Pasture is defined as land with vegetation suitable for the grazing of livestock.

The origin of the word is old French, from late Latin, pastura or grazing. Before the science of agriculture, grazing animals would have been put on any convenient piece of grass, but today a good deal more technology is applicable to the art of building pasture.

The term ‘pasture’ tends to refer to land tended and treated for the specific purpose of raising animals. How it is cared for can make a big difference to the well-being of those animals, and ultimately the profit a farmer can make.

How we make use of pasture in Northland depends very much on a multitude of factors. Climate, terrain, soil, property size, economics, animal preference etc etc.

The big advantage of smaller properties – is that experimentation is going to be relatively cheap. If you find a new grass seed for example, and believe it would be ideal for your situation, then buying a few kilos and watching the results should fit into your ‘R&D fund’ without busting the bank.

A comment from a local farmer recently suggested there will be changes in the seeding regime on Northland dairy farms- “Following this year’s drought, dairy farmers will be encouraging Kikuyu again.”

We know certain animals will do much better on particular grasses. Hence the vast amounts spent on seeds by the dairying industry. But for those with fewer demands on output, variety will usually encourage healthy animals and allow a rotation of stock with few ill-effects.

A report from Purdue University in Illinois in 2007 predicted an increase in sheep production in the USA based purely upon the suitability of certain land for forage crops rather than grain crops.

The report stated that forage supplies around 80% of the nutritional requirements for sheep (as opposed to grain feed) and that sheep have a 26% advantage in food conversion rates over cattle.

Slightly obliquely the report points out that sheep’s two advantages, meat and wool, mean they could be in demand economically due to the escalating costs of petroleum-based synthetic fibres.

It doesn’t matter what usage you intend for your pasture, simple observation will give you plenty of indications as to what is lacking, and what action you need to take. Weeds are always a good indicator of health, for example thistles are deep tap rooted, and usually indicate a hard compact soil.

The Purdue University report went on to examine a number of factors that seem pretty universal to pasture management. For example, what do you look for in tired, stressed or over-worked pasture?

Good indicators are: narrow leaves, thin stems, short length of seed head, shallow roots, short weak root system, low lateral leaf growth, low quantity of forage, short plant appearance, soils low in organic matter, poor mineral cycle, soils with lots of bare ground, no standing litter, low plant density and diversity, compacted soils, low water permeability, dying plants and low total production.

The list may not be complete – but it is a good starting point.