Before you plan the how, take stock of what resources you have available and their conditions. In doing so, you鈥檒l be able to identify limitations and challenges that you will plan to address or manage. You will also be able to better estimate the productivity of your land which is necessary to planning grazing management of the herd/flock.
Land, Soils, and Plants
Acreage available for grazing and/or haying taking note of:
- Soil type and drainage
- Soil condition
- Physical limitations (e.g. steep slope, rocky outcrops, etc.)
- Forage species (and weeds!) present
- Forage density and bare soil
- Soil fertility status and history
Grazing Infrastructure
Pasture Access
- Lands
- Stream/river/road crossings
- Equipment access points
Water System
- Water lines
- Water tube
Other Infrastructure
- Feed access
- Mineral access
- Shade access
Tools & Resources
Farmers often work with staff from their local Natural Resource Conservations Service (NRCS), conservation district, or Extension service to create maps of their land that document these resources. These can be helpful later when determining if and how much additional infrastructure may be needed, or in designing the layout and management of the plan.
- : you can delineate fields and measure them using this tool
- : you can delineate fields and access state data layers including soil types and characteristics, surface water locations, public and private well locations, sensitive area delineations, and other information useful in developing a grazing plan.
- : paid subscription-based web application for grazing planning and record keeping.
- : look up the dominant soils, their characteristics, and some estimates of productivity on your fields.
- Pasture condition scoring guide: assess the condition of your pastures.