Offered Papers Theme C: Delivering the Benefits from Grassland
Description
A pasture condition score sheet has been developed for use in the United States. It has rating criteria for key indicators that are used to ascertain if some areas of pasture management could be improved. It can also help evaluate what is causing less than desirable pasture conditions. Pasture condition scoring involves the visual and tactual evaluation of ten indicators that rate a pasture's overall condition. The ten indicators are: percent desirable plants, plant cover, plant diversity, plant residue, plant vigor, percent legume, uniformity of use, livestock concentration areas, soil compaction, and erosion (sheet and rill, gully, streambank and shoreline, and wind). Six causative factors that impact pasture plant growth and vigor are also rated: soil fertility status, soil pH status, severity of use, forage species suitability, episodic climatic conditions, and insect and disease pressure. Regionally, levels of salinity, sodicity, and toxic elements (e.g. aluminum) can also be measured and rated where they commonly affect pasture productivity, stability, and forage species selection. Indicators and causative factors receiving the lowest scores can be focused upon and corrective actions taken as warranted.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Pasture Condition Scoring
A pasture condition score sheet has been developed for use in the United States. It has rating criteria for key indicators that are used to ascertain if some areas of pasture management could be improved. It can also help evaluate what is causing less than desirable pasture conditions. Pasture condition scoring involves the visual and tactual evaluation of ten indicators that rate a pasture's overall condition. The ten indicators are: percent desirable plants, plant cover, plant diversity, plant residue, plant vigor, percent legume, uniformity of use, livestock concentration areas, soil compaction, and erosion (sheet and rill, gully, streambank and shoreline, and wind). Six causative factors that impact pasture plant growth and vigor are also rated: soil fertility status, soil pH status, severity of use, forage species suitability, episodic climatic conditions, and insect and disease pressure. Regionally, levels of salinity, sodicity, and toxic elements (e.g. aluminum) can also be measured and rated where they commonly affect pasture productivity, stability, and forage species selection. Indicators and causative factors receiving the lowest scores can be focused upon and corrective actions taken as warranted.
