Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-05-11
CHEMISTRY
CONTESTAT MISC.
(By A. III. POST, Assistant Agronomist.
Montana State College.)
IS YOUR PASTURE a liability or al

rs YOUR PASTURE a liability or an
asset? If given 10 care, it undoubt-
4 edly becomes a liability. On the other
hand, proper management will increase
the carrying capacity of the pasture and
make it a real asset of the farm. There
are three possible methods Of increasing
this carrying capacity. Cd deferred graz
ing IN early spring. (2) alternate or ro-
tation grazing during the summer, and
(3) the manuring OF irrigated pastures.
Deferred grazing means keeping the
livestock off the pasture in early spring
until the forage crops have attained suf-
ficient vegetative growth to Withstand
grazing and maintain their normal vigor.
The early growth of grasses and legumes
contain q very high percentage of water
and therefore have less feeding value
than when the plants are further de-
yeloped. The green leaves of plants are
further developed. The green leaves OF
plants together with the air and sunlight
manufacture certain foods which are
necessary for proper root and plant de-
velopment. Therefore. 1t is desirable to
retain the livestock on their winter feed
until the forage plants have developed
q vigorous top and root growth. Plants
that are grazed as soon as the green
leaves begin to appear in the spring are
much slower to respond when the live
stock are removed later on. This slow
come back" or response causes a de-
crease in the amount of feed supplied
during h grazing season. This fact is
true for either irrigated or dry land pas
lures. Early and continuous heavy graz
ing is bound to kill out some of the de-
sirable plants Il their places will be
taken by the much less desirable annual
and perennial weeds.
Experiments conducted at the Huntley
branch experiment station in Montana
and also in Idaho show that the alter
nate or rotation system of grazing gives
the highest carrying capacity. The above
statement IS based on the results OF
studies on the management of irrigated
pastures. A recent publication from
Kansas upholds this belief from the
standpoint of dry land pastures. The
Kansas experiments showed tina Wheer
-season-long grazing was practiced only
104 head OF livestock could be gra2ed on
GAO acres, while unde the system of de-
ferred and rotation grazing $40 acres
would pasture l68 head of livestock for
the season.
To practice alternate grazing, the en-
tire pasture should be divided into two
or three fields and when the vegetable
growth on one field becomes short the
AAfN'&@NA a4AC6AAA &c tlONGQ W lllt IltAb.
The forage should not be grazed too
closely or it will be slow to resume
growth when the cattle are removed.
The grazing period for each field should
pc determined by the appearance of the
forage and the need for irrigation. BY
adopting the system Of alternate graz
ing, livestock can be put on the pasture
much earlier than where the entire field
Is grazed continuously. For the farmer
with q limited supply of winter feed or
hay this method OF grazing has a de-
cided advantage.
1t has been found by actual test that
the carrying capacity of irrigated pas
lures may be increased by the application
OF manure The usual practice is to APP
ply about 10 tons of manure to the acre
in the fall and harrow the field in the
spring. In any case. it is a good plan to
harrow the irrigated pasture in the spring
as this tends to break up and shatter the
droppings left by the animals during the
previous summer.