           |           |           |           |           |
| ### i    |           |           |           |           |           |
| ndicator |           |           |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
|          | 1         | 2         | 3         | 4         | 5         |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| > **soil | ## Very l | Low P and | Low P and | Optimum P | Optimum P |
| > ferti  | ow P and  | K;\       | optimum   | and high  | and K.    |
| lity\*** | K; or ver | or, low P | K;\       | K;\       |           |
| >        | y high (e | and very  | or, low P | or, high  |           |
| > *Pho   | xcessive) | high K;\  | and high  | P and     |           |
| sphorous |  P and K. | or, low K | K;\       | optimum   |           |
| > (P)    |           | and very  | or,       | K.        |           |
| > and    |           | high P;\  | optimum P |           |           |
| > P      |           | or,       | and low   |           |           |
| otassium |           | optimum P | K;\       |           |           |
| > (K)    |           | and very  | or, high  |           |           |
| >        |           | high K;\  | P and low |           |           |
|  status* |           | or, very  | K;\       |           |           |
|          |           | high P    | or high P |           |           |
|          |           | and       | and high  |           |           |
|          |           | optimum   | K.        |           |           |
|          |           | K.        |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **soil   | Nitrogen  |           | Nitrogen  |           | Nitrogen  |
| ferti    | deficient |           | m         |           | adequate. |
| lity\*** | or        |           | oderately |           |           |
|          | e         |           | low to    |           |           |
| > *      | xcessive. |           | m         |           |           |
| Nitrogen |           |           | oderately |           |           |
| > (N)    |           |           | high.     |           |           |
| >        |           |           |           |           |           |
|  status* |           |           |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ####     | \<4.5 or  | 4.5 to    | 5.1 to    | 5.6 to    | 6.0 to    |
|  Soil ph | \>9.0     | 5.0       | 5.5       | 6.0       | 7.3       |
|          |           |           |           |           |           |
| > *Soil  |           | or,       | or,       | or,       |           |
| > pH in  |           |           |           |           |           |
| > upper\ |           | 8.5 to    | 7.9 to    | 7.4 to    |           |
| > 4-inch |           | 9.0       | 8.4       | 7.8       |           |
| > root   |           |           |           |           |           |
| > zone*  |           |           |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| #### soi | Con       | Con       | Con       | Con       | Con       |
| l electr | ductivity | ductivity | ductivity | ductivity | ductivity |
| ical con | of        | of        | of        | of        | of        |
| ductivit | solution  | solution  | solution  | solution  | solution  |
| y *(EC)* | extracted | extracted | extracted | extracted | extracted |
|          | from      | from      | from      | from      | from      |
|          | saturated | saturated | saturated | saturated | saturated |
|          | soil is   | soil is   | soil is   | soil is   | soil is   |
|          | ≥16       | \<16      | \<        | \<4       | \<2       |
|          | mmho/cm.  | mmho/cm   | 10mmho/cm | mmho/cm   | mmho/cm.  |
|          |           | and ≥10   | and ≥4    | and ≥2    |           |
|          |           | mmho/cm.  | mmho/cm.  | mmho/cm.  |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ##       | The ratio | SAR is    | SAR is ≥5 | SAR is ≥0 | The SAR   |
| ## Sodiu | of        | ≥13 and   | and \<13. | and \<5.  | is 0.     |
| m Adsorp | exc       | \<30.     |           |           |           |
| tion Rat | hangeable |           |           |           |           |
| io (SAR) | sodium to |           |           |           |           |
|          | soluble   |           |           |           |           |
| #####    | calcium   |           |           |           |           |
|          | and       |           |           |           |           |
|          | magnesium |           |           |           |           |
|          | in a      |           |           |           |           |
|          | saturated |           |           |           |           |
|          | extract   |           |           |           |           |
|          | (SAR) is  |           |           |           |           |
|          | ≥30.      |           |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **       | All       | All       | Spot      | Some spot | Forage    |
| severity | desirable | edible    | grazing   | grazing - | species   |
| of use** | forage    | forage    | common.   | areas     | grazed    |
|          | species   | species   | Equal     | avoided   | within    |
| #####    | grazed    | grazed to | amounts   | are       | height    |
|  (See PM | out.;     | lowest    | of        | primarily | ranges    |
|  Tech No | ***or,*** | level     | ov        | dung and  | that      |
| te 10 fo | no        | feasible  | er-grazed | urine     | promote   |
| r plant  | grazing   | by the    | and       | spots.    | dense     |
| harvest  | resulting | livestock | litt      | Clo       | sward     |
| heights) | in thatch | type      | le-grazed | se-grazed | near      |
|          | buildup   | (mown     | areas.    | areas are | maximum   |
|          | and/or    | lawn      | Ov        | not       | p         |
|          | excessive | app       | er-grazed | grazed    | roduction |
|          | accu      | earance); | areas are | below     | and good  |
|          | mulations | ***or,*** | harvested | proper    | regrowth  |
|          | of plant  | plants    | as low as | height    | charact   |
|          | residues. | un        | livestock | needed    | eristics. |
|          |           | dergrazed | type can  | for plant |           |
|          |           | with      | graze     | vigor and |           |
|          |           | mostly    | (mown     | regrowth. |           |
|          |           | \         | lawn      |           |           |
|          |           | "stemmy\" | app       |           |           |
|          |           | o         | earance). |           |           |
|          |           | vergrowth |           |           |           |
|          |           | and dead  |           |           |           |
|          |           | leaf      |           |           |           |
|          |           | material. |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **Site   | Planted   | Planted   | For the   | All       | All       |
| ad       | forage    | forage    | original  | planted   | planted   |
| aptation | species   | species   | mix of    | forage    | forage    |
| of       | that have | that have | forage    | species   | species   |
| desired  | es        | es        | species   | have      | have      |
| s        | tablished | tablished | es        | es        | es        |
| pecies** | in        | in        | tablished | tablished | tablished |
|          | pasture   | pasture   | in        | and are   | and are   |
| #####    | are no    | are       | pasture,  | present   | present   |
|          | longer    | mostly    | one or    | in stand, | in stand  |
|          | present.  | absent.   | more      | but do    | in the    |
|          |           |           | planted   | not occur | expected  |
|          |           | The stand | species   | in        | pr        |
|          |           | is        | is        | expected  | oportion. |
|          |           | dominated | absent.   | pr        |           |
|          |           | by        |           | oportion. |           |
|          |           | volunteer | Volunteer |           |           |
|          |           | species.  | species   |           |           |
|          |           |           | are       |           |           |
|          |           |           | invading  |           |           |
|          |           |           | stand.    |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **       | Brownout  | Wilted    | Wilted    | Dry       | No        |
| climatic | from      | plants    | plants    | co        | climatic  |
| st       | drought   | (moderate | (moderate | nditions, | stress -- |
| resses** | (severe   | ly-severe | \"u       | but no    | pasture   |
|          | \"un      | \"un      | nder-irri | plant     | properly  |
| #####    | der-irrig | der-irrig | gation\") | wilting;  | i         |
|          | ation\"); | ation\"), | evident   | ***or,*** | rrigated. |
|          | ***or,*** | little    | only      | air       | I         |
|          | frost     | recovery  | during    | tem       | rrigation |
|          | heaved    | during    | mid-day   | peratures | s         |
|          | plants,   | night     | heat;     | (above or | cheduling |
|          | most with | period;   | ***or,*** | below     | and       |
|          | severed   | ***or,*** | plants    | normal)   | ap        |
|          | roots and | some      | weakened  | that slow | plication |
|          | dying.;   | frost     | from      | plant     | rates     |
|          | ***or,*** | heaved    | winter    | growth;   | meet      |
|          | major     | plants,   | damage or | ***or,*** | forage    |
|          | loss due  | recovery  | s         | slight    | crop      |
|          | to        | slow.     | hort-term | leaf-     | requ      |
|          | su        | Some      | su        | yellowing | irements. |
|          | bmergence | spotty    | bmergence | due to    |           |
|          | (or       | stand     | (or       | cold, wet |           |
|          | \"        | loss due  | \"o       | co        |           |
|          | over-irri | to        | ver-irrig | nditions. |           |
|          | gation\") | su        | ation\"); |           |           |
|          | or ice    | bmergence | ***or,*** |           |           |
|          | sheets.   | (or       | freeze    |           |           |
|          |           | \"        | damage to |           |           |
|          |           | over-irri | foliage.  |           |           |
|          |           | gation\") |           |           |           |
|          |           | or ice    |           |           |           |
|          |           | sheets.   |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **insect | Severe    | Insect or | Insect or | Some      | No        |
| and/or   | insect    | disease   | disease   | insect    | visible   |
| disease  | attack    | outbreak  | outbreak  | and/or    | damage to |
| pr       | with high | at        | nearing   | disease   | forage    |
| essure** | m         | economic  | economic  | present,  | plants by |
|          | ortality; | threshold | t         | but       | insects   |
| #####    | ***or,*** | and       | hreshold. | little    | or        |
|          | disease   | immediate | Monitor   | impact on | disease.  |
|          | has       | treatment | in        | forage    |           |
|          | caused    | needed.   | festation | quality   |           |
|          | high      |           | and weigh | or        |           |
|          | plant     |           | options   | pr        |           |
|          | m         |           | for       | oduction. |           |
|          | ortality. |           | t         |           |           |
|          |           |           | reatment. |           |           |
+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

**\*Soil fertility determined by approved soil testing procedures.**