Pets Information |
Managing Horse Pasture
A major part of a horse's diet is hay or pasture. A horse weighing 1000 pounds will eat about 500 pounds each month. A horse needs roughly 28 acres of non-irrigated, dryland pasture a year if that is the only source of forage. However, a pasture that is irrigated will grow more forage than dryland pasture, requiring less acreage. The amount of irrigated pasture needed for one horse is roughly 1 to 2 acres. Two acres of pasture for each horse are recommended. One acre of pasture will provide adequate grazing, but requires more pasture management. Manage your pasture as you would with any crop with soil testing, fertilizing, and managing manure. Horses will not eat trampled grass or grass with manure on it. Horses will also overgraze smaller areas very quickly. Therefore, a combination of pasture and small lot or barn is needed to help minimize overgrazing. Do not let horses overgraze the pasture as this can cause grass to no longer grow. Keep pasture grass healthy--overgrazed pasture may never recover. To allow for re-growth, leave about 1/3 of the grass uneaten at any given time. The horse can be confined to the lot or barn and only allowed to graze for a few hours a day, reducing damage to a small pasture. Rotational pasture lots are one key to using small acreage pasture space to the fullest potential. Portable electric fencing provides an efficient and economic way to partition you pasture. Over-supplementing your horse with hay and grain will not prevent your horse from overgrazing. Pasture grazing is not absolutely necessary for a horse. A nice green pasture is not always a reality. Horses can be properly fed without pasture. However, pasture has several advantages as it is the natural feed for horses, reduces the cost of feeding, provides your horse with exercise, and generally speaking, horses are usually healthier when kept outside on pasture. Establishing and maintaining a productive pasture is not too difficult. A few dollars spent on soil nutrients for your pasture is a good investment. Fertilizer will help your pasture to become more productive and produce more forage. Fertilizer costs will generally be offset from good pasture rotating and from savings in feed costs for hay and grain supplements. Mowing is also important of pasture management. It minimizes the spread of weeds to help maintain higher quality forage. Mowing weeds before seed heads are produced limits the spread of weeds. Grass should be mowed to 3-4 inches. No matter how well you manage your pasture, it will most likely thin. To help ensure pasture continues to produce good grass, new forage seed should be spread every year. It is recommended re-seeding be done in the spring or fall. In the spring, wet conditions will allow for germination and growth, but only if it is not too wet or muddy. In the fall, there will be less competition from weeds. Grazing should not be allowed on new grass seedlings for approximately 6 to 8 weeks after emerging from the ground to allow for proper root growth. Caution! Turning your horse out on green lush pasture before conditioning him to a change in diet is dangerous and can result in sickness or possibly death. Start your horse out slowly by letting him graze for few minutes each day and gradually increase to a few hours each day. Randall Holman, site owner of Front Range Frenzy and horse enthusiast, is the author of the above article. You will find other easy and practical basic horse care information on his website: http://www.FrontRangeFrenzy.com.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Parvo in Dogs What Is ParvoParvo is a serious viral disease that can be deadly even if treatment is given. So, to protect your puppy from contracting pravo you need to have your puppy vaccinated against this disease. West Highland Terrier Rescue Dog - What To Expect When You Bring It Home Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland Terrier rescue dog. By electing to adopt one of the rescued Westies, you are giving an older dog a chance to find a loving new homeIn many ways, this is simpler than going through the arduous process of training a westie terrier puppy. If You Want a Friend, Get a Dog! Carl Icahn, the hostile takeover master who was THE original corporate raider, is often quoted as saying, "In this business, if you want a friend, get a dog!" The rest of us already knew that dog was man's best friend, and with good reason. Dogs as pets date back at least as far as the days of Pompeii, where the remains of a dog stretched out next to a little boy were recovered from the rubble at Pompeii. Perfect Dog Gifts For the Dog Lover Have a dog lover on your gift list? Want to give a special gift that any dog owner will enjoy? You're in luck! You can choose the perfect dog lover gift from the huge selection that's available. Just about any type of product is available as a dog lover gift, so you can find a special gift that stands out from the rest. 10 Reasons Why Your Cat Loves You There are plenty of reasons why your cat loves you. Ten of the main reasons are listed below. Westies Dogs and Your Children Almost without exception, breeders will advertise that their favorite terrier, westies dogs, are good with children. However, terrier enthusiasts, and westie rescue organizations, tell a different story. Finding the Perfect Cat or Kitten for You and Your Family Some people say they are exclusively "cat people," meaning they only want to have a cat as a pet. That doesn't mean that just any cat will be the right companion. Safety Tips for Moving With Pets Which kind is your pet? The pooch who is the first one in the car when the door opens, or the kitty who runs to hide at the first hint of travel? Both kinds face dangers on the road, but there are steps you can take to protect them. Even the happiest traveler can get into trouble, and it can happen even on a short jaunt to the grocery store. Seeing Past Cuteness When Selecting the Best Dog Breed For You: Part 3 of 3 Are there so many great dog breeds out there that you just can't decide where to begin? If so, let's break it down and sort through all the options. In Part 3, the final article in this three part series, we'll continue looking at the seven Groups of dogs that are acknowledged by the American Kennel Club. Tips For Traveling With Your Dog Wether it be on a vacation to your favorite resort, or just visiting the in-laws for the weekend, many people are choosing to take their dogs with them when traveling. Land or air, there are many things to take into consideration. Dogs And Their Allergies A former coworker has a dog that had begun itching and scratching incessantly. So much so, he had worn away a lot of his fur. Which Breed Is Right For You? Why does one breed appeal to a person over another? Why do some of us love the size, looks and temperament of a Great Dane and others would never own anything but a Toy Poodle?Every breed has their pros and cons. As a prospective puppy buyer/dog owner, you must be aware of the traits, both good and bad, of the breed you are considering. Keeping Your Cat Healthy Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with anything from a minor cold to a major ailment. Quality Dog Food Is Essential For The Health Of Dogs Dog food is very important for the health of dogs. It is easy to overlook it, but it is essential to pick the right dog food for your pet dog. Ten Most Popular Goldfish You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there are! People have been breeding Goldfish for over 2000 years now. China is believed to have over 100 varieties and to think that it all began with the Carassius auratus - the gibel carp! Not all goldfish have been bred in China though. Five Snake Care Tips for Beginners If you're looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it's hard to go wrong with a snake. They're exotic enough to catch people's interest, yet hardy enough to require minimal care. Here's How To Find The Right Pet Meds For Your Favorite Pet Our pets depend on us for their every need, including their pet meds. The more you know about pet meds, the more you'll be able to recognize the signs when something is wrong with your pet, and know the best way to respond. What Your Cat Wants You To Know If your feline friend could speak your language, here a few things she would probably like you to know.1) I am the boss of you. Dog Behavior Training: Methods of Working with a Shy Dog Shy dogs are more common than most people think, but unfortunately many dogs who suffer from this affliction are never seen by the general public because of their impairment. Shy dogs range from those who scurry away when someone walks by, to those who bite when approached. How to Raise a Healthy Kitten Selecting a Kitten It is best to choose your kitten from the whole litter, choose the frisky playful, friendly kitten that is confident and happy to approach you rather than the one that hangs back and is shy. The best time to take your kitten home is between 7 and 8 weeks old. |
home | site map | contact us |