Jefferson S. McCutcheon, Knox County, OSU Extension, 1025 Harcourt Rd., PO Box 1268, Mt. Vernon, OH 43050 and Robert Hendershot, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 831 College Avenue Suite B, Lancaster, OH 43130-1081.
The Ohio Pasture Measurement Project was started in 2005 as an attempt to help producers understand the value of timely measurement of their forages. The two objectives for this project are 1) to provide a source of current, objective information on the relative performance of forages growing in Ohio and 2) to demonstrate the use of pasture measurement/monitoring to aid in the management of grazing. Initially, the project involved taking forage measurements weekly at three different farms in Ohio. In 2007, eight farmers cooperated, measuring 38 fields. The pastures measured contain typical forages found in Ohio pasture fields including: tall fescue, orchard grass, timothy, perennial ryegrass, festulolium, bluegrass, and white clover. Management of the pasture fields including when to graze, clip or fertilize was up to the cooperating farmer. Measurements were taken weekly, from April through November, with additional measurements before and after grazing. Pasture growth was determined by a rising plate meter with calibration using clipping and drying 2'x 2’ quadrants. At each location a target residual level of forage was maintained in the pasture. Target residuals were 1200 lbs.DM/ac. The average growth measured on the 38 fields during the months of April through July was 6,215 lbs. DM/ac. Predicted growth using the 3.5 ton average pasture production for the same months is 5,480 lbs. DM/ac. 2007 was a dry year. Pasture growth trends in 2007 showed pasture growth rates in mid May dropping to levels typically seen in mid July. Even in a dry year Ohio graziers are able to manage and grow more forage from their pastures than the book values estimate.
