Planting Pasture

[Willow2009]

Hi there ,
we have five acres of land has been recently cleared . It was a mix of maple , alder and hemlock . We're in southern British Columbia in the Fraser Valley . We're planning on raising a couple Holstein Bull calves for meat . What sort of grass/es would make for a good cattle pasture that would also be suitable for sheep .

Any help would be appreciated .

 

[greybeard]

I would be "talking out of school" to give you any input on which specie of grass, since I'm in Texas and you're in BC, but anytime you clear forest off and want to put it into pasture, you really need to do some soil sample work--especially look at the ph. I know Canada has some pretty good Ag websites (provided by the Canadian govt) so I'm guessing you have an equivilent to our "county extension/county agent" that can point you in the right direction. Soil sample results will help you choose what grasses would be best and/or tell ya what you need to do to make the soil more productive--it's cheap insurance, very easy, and may even be free in your part of the world. Good luck with your new pasture, I'm doing the same here, as soon as I get some lime on my undeveloped portion.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Find out from some local producers in the Fraser Valley area as to what grasses grow best in that area. You're better off growing forages that are suitable to growing there than getting seed that isn't. I think the British Columbia provincial government site will have adequate information on the type of grasses and such best for raising beefers and sheep in BC (NOT the federal government, GreyBeard!! ), but you're better off check with local livestock producers. I think you may have meadow and smooth brome growing around your area, as well as kentucky bluegrass, creeping red fescue, meadow fescue and the like, similar to what's found here in Alberta, but check with others just to make sure.

And nice to have another Canadian on board here.