Pasture Species Selection For Sheep

1. Legumes
2. Cool Season Grasses
3. Warm Season Grasses
4. Alternative/annual forages

• Kentucky bluegrass is commonly used in many sheep pastures. This grass is more traffic tolerant than most grasses. It is very high in forage quality and very palatable. It is more drought and flood tolerant than many grass species. It is also very tolerant of overgrazing. Kentucky bluegrass grows only 20 to 24 inches tall so the pastures do not look as rank as when other taller-growing species are planted. It establishes easier than smooth bromegrass or reed canarygrass. However it is the lowest yielding grass species commonly used in pastures for all but the northern regions of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
• Smooth bromegrass, along with Kentucky bluegrass and quackgrass, are the most common species in unimproved pastures in the northern Midwest. It is the most winterhardy grass species we grow. Smooth bromegrass is more adapted to drought and higher temperatures than other cool season grasses and is therefore not recommended in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan. This grass is generally the second highest yielding grass south of a band approximately 100 miles south of the Canadian border. It is slow to establish, though not as difficult as reed canarygrass. The major problem with smooth bromegrass is that two-thirds or more of the yield occurs during May and June with little regrowth the rest of the year. It is also slow to recover after mowing or grazing. This is fine for hay but not for grazing. Smooth bromegrass works well for fields that are harvested for hay in June and grazed the remainder of the growing season.
• Reed canarygrass is an excellent grass that tolerates flooding and drought. It is frequently sown in low areas. Reed canarygrass is extremely winterhardy. It is the highest yielding grass grown in the Midwest. It grows up to 5 feet tall if not mowed or grazed. It is a sod former and so will fill in vacant areas. This trait has also caused it not to be recommended by some who consider it an invasive species. Seed is expensive and reed canarygrass is slow to establish, often taking a year or more to get a stand. If growing reed canarygrass, be sure to plant low alkaloid varieties, such as Venture, Rival or Palaton.

• Orchardgrass is an excellent grass for either pasture or hay. It establishes quickly, is ready to graze early in the spring and recovers quickly from grazing. It produces more forage in the late summer and early fall than any other cool season grass. It is important to select a good variety because some are not winterhardy enough for Wisconsin and Minnesota. Orchardgrass varieties also vary in maturity. Early types may be planted with red clover. Medium-late to late types should be planted in mixtures with alfalfa or other grasses, so that all species of the mixture mature at the same time. See www.uwex.edu/ces/forage for a listing of orchardgrass maturities. Disadvantages are that orchardgrass has moderate winterhardiness and will die out once in a great while. Note in the table how important it is to pick the right variety. Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 5.31.39 AMAlso, because of its quick recovery after haying or grazing, it may be difficult to graze a large portion of pasture while the orchardgrass is in an acceptable maturity range. For these two reasons, we recommend no more than 30% of the total pasture be planted to orchardgrass. It is also very important to plant the right species. We recommend late maturing varieties, which are slightly more expensive than early maturing types, but mature at a time more compatible with other species. When orchard grass gets too mature in a mixture sheep will avoid it and graze only other species.
• Timothy is an old standby. It is moderately easy to establish. It is very palatable, both sheep and cattle prefer it to most other grasses. However, it is low yielding and tends to be short-lived, lasting only 3 to 5 years in most stands. It also heads out most of the summer while all other grasses, except the ryegrasses, head only once in May or June and all regrowth is strictly vegetative. Timothy is best adapted to cool, wet soils and should only be grown in central and north regions of northern states. Its seed size is different than most grasses and must be seeded separately or mixed with legume seed. If seed is mixed with other grass seed in the seeder, timothy will settle to the bottom of the seeder and be seeded first. Because of this timothy is seldom seen in pasture mixtures.
• Tall fescue is an easy to establish bunchgrass that is only slightly less adapted to flooding and drought extremes than reed canarygrass. It is the most traffic and shade tolerant of any of the mentioned grasses. On the negative, tall fescue is very unpalatable. Also, if using, one must be sure to get fungus-free seed. The internal (endophytic) fungus produces an alkaloid that can be detrimental to sheep and other animals. Volunteer tall fescue or that growing in ditch banks or grassed waterways is likely fungus infected. Tall fescue is very common in pastures across southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. However, a fungus free type may be the best choice for shady or high traffic areas even in the upper Midwest.
• Italian ryegrass is a rapidly establishing, high quality forage. It will grow and yield into late July or early August. However, it is lower yielding than many other grasses and will tend to die out over winter. Its primary use is to overseed damaged areas and as a cover crop in mixtures with other longer-lived grasses. Be sure to buy forage types, not turf types. (Note also that ryegrass is different from rye which is a cereal grain crop.)
• Perennial ryegrass is a rapidly establishing, high quality forage. It will grow in early spring and late early fall. However, it is lower yielding than many other grasses and may die out over winter. Its primary use is in pasture and hay fields in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota where snow cover will keep stands in for 3 to 4 years. Be sure to buy forage types, not turf types.

• Alfalfa is the most common legume in the dairy regions. It is the highest yielding and generally will persist for 4 to 6 years. It is primarily a hay and silage crop because alfalfa grows very erect. Alfalfa is also a good grazing crop but will be too rich for most sheep unless mixed with about 50% grass. It can be dual used for hay in the spring and grazing thereafter. It requires a soil pH of 6.8 or higher and does not do well in poorly drained soils.
• White clover is the most common clover in pastures. It is easy to establish (even by frost seeding) and is the most drought tolerant. It is also the most tolerant of over grazing. White clover spreads by above ground runners called ‘stolons.’ This clover tends to be low yielding. There are several types of white clover and one should be sure to plant the medium or Dutch types. These will grow 6 to 8 inches tall and are moderate yielding. Common white clover should be avoided because it will only grow 3 to 4 inches tall and is very low yielding. Taller growing types will tend to be shorter lived and will need to be reseeded periodically. Dutch and medium white clovers are recommended for sheep pastures, especially for mixing with Kentucky bluegrass. Ladino clover is the tallest growing type but is short lived. Soil pH should be at least 6.0.
• Red Clover is the most common pasture legume species in Wisconsin. It is a fast-establishing clover. It is the highest yielding of the clovers. Soil pH should be 6.2. It is high yielding and establishes quickly and easily. Good varieties will last for four years – cheap varieties for two years. It is possible to frost seed this into grass pastures in most parts of the upper Midwest.
• Birdsfoot trefoil is a long-lived legume that reseeds naturally. It is high in quality and maintains its quality longer than most other legumes. This makes it good for stockpiling (i.e. allowing it to mature and save it for periods of drought of late fall/early winter grazing. It tolerates wet conditions second only to alsike clover. Birdsfoot trefoil yield is especially good in the northern parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
• Alsike clover is frequently mixed with ladino clover for use in wet soils. Alsike is easy to establish (can frost seed) and but stands usually only last 2 to 3 years so other legumes should be used where soil drainage is adequate.
• Kura clover is a rhizomatous legume (spread by underground runners). It is high yielding and persistent. However it is very slow to establish, often taking up to two years to get a good stand. For this reason, it is not currently recommended for sheep pasture.

• a long lived grass, e.g. orchard grass, timothy, smooth bromegrass, bluegrass or reed canary grass.
• a legume.
• a cover crop or short lived grass, such as Italian ryegrass.  Oats have often been used as a cover crop but are not recommended because Italian ryegrass provides better grazing.

Text for a Farm Bill emerges - but to a lame duck environment. Having that uncomfortable financial talk with those on and off the farm. And, commodity market analysis with Sue Martin.