5 acres rough pasture

LoonyK · #21 01/14/14, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhead

Different breeds of goats seem to target different weeds from my experience. Even different goats in the same breed seem to target different weeds.

I think yearly burning in early spring can be used to eliminate a lot of weeds if that is an option.

True, I wouldn't doubt that, many breeds here and close to 100 goats, there is a goat for every weed, even nightshade I've seen eaten.

**highlands** · #22 01/15/14, 08:02 PM

I would divide it up into paddocks of about half an acre each and send animals in. Pigs, chickens, sheep, ducks and geese in our case. Mob it. They'll knock it down. Roots of the grasses and legumes survive this. A few weeds will the first time or two but won't in the long run. I seed behind the animals (mob seeding), frost seed or storm seed to change the mix of forage species.

warhoop · #23 01/20/14, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skookumchuck

I bought my place 1 1/2 yrs. ago the pasture was very over grazed by the PO horses and in rough shape. I let it grow back up but there are a lot of weeds now. I am planning to get a brush hog this spring but what would be the best animals to put on it Goats, Sheep, Pigs or Cows? There is a lot of grass under the weeds in most of the pasture but there are also spots of mostly weeds.

Depending on how long the horses were on this piece, you might consider tilling the whole pasture and reseeding. Horses are professional compactors without even trying. This would also address the roughness of the ground. We did this, worth the work and cost.