Success Story: Multiple Paddock Rotation and Horse Seeding

Farm Owners: Dale and Kathy Ronning

Topics Addressed:

• Paddocks design and layout
• Weed Control
• Horse seeding of red clover

Summary:

The Ronnings lease nine of the 14.9-acre farm and use the rest to graze their quarter horses; one more horse was added after one year of managed grazing. Their goal was to make better use of the grazing area and prevent overgrazing, bare spots, weeds, and erosion and at the same time reduce the cost of buying extra feed. They implemented their grazing system using movable electric fences and gates. The second year of “seeding” clover by feeding the seed to the horses was very successful and they plan to continue this practice to incorporate clover into areas that have low productivity. The Ronnings have learned to look closer at land quality and management. They plan to reduce the paddock size further to gain better control of critical areas. They would also like to improve the fencing by designing a more flexible fencing system.

Paddock Map (pdf)

Changes in Soil Characteristics

Red clover seeded by feeding the seed to the horses

• 1lb of seed per horse (3 horses) each day (divided in am and pm feedings) for 5 days = 14 pounds for ¼ acre => seeding rate 56 lb per acre
• 4/17 started feeding red clover seed to horses, continue for 5 days
• 4/18 let horses into paddock
• 4/21 remove horses from “seeded” paddock and spread manure

Advice from Owners:

• Portable electric fencing is essential for rotational grazing
• Paddocking is the tool for controlled and managed grazing
• Never quit the battle against the weeds

Unproductive and Eroded pasture in 2000
[click to enlarge-30K]

Unproductive and Eroded pasture in 2000
[click to enlarge-20K]

Clover Seeding through horses, Summer 2002
[click to enlarge-22K]

No Erosion, Summer 2002
[click to enlarge-22K]

Summer 2002
[click to enlarge-34K]