Making A Pasture

[HomeOnTheRange]

@Baymule, I am amazed you can grow anything in that fine sand!
We have had good luck with Zoysia grass (just not the Meyer variety known as Z-52). Seville St. Augustine is our go to as it will grow in sand or clay.

We have gotten 8 1/2” of rain over the last week and a half, so the rut has washed.

We get that much rain in about a year, so I do not know if that would make a different with the above varieties.

 

[misfitmorgan]

It's really looking great Bay!!!

Have you looked into bridsfoot trefoil? We grow that a lot up here but it supposedly grows in zones 1-7 and is a legume. Pretty hardy for us and doesnt die off in the summers or drought.....our idea of drought is probly not the same as texas drought though.

I also found this...not sure if you have seen it but it lists every type of forage for texas it seems.
https://counties.agrilife.org/colorado/files/2013/01/Forage-Species-for-Texas.pdf

 

[farmerjan]

Need to bookmark that list for @Ridgetop too when they make the move....

 

[Baymule]

It's really looking great Bay!!!

Have you looked into bridsfoot trefoil? We grow that a lot up here but it supposedly grows in zones 1-7 and is a legume. Pretty hardy for us and doesnt die off in the summers or drought.....our idea of drought is probly not the same as texas drought though.

I also found this...not sure if you have seen it but it lists every type of forage for texas it seems.
https://counties.agrilife.org/colorado/files/2013/01/Forage-Species-for-Texas.pdf

That’s a great article, packed with information. The winter/early spring grasses and clovers really help with grazing. I’ll try the birds foot trefoil, it might be a winner.

 

[Baymule]

The Bahia I sowed last spring did fairly well last year. I even let the horses graze it 2-3 days at a time, then dry lotted them for 2-3 weeks. I’ve let them graze it some this year, it’s thicker and taller than it was last year. I think I’m on my way to a good stand of grass.

It needed mowing something awful, it was getting covered up by all sorts of things. I told neighbor Robert that in a couple of weeks I was going to mow it, but just didn’t have time. We were working like mad to finish up slaughtering and processing the Cornish Cross chickens, then had the granddaughters, then other things we had put off, and then I was just exhausted. Robert came over, hooked up the bush hog and started mowing one late afternoon. He mowed until dark and was back at it the next morning. He mowed until 2:00 and finally finished. It looked like a park, just beautiful! I made him thumbprint cookies with plum jam and took him 3 pint jars of jam. Plus we took them out to eat. We were so grateful.

I took these pictures standing on the pipeline.

Pearl. @Palamino doesn’t she look good!

Prince

Sparkles

 

[messybun]

Wow! The pasture looks great, but those horses are gorgeous!!!

 

[farmerjan]

Your pasture has really come on. Pearl looks real good too.....compared to previous pictures....

 

[Baymule]

Now the pipeline pasture. I sowed giant Bermuda grass in March and on the first half, it is knee high now. Across the gully it is short and took longer to come up. I’ve kept the horses off. It’s been dry and their hooves would dig up grass with every step in the loose sand. I’ve been waiting on rain. We got a half inch this morning and it settled the dust. So I let the horses on the Bahia pasture behind the horse barn and put Ringo and the girls on the pipeline. All that lush grass!! Just look at how beautiful it is!

And what did they do? They ignored it and gobbled up weeds! They love Poor Joe and lambs quarters and chowed down on it. Ok sheep, I give you grass I’ve sweated blood to produce and you hit the weeds. And THATS why cattle ranchers ought to follow the herd with sheep to clean up the pasture on rotation!

I finally did get Ringo to follow me to the Bermuda grass, he sniffed around like I was offering him something disgusting, nibbled a little, then RAN, big balls swinging, back to the girls on the weeds.

Ringo and the girls got full bellies, laid at the gate and yelled at me to go back to their barn. Silly sheep. I just heard thunder, so guess I’d better go move sheep and do the evening feeding a little early.

 

[Baymule]

Wow! The pasture looks great, but those horses are gorgeous!!!

Thank you! Sparkles is 34 years old! If you’ve never read Pearl’s or Prince’s threads, they are in the horse forums. Both were kill lot horses.

Your pasture has really come on. Pearl looks real good too.....compared to previous pictures....

Thanks, that means a lot, you sure know grass. And thanks on Pearl too. It’s taken almost 3 years to get her to where she is now. I’ve fattened up skinny horses before, but never one as starved as Pearl was. Never. I threw everything but the kitchen sink at her. That girl has come a long way. She rides like a dream and is safe with kids.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wow so much beautiful progress!! If you get any first cut hay. Use that on the pipeline as it generally has seed...more so than 2nd cut. Free seed!

While all 3 look good, Pearl is looking fantastic!! Does your heart good.