Graziers: Get the Most out of Your Land

For livestock producers wanting the most out of their pastures, measuring forage dry matter content before and after livestock grazing is the most effective way of managing an intensive grazing system.

Pasture measurement allows a grazier to determine how much forage dry matter is available in a pasture paddock, and once estimated, the producer can calculate how many animals should be grazed for a given period of time.

“Pasture measurement will help the grazier to make decisions about how to best use pasture paddocks and over time will provide a trend of how much forage dry matter is being produced per week,” says Rory Lewandowski, Ohio State University Extension agriculture and natural resources educator.

“Using this type of information can help a grazier plan the livestock rotation for periods of rapid growth as well as periods of slow growth,” he says. “The trend can provide an early warning system in a drought year and help the grazier plan accordingly.”

When to Measure Your Pasture

Lewandowski offers some strategies for taking pasture measurements. One strategy is to measure a paddock due to be grazed on a weekly basis.

“This will give you an idea about your rotation speed,” Lewandowski said. “If you consistently measure 2,400 to 3,000 pounds of forage dry matter per acre in paddocks about to be grazed, this indicates the rest period has been long enough.

“If forage dry matter is less than 2,200 pounds per acre, then rotation speed should be slowed down to allow the pasture more time to recover and grow.”

Another strategy is to measure the paddock before and after animals are turned out.

“These additional measurements will give you information about how you are managing plant residual, an important part of how quickly a plant recovers from a grazing pass,” he said. “Most pastures should be managed so there is 1,200 to 1,400 pounds of forage dry matter after animals have grazed. This will also give you a good idea of pasture growth rate in terms of how much dry matter is being added per acre each week.”

How to Measure Your Pasture

The Pasture Stick
To take pasture measurements, the most economical option is to use a pasture stick. The current pasture stick model being used in Ohio has a scale to measure forage height, a scale to estimate forage density, a table of pounds of dry matter per inch for various pasture forage types, information about length of grazing rotations and information about calculating the pounds of dry matter available for grazing.

• To use the grazing stick, measure pasture height in 20-30 random areas of the paddock and record those heights.
• Then add the measurements to get a total and divide the total by the number of measurements. This will give you average pasture height.
• Estimate pasture density using the dot scale on the pasture stick. This allows you to estimate the pounds of dry matter per inch.
• Now multiply the average height (in inches) by the pasture density (pounds of dry matter per inch) to get the total dry matter per acre in that paddock.
• Subtract the amount of residual dry matter you want to leave in the paddock. This is plant height after grazing times the pounds of dry matter per inch. “If you plan for a 3- to 4-inch residual, 1,200-1,400 pounds is about right,” Lewandowski said. “Consider the result of total dry matter minus residual dry matter to be the forage available for grazing.”
• Figure out the amount of utilizable forage. All of the forage available for grazing will not actually get grazed. There will be waste, Lewandowski said. The smaller the paddock size and the fewer days animals spend in the paddock the higher the grazing efficiency. If animals are moved every 3-4 days, use a 60 percent grazing efficiency to start with, he said.
• To do this, multiply the available forage dry matter by the grazing efficiency expressed as a decimal. For example: 1,500 pounds of dry matter times 0.60 equals 900 pounds of utilizable forage dry matter per acre. Graziers also will need to figure out the livestock need in pounds of dry matter per day. “Most livestock will consume between 2.5 to 3 percent of their body weight in dry matter per day,” Lewandowski explained. “You’ll need to know the average body weights of your livestock.”
• To do this, multiply the dry matter per day requirement for an individual animal by the total number of animals to graze in that paddock. For example: 30 head of sheep that average 150 pounds, consuming 2.75 percent of body weight in dry matter per day is 150 times .0275 equals 4.1 lbs of dry matter per day. And 4.1 times 30 head equals 123 pounds of dry matter per day that is needed.
• Then to figure out what the paddock can support, divide the utilizable forage by the livestock requirement to get how many days of grazing the paddock will provide. For example: 900 pounds of utilizable dry matter divided by 123 pounds of dry matter needed per day equals 7.3–about a week’s worth of grazing in this paddock.
• Lastly, make any necessary adjustments. “For example, if your goal is to rotate every 3-4 days and in our example we found that one acre is providing 7 days worth of grazing for 30 head of sheep, then provide about 0.5 acre every 3 days,” he said.

The Rising Plate Meter
Another option to measure pastures is the rising plate meter, which has a built-in counter.

•  To use the rising plate meter, record the beginning number on the counter, make 30 measurements, and record the end number.
• Then subtract the end number from the beginning number and divide that result by the number of measurements to get an average.
• Multiply this average by a conversion factor (currently 107.04) for cool season grass pastures. Use this number as the total forage dry matter acre and follow the steps outlined for the pasture stick to make the remaining animal use calculations.

“The plate meter is quicker, but the cost of this instrument is about $450, compared to $5 to $7 for the pasture stick,” said Lewandowski. “It is important for graziers to put some effort into pasture measurement. Pasture measurement can help take some of the guesswork out of allocating pasture forage and it can help reduce the slope of the learning curve associated with management intensive grazing.”

For more information on pasture measurement and the instruments used, contact Lewandowski at lewandowski.11@osu.edu.

iStock photo If a fire or other tragedy happens, you want to be prepared. Click here for tips on how you can prepare in case danger strikes.

This year’s unusually wet spring and early summer has led many farmers to store hay that’s wetter than normal, increasing the danger of barn fires, according to Davis Hill, senior extension associate and director of the Managing Agricultural Emergencies program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“Often, farmers have reported that they know the hay they are baling is wetter than they’d like, but with additional rain in the forecast, they are taking a chance, hoping to save a better-quality product versus letting the rain cause the crop to deteriorate in the field,” says Hill.

“We have seen an increase in barn fires during the past few weeks, at least some of which were caused by hot hay igniting through spontaneous combustion.”

Most farmers strive to bale hay that’s field-dried to 20 percent moisture or less, Hill explains. At this moisture level, the baled hay can cure properly and maintain quality.

This year, some have had to bale their hay at 25 percent moisture. With a moisture content that high, hay in storage will generate more heat.

Hay Monitoring

“As temperatures rise, dangers of spontaneous combustion increase,” Hill says.

“Farmers need to be diligent in checking their hay, especially if they know they baled hay that was wetter than normal. Smoldering hay gives off a strong, pungent odor. This odor is an indication that a fire is occurring. If even the slightest smell is present, farmers should attempt to take temperature readings of the stack.”

Reaching inside a hay stack will give a cursory clue, Hill notes. “If it feels warm or hot to the touch, that’s a good indication that problems may exist. Taking temperature readings of the stack is most important and the only real way of determining how bad the potential fire problem is before flames arrive.”

Infrared thermometers and digital thermometers are accurate, and local fire companies may be willing to come out with thermal imaging cameras to evaluate a situation.

“Most would prefer to come out prior to an actual fire event as a way to help avoid a catastrophic fire,” he says. “A number of fire companies and silo-fire experts also have probes available that producers can borrow to help them monitor a stack of hay.”

Critical Temperature Points

Research and experience suggest that farmers and firefighters should be aware of several critical temperature points:

• Between 150 and 174 degrees F, a hay stack is entering the danger zone. Temperatures should be checked twice daily, and if possible, the stack should be disassembled to allow more air to cool it.
• At 175 degrees F, hot spots and pockets of fire are likely. Stop all air movement around the hay and alert a fire service to a possible hay-fire incident.
•  At 190 degrees F, remove the hot hay with the assistance of a fire service—be prepared for the hay to burst into flames as it contacts the air.
•  At 200 degrees F or higher, a fire is almost certain to develop. Call a fire service and have the hay removed—again, expect the hay to burn as it contacts fresh air.

“Keeping a watchful eye on heating hay can save your barn or storage building,” Hill says. “Checking the temperature of (your) hay can help you make critical decisions. If you see the temperature rising toward the 150 degree (F) mark, you might consider moving the hay to a remote location, away from any buildings or combustible material.

“If you have to have a hay fire, it’s better to have it away from your main hay storage or barn. Use caution when moving heated bales, because they can burst into flames when they are exposed to fresh air. Wetting hot bales down before moving them can help control this hazard.”

By Lisa Munniksma, HF Managing Editor

Cattle farmer George Green hadn’t anticipated needing a 15-inch steel rod in his back when he set out to work on his feed grinder one morning, but one accident later, he found himself in the hospital with just that.

Left with arthritis and decreased mobility, his prospects for continuing his cattle operation weren’t good.

No one expects his life to change overnight, but injury, illness and the effects of aging aren’t something that are in our control. Small farmers in general are a passionate lot who take their on-farm duties seriously.

Whether or not the farm is a means of income or simply for enjoyment, experiencing a life-altering event that threatens the work you do there could be devastating. Recognizing an aging farming population and the risk of the work they do, there are organizations dedicated to assisting farmers who aren’t able to carry on at the farm on the level they once were.

The AgrAbility Project is a nonprofit partnership that offers free education and assistance to people with disabilities who are involved in agriculture.

Sponsored by the USDA, 22 states have AgrAbility Project offices, and the National AgrAbility Project serves residents in the other states. Among the services offered by AgrAbility is a broad-based assessment of a farmer’s situation that includes recommendations for facility and equipment modifications that will allow the farmer to continue to work toward his or her goals.

In Green’s experience, AgrAbility worked with him to transition his operation from cattle to organic fruit and vegetable production, including connecting him with the local small-business enterprise program for additional assistance.

Industry-wide, equipment manufacturers are taking notice of the needs of this population, as well. John Deere, for example, has introduced several automation features for its equipment, allowing farmers to work more efficiently and with less physical effort.

Photo Courtesy of John Deere John Deere’s iMatch AutoHitch allows you to hook up the PTO drive shaft without leaving the operator’s seat.

The Possibilities
The range of disabilities and issues facing farmers are as varied as farming operations.

Steve Swain, rural rehabilitation specialist and outreach coordinator with the National AgrAbility Project, says he sees a lot of arthritis, back impairments, spinal-cord injuries and amputations.

“I’m seeing more age-related issues,” he says. He can identify with the people he’s helping, too: “I’m going on 58. Growing up on 220 acres, we didn’t have a lot of money, so we did things the hard way. It does damage that you don’t think about at the time.”

Whether due to age, injury or desire for easier-to-operate machinery, John Deere’s equipment automation advancements are easing the difficulty of working with these issues.

“Several years ago, we identified some key, unmet needs in compact tractors. One of the big needs is the ease of attaching,” explains John Deere compact tractor representative Dan Paschke.

Photo Courtesy of John Deere The AutoConnect mid-mount mower deck allows you to drive the tractor over the mower deck, lock down the wheels on the mower deck, and hook up the PTO automatically.

The first of their compact-tractor automation features was the iMatch Quick–Hitch, a quick coupler for the 3-point hitch. Paschke explains this feature was already in use in other equipment but wasn’t available for compact tractors.

In 2007 came the iMatch AutoHitch, which is a PTO coupler that allows you to hook up the PTO drive shaft without leaving the operator’s seat.

“It’s easy to use, and it’s safe. You don’t have to get on and off the tractor, and you can reach the levers,” Paschke says.

The latest automation feature is the AutoConnect mid-mount mower deck. Rather than having to get off of the tractor and fumble around with heavy attachments, you drive the tractor over the mower deck, lock down the wheels on the mower deck, the PTO hooks up automatically.

These automation advancements aren’t only assisting disabled farmers but are making equipment operation safer industry-wide. If tractor implements are easier to attach and unattach, users are more likely unhook unneeded equipment, which makes equipment operation safer.

Asking for Help
As a hard-working, self-sustaining bunch, it’s often difficult for people in the ag community to reach out and ask for assistance. It’s important for everyone to know that assistance is there when it’s needed, though.

Swain recalls one farm show where AgrAbility was exhibiting. There was a man in a wheelchair going down the aisle of display booths, and he was hugging the far side of the aisle away from the AgrAbility booth.

“It’s like he was saying, ‘I don’t want to face this right now.’ It takes a different timeframe for everybody. We try to show people what is possible and jog their mind to say, ‘OK. Maybe I need to look at these things.’

“There are some people who are rough and tough and very independent. It’s hard to get information to the general farming public.”

Learn more about the National AgrAbility Project at www.agrabilityproject.org or by calling 800-825-4264.