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Return to Course Homepage	*UMCE Pasture Management Home Study : an Online Course*

1. Assessment of Resources

Inventory. Start by making a list of your resources and their condition.

þ     Personnel time available, interests
þ     Animals by species, condition and biological stage
þ Feed and forage
þ     Land resources: owned and rented
þ     Wildlife

Map. Get an aerial picture of your farm, or a map of your land from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and draw the items such as buildings, shelters, fences, lanes, water points, wooded areas etc. You can get soil maps at the same time, as they will also provide useful information to make informed decisions on pasture management. Number each field and write notes of changes needed (See Figure 1).

Figure 1. Map of farm with notes of fields, buildings, facilities and natural resources.

The local Farm Service Agency Office can provide actual field measurements using aerial photographs and their planimeter (electronic measurement device).

Condition of Pastures and Fields. Once you have drawn the farm map, research the present condition of the farm by getting information and making notes about each pasture or field. You can use some of the monitoring tools explained later in this lesson.

Measurements to be taken	Decision to be made	Cost information
Land area	How much into pasture or other crops?	Renting vs. buying
Length and condition of existing fences	Type of fence to use	Fence and fencing supplies
Condition of existing watering system	Type of tanks and lines or ponds	Well, water line, and tank
Pasture composition, condition and productivity	Kind of pasture mix to use: cool and warm season grasses, legumes	Tillage, seed, and seeding. Herbicides and application
Soil characteristics	Kind of nutrients to use: fertilizer purchase, manure, compost	Fertilizer and application
Condition of existing machinery	What equipment is really needed? Till, no-till, animal impact	Repairs, new equipment, rental

Putting knowledge to work with the people of Maine

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Last Modified: 08/05/03
These pages are currently being maintained from the
Dairy & Livestock Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Send comments, suggestions or inquiries to garya@umext.maine.edu

1. Assessment of Resources

Cost information