A3O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 25, 1998
Penn
This is the second week we can look at Pasture Cover and Pasture growth
per day
These charts are from the study across PA Several Penn State County
agents are measuring pasture growth on Farms in their county and watching
how the growth is different across the state
Pasture Growth/day is the paddocks that increased m growth and then the in
crease is divided by the days between samples For example, if the average of
the paddocks increases 700 lbs this week and there were 7 days between sam
pling, then the average growth would be 100 lbs per day
Ave Pasture Cover is the average amount of grass that is on the .all paddocks
measured on the farm As you can see the Average Cover tends to increase
thru the spring as the grass grows faster than the herd can consume. When tins
is happening a faster rotation can be used or take paddocks out for hay/haylage
The last chart compares the Pasture cover for each County according to the
equal Weeks Notice how the southern coputies grow faster and earlier in the
early spring
1 will have comments about what has affected the charts
Tioga County. The break in the growth line chart is were the paddocks measured wcie al
giazcd and thus thcic wa’s no growth that week
i 90
j 80
i 50
I 40
I 33
Tioga County, The pasture cover and the Growth per Day has decreased since the farmer
has clipped his paddocks This is the first clipping this summer He is still on a two week
rotation with his herd
2500
2000
1 500
1000
<*■> o n. o) * o» to cj cn n.
C\J C\J C\J CV '— T- CNJ CM *•"
in u> m to co to
Berks County, The Dry weather continues on this farm and effect on the Ave Cover
, 3000
r 2500
2000
1500
1000
500
t- co m co co <ococo oocsi *- <d co
OJ CM CM • t- CM
c: -c m co co -. •-* f-- r- --
tnmm <o <o h*
The Berks County Growth/day shows how the dry weather is slowing the growth. Most 01
May the grass was growing 70-100 lbs a day. Most of the June growth averaged 50 lbs
per day. This farm is on soil conditions that may show dryer conditions.
State Extension Research Pasture Growth Char
Coordinated By
CRAIG WILLIAMS
Tioga County
Extension Agent
Tioga Corr. Ave Growth/day
Tioga Ave Pasture Cover
Berks Ave Pasture Cover
Berks Pasture Growth/Day
Somerset County has had humid weather and ram the past weeks like me
how Even the cover was thru the spring and may now be growing faster.
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
00^-*“OIrtCMO)inCMO>
miAmi/) to (o
The pasture growth/day for the past two weeks is the average of all 5 pac
The paddocks on this farm are growing at ~50 lbs per day or 350 lbs per
paddock could recover 1000 lbs of grazable forage in three weeks if this
tinues The spike on May 15th is from only a few paddocks in the averagi
: 90
| 80
! [
! 70
1 60
j 50
II 40
ii 20
10
O 00 Tf f-
CM '
■—■ ■— if)
Bradford County
1400
1350
1300
1250
1200
1150
1100
1050
Somerset Ave Pasture Cover
Somerset Corr. Ave Growth/day
O m CM 0> U*) CM O)
t- CNJ CM
ID
m m to m
Bradford Pasture Cover.
Bradford Growth/day
t