Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
organic matter may not support the bacteria very well, and soil that has been
treated with strong chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides may not
support them at all.
Deciding what kinds of fertilization program to implement for pasture
optimization requires soil tests or plant-tissue tests or both. Soil tests are a
little less expensive than plant-tissue testing (ask your county Extension agent
about soil-testing availability), but plant-tissue testing is more accurate. If you
do opt to use chemical fertilizers (such as ammonium sulfate), several light
applications during the year are far better for soil health and soil organisms
than one large application. Natural soil amendments such as compost and
green manure actually enhance soil health.
In humid environments, the fertilizer that usually provides the most bang
for the buck is some kind of calcium supplement (lime being the most famil-
iar). Soil in areas of high rainfall suffers from leaching, or movement of nutri-
ents down through the soil to depths that plants can't access, and calcium
leaches quickly. In some areas of the United States, certain micronutrients are
also in short supply in the soil, and you need to either boost their levels in the
soil or make sure you're supplying them to your fl ock in a supplemental trace
mineral product. Again, your county Extension agent should know about soil
defi ciencies in your area. (See chapter 6 for more about feeding minerals and
the Resources section for some topics that provide additional information on
composting, soil amendments, and so on.)
Controlling Overgrowth and Rejuvenating Pastures
If a pasture has become overgrown with brush and excess weeds or if, on the
other hand, it has developed large bare spots and eroded places, it may require
rejuvenating.
Overgrowth
When the problem is overgrowth of brush and weeds, you have several
options.
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Get a breed of sheep that's considered an excellent forager and/or get
some goats. (When it comes to taking out really overgrown brush, goats
are the superior animal — but they are even more diffi cult to fence than
the most challenging sheep.) By continuing to strip growth off brush,
sheep will eventually kill it.
