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Vaughn,
I'm not the one who wrote the initial email about prairie grasses for
grazing. Just someone who has experience with true North American
prairie grasses. I was just trying to clarify the nature of NA prairie
grasses.
Regards,
Judy Decker
----- Original Message -----
From: vaughan jones
To: graze-l@witt.ac.nz
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 3:51 AM
Subject: [Graze-l] "praire grasses" for VA
Yeh, sorry, but I read VA as Vermont.
All emails should include their location.
I've previously asked for this and some do so.
Once in the Signature it is done automatically with every email.
If your grasses spread and go down 25 feet for water why are you
short of pasture and why looking for better ones?
I think we have a discrepency in language going on here. I live on
the edge of the Flint Hills of Kansas, one of the top grazing areas
in the world. These hills are held together by the perennial native
prairie grasses. They are far more likely to spread by tillering and
bunching outward than by seed drop. These species are big bluestem,
little bluestem, side oats gramma, indian grass, switchgrass and
eastern gamma grass, to name a few. There are dozens more that fill
in micro environments within the prairie's differing sites.
To us in New Zealand the above are not Prairie Grasses, even if they
grow on your prairies. Are they Bromes?
I believe that switchgrass and eastern gamma grass , tho both prone
to early maturity, would probably make good pasture in West Virginia,
as would Big bluestem. These are good producers and will send roots
down 25 feet if need be to find water.
Best,
Judy
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:leon@grazinginfo.com>vaughan jones
To: <mailto:graze-l@witt.ac.nz>graze-l@witt.ac.nz
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 10:30 AM
Subject: [SPAM] - Re: [Graze-l] "praire grasses" for VA - Email found
in subject
Conventional prairie grass doesn't last under cattle unless allowed
to seed and under sheep will last less, except for Grazing Brome
which is prostrate and less palatable so not grazed so hard.
Grasslands Matua is an excellent grass, but lasts even less.
Unlike most grasses, tillers shoot from about 3 cm above ground
level, so grazing short should be avoided.
Ask your locals about the best one and try other varieties such as
plantain. There is one for sheep and one for cattle.
Few will survive your winters, but orchard grasses will.
Is there anyone in the mid-atlantic region experimenting with praire
grasses for summer pastures? I have been reading about Wes Jackson,
etc and was wondering where to get good seed that isn't too
expensive, what kind of planting rates and most importantly is this a
viable idea for improving summer pasture TDN? This year we had 8
straight dry weeks and are still in drought, some of my paddocks
still cannot be re-grazed. BTW I am grazing sheep. Liese
--
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
New Zealand
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