Managing pasture A complete guide to building healthy pasture for grass-based meat & dairy animals

Dale Strickler

Book - 2019

The health and profitability of grass-based livestock begins with the food they eat. In Managing Pasture, author Dale Strickler guides farmers and ranchers through the practical and ideological considerations behind caring for the land as a key part of running a successful grass-based operation, from the profitability of replacing expensive grain feed with nutrient-rich native grasses to the benefits of ecologically-minded land management. In-depth examinations of the biology and benefits of grazing plants and different grazing strategies accompany detailed plans for paddock and fencing set-ups, livestock watering, and effective methods for dealing with common pasture problems throughout the seasons, from mud to drought. For readers investe...d in pasture improvement strategies that offer environmental benefits beyond better meat and dairy, including carbon sequestration, erosion prevention, increased pollinator resources and wildlife habitat, and improved water quality, Managing Pasture is an approachable, accessible guide to creating and caring for the grassland that feeds animals and future generations.

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Subjects
Published
North Adams, MA : Storey Publishing 2019.
Language
English
Main Author
Dale Strickler (author)
Physical Description
279 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9781635860702
  • Introduction The Past and Promise of Pasture
  • Part 1. Increasing Pasture Production & Profitability
  • 1. What Makes a Pastured Livestock Operation Profitable
  • 2. Why Grazing Plants Behave the Way They Do
  • 3. How Animals Digest & Utilize Forage
  • 4. Improving Pasture Productivity: Minerals, Water & Sunlight
  • 5. Providing Year-Round Grazing
  • 6. Determining a Proper Stocking Rate
  • 7. Grazing Systems & Management
  • Part 2. Selecting & Managing Pasture Plants
  • 8. Perennial Warm-Season Grasses
  • 9. Perennial Coot-Season Grasses, Legumes & Forbs
  • 10. Annual Forages
  • 11. Silvopastures & Browse Plants
  • Part 3. Solving Practical Problems Of Pasture Management
  • 12. Pasture Fencing
  • 13. Developing Drinking Water
  • 14. Dealing with Too Much or Too Little Water
  • Part 4. Managing Pasture For Different Livestock Species
  • 15. Beef & Dairy Cattle
  • 16. Sheep & Goats
  • 17. Horses
  • 18. Swine & Poultry
  • Part 5. Increasing The Ecosystem Services Of Pasture
  • 19. Honey Bees & Other Pollinators
  • 20. Wildlife
  • 21. Pastures, Climate, Water & People
  • Conclusion Final Words of Pasture Wisdom
  • Glossary
  • Metric Conversion Charts
  • Resources
  • Index