Pasture Fertility

Welcome to living on the land. Your source of useful information for Eastern Oregon Country living. Brought to you by your Oregon State University Extension Service. To raise healthy livestock, you need fertile pastures and that means healthy soils. Soils vary greatly in Eastern Oregon. So have your soil tested every two or three years to know just what kind of soil you have and how many nutrients to apply. Most dryland pastures in Eastern Oregon are a mix of annual and perennial grasses that will only need applications of nitrogen in spring and fall. If you have alfalfa or Clover in your pasture, you may need to add phosphorus, potassium and sulphur as well. Pasture reseeding can also be an important step to healthy pastures. Reseating at the right time is critical and will save you lots of time and money. The best time to recede is when the moisture is high in the fall or early spring. When you can make the most of winter rains and snow. And don't graze these newly seeded pastures for at least the first growing season. Check this by pulling on a plant in your reseated pasture. If the roots come out, it's too soon to graze. Good pasture management will keep pasture plants vigorous, healthy and competitive. And that means less weeds. Remember, weeds can be toxic to your animals and reduce pasture quality. There are many methods to control weeds, including chemical, mechanical and biological. Know what weeds. You have and time your control method to occur when the weeds are most susceptible. Like so many things in life, timing can be everything when it comes to pasture management. You've been listening to living on the land. For more details on pasture and livestock management, contact your local Oregon State University extension agent soil and Water Conservation District, or Oregon Department of Agriculture.