Forage and Pasture Managment - Summary Notes

Forage and Pasture
Lecture Note_1
Pasture refers to an area of land covered with forage crops which are usually grasses
and legumes that are grazed or fed on by livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats.
Forage crops, on the other hand, are plants cultivated for their vegetative portions
and used in fresh or preserved forms of feeding livestock.
Uses of Forage Crops
Forage crops have the following uses:
1. Livestock Feed: Forage crops are usually used for feeding livestock like cattle, sheep
and goat. Hay, straw and silage are prepared from forage crops
2. As Cover Crops: Most forage crops, especially leguminous plants, serve as cover
crops which add nutrients to soils and control weed growth.
 Conservation of Soil Moisture: most forage crops, especially leguminous plants,

help to conserve soil moisture by preventing evaporation.
a. Prevention of Erosion: some forage crops, especially leguminous plants, help to

prevent water and wind erosion
b. As green Manure: Fore crops, especially when they are young could be ploughed
into the soil as green manure
c. For roofing Farmsteads: Some forage crops like guinea grass and elephant grass are
usually used for roofing farmsteads as a result of their strong stems and plenty leaves.
 As Bedding Materials: Most forage crops serve as bedding materials for

animals.
Types of Pasture
There are two main types of pastures. These are:
1. Natural Pasture: Natural pasture is also referred to as natural grassland or

rangeland. In this pasture, grasses and legumes grow naturally on their own and are
feed upon by farm animals, i.e., grasses are not planted by farmers. Examples of
natural grassland are the savanna areas of Nigeria.
Characteristics of Natural Pasture
A. Natural pastures of grassland contains poor quality grasses and legumes

B. It contains soil types that are low in fertility
 It contains wide varieties of grasses and legumes, some of which may not eaten by
livestock
1. It has good regenerative ability
2. Productivity of natural pasture is very low and resistant to drought
3. Forage crops in natural pasture can withstand trampling by farm animals.
 Natural pasture may contain some grasses which cannot be easily eradicated
 New growth is stimulated by burning
2. Artificial Pasture: This is also referred to as established or sown pasture. In this

pasture, grasses and legumes are deliberately planted and managed by man to be fed
on by livestock.
Characteristics of Artificial Pasture
1. It contains high quality grasses and legumes

2. It contains no weeds except some shade trees
 Selected grasses and legumes are grown in adequate proportion
1. It has high regenerative ability after being fed on by animals

2. It can withstand trampling by farm animals
3. It is properly managed for high productivity of the forage crops e.g. fertilization,
irrigation and rotational grazing.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PASTURE
Factors affecting the distribution of pasture can be grouped into three classes:
1. Climatic Factor: The type of climate in an area influences the type of vegetation in
that particular area. For example, Sudan types of climate favours the growth of
grasses and legumes while Equatorial climate does not. Elements of climate which
can directly influence temperature, relative humidity, day length, sunlight, etc.
2. Soil or Edaphics Factors: This refers to the level of fertility of the soil. Fertile soil
tends to support pasture growth while poor soil does not. Soil factors which may
influence the distribution of pasture are soil pH, soil texture, soil structure as well as
the slope of the land (topography).
3. Biotic Factors: Biotic factors like disease, pests, parasites, predators generally
influence the distribution of pasture. The activities of man such as bush burning and
over-grazing generally have adverse effects on the distribution of pasture
FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PASTURE
These factors include:
1. Persistence: This is the ability of the pasture crops to survive and spread by vegetative
means.
2. Aggressiveness: This is the ability of pasture to compete favourably with other
weeds. High aggressiveness ensures continuous availability of the pasture crops.
3. Resistance to Trampling: This refers to the ability of pasture to resist continuous
trampling by farm animals during grazing and still remains available to livestock to
feed on.
4. Seed Viability (or profuseness): Seeds of pasture should be viable over a long period
of time. It should be easily propagated to ensure high pasture productivity
5. Pests and Disease: Absence of pests and disease within a pasture ensures their
increased productivity
6. Accurate Stocking: An accurate number of animals should graze a specified area of
pasture. Overgrazing does not ensure increased productivity of pasture.
7. Good Management: Proper management practices such as regular weeding, rouging,
irrigation, good grazing, fertilization, etc. should be practiced to ensure increased
productivity of pasture.
ESTABLISHMENT OF PASTURE
Before pasture can be established, the following factors should be considered:
1. Adaptation of Species: Legumes and grasses should be adapted to the local

environment
2. Palatability: Legumes and grasses to be established must be palatable and nutritious
for animals.
3. Compatibility: The grass-legume mixture in the pasture must be compatible to each
other
4. Time of Maturity: grasses and legumes to be established should be able to mature
within the shortest possible time
5. Life Cycle of the Species: Annuals with annual plants or perennials with perennials
plant should be mixed together when establishing pasture. This is to ensure continous
availability of pasture
The establishment of pasture takes the following sequence:
1. Site Selection: Select a suitable site which should be well-drained with good loamy
soil.
2. Clearing of Land: The land should be cleared or cut back the site with hoes and
cutlasses.
 Removal of Debris: Debris on the site should be removed or it could be gathered and
burnt.
1. Cultivation of Site: The land, field or site should be cultivated by way of ploughing,
harrowing and if possible ridging
2. Planting of pasture crops: Planting of the desired pasture, grass or legume is carried
out.
3. Supplying: Plant materials that fail to germinate should be supplied with new
planting materials
 Planting of Legumes: Leguminous plants should be planted, especially in the case of

grass and legume mixture
 Promotion of Tillering: The grasses should be cut back at regular intervals to
promote tillering.
1. Weeding: Weeding should be done at regular intervals, especially at the early stages
of the pasture
2. Fertilizer application: Apply fertilizers at the appropriate rate by broadcasting
3. Irrigation: Light irrigation or watering of the planted seeds or solons should be done,
especially in arid areas with low rainfall.
 Paddocking: The pasture should be broken into convenient units for good grazing
management like rotational grazing
COMMON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN PASTRUE
Some common management practices in pasture to ensure continous supply of grasses

and legumes to livestock include the following:
1. Burning: Burning should be done once in a year, especially when the forage crops
are over-regrowth of the grasses and legumes
2. Fencing: This is the partitioning of the pasture into sections called paddocks to
facilitate rotational grazing
3. Application of fertilizer: Application of fertilizer in the pasture ensures rapid and
succulent growth of pasture because of increase in the fertility of the soil
4. Weed control: Weeds should be removed regularly from the pasture to prevent
competition with forage plants for nutrients and space
5. Pests and Diseases control: These should be prevented to ensure rapid growth of
pasture crops
6. Irrigation: Pasture farm should be irrigated, especially during the dry season to
ensure the availability of fresh and succulent grasses all the year round.
7. Adequate stocking: The correct number of animals should be placed on a pasture to
graze. Overgrazing should be prevented.

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Forage and Pasture

Uses of Forage Crops

Forage crops have the following uses:

 Conservation of Soil Moisture: most forage crops, especially leguminous plants,

a. Prevention of Erosion: some forage crops, especially leguminous plants, help to

 As Bedding Materials: Most forage crops serve as bedding materials for

There are two main types of pastures. These are:

1. Natural Pasture: Natural pasture is also referred to as natural grassland or

Characteristics of Natural Pasture

A. Natural pastures of grassland contains poor quality grasses and legumes

2. Artificial Pasture: This is also referred to as established or sown pasture. In this

Characteristics of Artificial Pasture

1. It contains high quality grasses and legumes

 Selected grasses and legumes are grown in adequate proportion

1. It has high regenerative ability after being fed on by animals

FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PASTURE

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PASTURE

These factors include:

Before pasture can be established, the following factors should be considered:

1. Adaptation of Species: Legumes and grasses should be adapted to the local

The establishment of pasture takes the following sequence:

 Planting of Legumes: Leguminous plants should be planted, especially in the case of

COMMON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN PASTRUE

Some common management practices in pasture to ensure continous supply of grasses

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