Useful Info

Web Soil Survey: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov

Provided through the National Resources Conservation Service (Free and no login needed)

Rangeland:

Optimum Grazing Heights-When to begin grazing 1st # - Optimum Grazing Height Inches 2nd #
Side Oats Grama 6-4	Switch Grass 12-8	Brownseed Papsalum 8-6
Big Bluestem 12-8	Eastern Gammagrass 12-8	Cordgrass 8-4
Little Bluestem 12-8	Indiangrass 12-8	Blue Grama 5-3

Relationship of Body Condition Score (BCS) @ Calving to Cows Pregant at 60 Days.

Determining Forage Amount

Outline a square with this stick at the end of the growing season. Clip and weigh the forage, let it air dry. Multiply the weight in grams by 10.7 to get pounds per acre. Multiply this amount by acres to be grazed.

Carrying Capacity

Multiply forage amount by 25% harvest efficiency. Divide this amount by the 9490 lbs. consumed by an animal unit in one year. This is the estimated yearlong capacity in animal units on clipped forage.

Approximate Forage Intake Per Day, By % of Body Weight
Cow - Lactating 2.6	Lactation (Mares) 1.0 - 2.0
Cow - Dry 2	Growing (Yearlings) 1.0 - 1.5
Stocker Cattle 3	Goat 4
Horse 2

Water Requirments - Daily Amount (Gal)/Drink Space per Head (Inches)
Cattle 12 - 20	Goats 2 - 12
Bulls 18 - 20	Horses 15 - 20
Stockers 6 - 16

Distance to Water
Terrain	Water Spacing in Miles
Rough (Slopes > 15%)	1/4 to 1/2
Rolling (8 to 15%)	3/8 to 3/4
Level (<8%)	3/4 - 1

Drought Planning

If median rainfall for your area is below normal by June 1 and then again by October 1, drought management should be implemented.

Pastureland:

Nutrient Cycling

An animal unit eating a diet which ranges from 7 to 16% crude protien and digestible organic matter from 59 to 67%, will excrete approximately .10 to .20 pounds of nitrogen and .02 to .04 pounds of phosphorus each day from the manure.

When to Begin Grazing Inches 1st # - Rotational Grazing Height Inches 2nd #
Bermudagrass 6 - 3	Kleingrass 8-6
Bahiagrass 6-3	Dallisgrass 8-6
Introduced Bluestem 8-6

Livestock Nutrient Requirments as a % of Dry Matter
Kind/Class of Animal	Crude Protien	TDN	Calcium	Phosphorus	Kind/Class of Animal	Crude Protien	TDN	Calcium	Phosphorus
Cow- Lactating	9 - 2	52	.28	.28	Doe-Lactating	11.7	62	.3	.2
Cow - Dry	5 - 9	52	.18	.18	Doe-Dry	9.5	54	.26	.17

Animal Unit Equivalents (Kind & Class of Animal)
Cow (1000 lb. & Calf <4 mo.) 1 AUE	Mature Horses 1.25 AUE
Yearling Cattle (Long: 12-17 mos.) .8 AUE	Goats (Adults) .15 AUE
Yearling Cattle (Short: 7-12 mos.) .6 AUE	Goats (Yearling) .1 AUE
Mature Bulls 1.35 AUE

BCS 4 = 54%

BCS 5 = 77%

BCS 6 = 89%

Target Score 5-6

Reproduction Information Gestation & Heat Cycle in Days
Cattle	283	19.5
Horses	336 - 340	22
Goats	151	20 - 22