The maintenance of permanent pastures for livestock requires as much thought and planning as pasture establishment. By following recommended pasture management practices, forage dry matter yields can be maximized and the recommended ratio of grass and legume species can be maintained. Somewhat less maintenance is required for 100 percent grass pastures, although total nutritional yield of the pasture will be less too. The following management recommendations will allow maximum carrying capacity for all livestock species. Principles of Pasture Growth To better understand how to properly maximize pasture production and thereby maximize forage nutritional content, the manager should understand the principles of plant growth.
Grasses have both aboveground and belowground parts.
Root growth and development are extremely important to plant growth. The number of aboveground tillers or shoots is directly related to root density and soil fertility. Besides providing food to the plant, roots help anchor the plant and maintain soil contact when the plant is grazed. When plants are grazed or clipped with a mower, provided adequate soil moisture is available, new growth is encouraged. The rate of plant regrowth following grazing is directly dependent on the leaf surface area remaining.